That'll learn me for neglecting my drums...

[VTEC_Inside]

Driving the Accord today and it sounded like my right rear was going to fall off. I actually pulled over and checked the lug nuts.

Got home and before I even had the wheel off I had an idea of what I might find.

A couple pieces of the drum had rotted clean off and were stuck between the drum and the backing plate. I removed 6-8 semi circular strips of rotted metal lol...

I chipped off most of whatever else looked bad and put it back on. I think its time for new ones though.

[S204STi]

I chipped off most of whatever else looked bad and put it back on. I think its time for new ones though.

Ya think?

[Danish]

Wow

[VTEC_Inside]

Lol, I gotta take pics of what I found trapped in there.

Shame though as the actual braking surface still has plenty of thickness and appears to be in decent shape.

Purely from a point of view of balance these ones have gotta go though. I checked the drivers side while I was at it and that drum wasn't far from having the same pieces brake free. I laughed when I put the wheel back on because the weight of the drum is soo offset that the wheel spun down a half circle...

[Danish]

Yeah, I was gonna ask for pics when I came to my senses....

You can still use the current shoes for the new drums, right?

[VTEC_Inside]

Yeah, I was gonna ask for pics when I came to my senses....

You can still use the current shoes for the new drums, right?

Yeah, but I'd probably get new ones at the same time. The passenger side ones haven't got much left on them anyway.

I went and priced them earlier. Its gonna be about $90-$150 depending on what "grade" parts I go with.

[S204STi]

Yeah, but I'd probably get new ones at the same time. The passenger side ones haven't got much left on them anyway.

I went and priced them earlier. Its gonna be about $90-$150 depending on what "grade" parts I go with.

The good thing about drums is that they last a very long time, so if you do them now you won't likely need to again while you own the vehicle.

[VTEC_Inside]

The good thing about drums is that they last a very long time, so if you do them now you won't likely need to again while you own the vehicle.

Yeah. The ones on it are probably the originals from almost 18yrs ago now. 388,000kms later, lol...

Functionally they are still fine with the exception of the mass imbalance caused by corrosion.

[S204STi]

Yeah. The ones on it are probably the originals from almost 18yrs ago now. 388,000kms later, lol...

Functionally they are still fine with the exception of the mass imbalance caused by corrosion.

You may also be feeling wheel imbalance, so don't be surprised if you still have a shimmy back there after the brake job.

If you do it yourself, get a good brake drum adjuster tool and a good spring tool.  Otherwise it is a complete pain replacing the shoes.  If they offer a hardware kit rather than including it with the shoes, go ahead and spring for it because they are going to sit in there for a long time, and it would be best not to have them break.

[The Pirate]

I hate doing drum brakes.  I've never checked to see how what shape they are in on my Honda, but on my old Ford truck, it was not a fun job.  Of course, by the time I did them (153K mi and 4th owner) they were in a quite a state of disrepair.  I was just going to do the drums and shoes, but like R-inge said to do, I just ended up getting the spring/hardware kit, and replaced everything.  Still wasn't fun though.

[VTEC_Inside]

You may also be feeling wheel imbalance, so don't be surprised if you still have a shimmy back there after the brake job.

If you do it yourself, get a good brake drum adjuster tool and a good spring tool. Otherwise it is a complete pain replacing the shoes. If they offer a hardware kit rather than including it with the shoes, go ahead and spring for it because they are going to sit in there for a long time, and it would be best not to have them break.

I don't really feel an imbalance now, but I imagine it there has to be a little of one the way they look.

I'm not too concerned about pulling them apart. I've had them apart before (a while back) just to clean them up and lube the adjuster. I didn't have much trouble then so...

[S204STi]

I don't really feel an imbalance now, but I imagine it there has to be a little of one the way they look.

I'm not too concerned about pulling them apart. I've had them apart before (a while back) just to clean them up and lube the adjuster. I didn't have much trouble then so...

That part is easy.  In order to replace the shoes you have to remove all the springs and retainers that hook into the backing plate and shoes.  It can be a pain if you don't do it often.

[BartsSVO]

Mine on my Ranger were in worse shape when I pulled them off last summer. Literally the entire rim of the drum was just rusted away. Remarkably though the inside of the drum was in near ideal condition, except on the driver's side which was just covered in gunk due to the leaking wheel cylinder on that side.

[Ron From Regina]

Spring for a spring tool, if you haven't got one already. Trying to monkey around with a set of pliers is a waste of time.

[giant_mtb]

And I came into this thread thinking someone was having trouble putting together a drum set or something.   

[AutobahnSHO]

Spring for a spring tool, if you haven't got one already. Trying to monkey around with a set of pliers is a waste of time.

??
I always just use needle-nose pliers.  What is this spring tool you speak of? 

[VTEC_Inside]

??
I always just use needle-nose pliers. What is this spring tool you speak of?

Something like this:



Which I have also always done without.

Btw, the neglect continues... :)

[Ron From Regina]

I've got a set like this, that has the pliers and remover on the end of the one handle. Works pretty slick.

[AutobahnSHO]

I've got a set like this, that has the pliers and remover on the end of the one handle. Works pretty slick.

How much?

[The Pirate]

How much?

I have one just like the Ron from Regina posted too, I paid about $15 for it 4 years ago.  Even at double that price, it's well worth it.

[AutobahnSHO]

I have one just like the Ron from Regina posted too, I paid about $15 for it 4 years ago.? Even at double that price, it's well worth it.

Fo' sho. 
I'm surprised the Army garage doesn't have them.  Or maybe they do and they just don't tell me.