I am trying to replace my back brake shoes on my 2004 saturn ion and i am having difficulties. I am not sure what the right way to remove them is. If i have to remove the bottom spring first or just try and remove the 2 metal rods holding it in?
Remove the bottom spring.
I suggest you wear gloves, and a dust mask, and I'm not kidding.
You definitely don't want to breath the dust, and it's the pits to get off of your hands. Wear protective goggles, or some sort of protective eyewear. One wrong slip, and you can't replace your eye/s!
Take the wheels off of both sides. Remove both brake drums. ONLY, work on one side at a time, so you have a completed brake setup, to refer back to.
I would suggest getting a large kitchen drain pan, (The plastic kind like grandma used for dishes), and put it under the wheel. (Backing plate and brake mechanism) Use a garden hose set on low, and wash the dust into the pan. Start from the top.
Then buy a can or two of brake cleaner. Get the kind that is non-hazardous to breathe. Spray from the top, and wash the backing plate, brake wheel cylinder, springs, anchor pins, and all.
When you're done remove the dishpan. Keep it for the other side.
At the auto parts store where you bought the brake cleaner, buy a brake spring remover. They're cheap, and you'll thank me for this one.
It's like a large set of pliers, only the jaw tips are for removing that spring. At one of the handle ends, is for removing those brake anchor pin locks, and the other handle end has a tip for helping to slip springs back on. (The brake anchor pin, is that pin that comes through the brake shoe.
Then there is a spring, and the brake anchor pin lock. You turn the anchor pin lock 90 degrees to remove it. (12 O'Clock to 3 O'Clock)
Take the adjusters apart, and clean them. After you put them back together, check how they spin.
They must turn easily.
There MAY be a Leading brake shoe, and a Trailing brake shoe. The leading brake shoe goes in the Front.
Read any directions that come with the shoes. It will tell you if the shoes are different from each other.
Clean the part of the axle, that the brake drum sits on. Hard to explain this one. The brake drum has a small hole in the center. It goes over a round protrusion on the axle. Clean the outside edge, of that axle round protrusion, and the brake drum hole. Makes it so much easier, when you go to put the brake drum on. (And take it off the next time)
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