Brakes

[Hollabakzach23]

Alright guys so before it gets too terribly cold I want to change my brakes all around my truck. Not necessary up front but I may as well do them all at the same thing since my rears squeak real bad and I'm almost positive they are rubbing real bad. Now I am familiar with disc brakes but not so much on the drums in the rear so I was looking to eat parts list and any tips or advice y'all had for doing the drum brakes! Thanks guys and gals

 

[txbass06]

When you buy the shoes, go ahead and get a drum brake hardware kit to go along with them. It'll come with all of the springs and clips that hold the shoes in place. If they've never been replaced, there's a chance of breaking one or more when you pull them off.
First time I did drum brakes, I jacked the rear of the truck up, pulled both tires and drums off. That way when I got one side torn down and forgot how it went back together, I already had the other side ready and could look at it

 

[Okiespaniel]

Hydraulic drum brakes have been around since the 1930 (chrysler was an innovator!) and while a bit more complex as far as the amount of hardware needed , are just as easy to install
I would buy a mounting hardware kit as well as adjuster kits for each side. If you're not willing to spring for a Haynes manual, do one wheel at a time and use the other side as a mirror reference. You'd need Brakkleen and some grease for the backing plate pads the shoes sit on. BTW...the longer shoes go on the back of each side (e-brake).
Afterwards you'll need to adjust the shoes out for an initial setting. Thats the trickiest part. You don't want them too tight (drag and smell) or too loose (low brake pedal and emergency brake) I usually tighten the star wheel untill I hear rubbing then back it off a half to full turn and check the pedal.

I guess txbass06 was quicker!

 

[Hollabakzach23]

Lol quite the innovators it sounds like

Awesome thanks for that guys. I wondered if it was as easy as the shoes and hardware kit because that's what I kind of figured after doing some research but I will pick up the adjuster kit as well and some brakklean and grease as well. It may just be time for a manual as well which I'm sure will help.

 

[Hemitom]

FYI when you replace the rears you might want to get new wheel cylinders as well. if the truck has a lot of miles it would be worth of it.

I replaced them on my Dakota a couple years back..I didnt the first time around...but i did after the cyl leaked and ruined the shoes...

 

[Hollabakzach23]

That's probably not a bad idea the trick has right around 110 thousand miles and I'm sure nothing has ever been serviced back there.

 

[Hollabakzach23]

Well for anyone that's interested I took your guy's advice and got all new hardware as well as wheel cylinders and they no longer squeak when I apply pressure to them! Went very smoothly and took a few hours because I was in no hurry lol. Got front pads for free from a buddy who used to own a dodge like mine so imma do those in the next coue days and then it's on to fun mods I hope! Lol