Drum brake question

[BrianF]

Ok, just to clarify an issue I ran into on the rear drums on my 2002 beater Sunfire. Caveat, my Jack is in use so I cannot tear down the other side to look. I am quite new at drums.

The driver side rear brake was locking up with little effort. I tore it down and a couple of the shoe retaining springs are MIA. Essentially I had to pull it apart to get the drum off.

Watched a pile of videos but cannot find where and how these clips fit. Tomorrow I will try to source an all new hardware kit.......

Thanks guys!

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Is it just on the first brake application in the morning or is it multiple / random times throughout the day?

 

[BrianF]

It was all the time that the drum was locking. I am not heavy on the brakes so it was not an issue on the asphalt but very prevalent on rhe loose sand and gravel.

 

[Dave9]

Caveat, my Jack is in use so I cannot tear down the other side to look.

You surely aren't holding something up with the jack that should be On Jack Stands Instead, freeing up the jack to... umm.. jack.

I get it if you mean you are using the vehicle's factory crank screw scissor (?) jack and don't have a hydraulic floor jack.

Anyway, knowing the Sunfire and Cavalier should have the same drum brakes but the Cavalier is more popular, I searched for it and found this. IDK if it helps:

https://chevrolet.7zap.com/en/cavalier/51476-1999/120104-0-0/0002-0-0-0|---rear+brake+drum+jx+1995+2002/

It shows no such clips.

Is the vehicle supposed to have ABS? It wouldn't surprise me at all if a vehicle without ABS locked up the drums on "loose sand and gravel". Why are you trying to stop so fast on loose sand and gravel anyway? I'm not being judgemental, just seems like some detail is missing in all this. If you're getting sand up in the drum, yeah that'll lock them up enough on loose sand or gravel to notice, because they ride only a tiny distance from the pads to begin with.

"can't figure out where and how these clips fit", where did you find them? More detail is missing. Could they be for the parking aka emergency brake?

I may be way off in left field, please excuse if that's the case, but I really really think you need to get some jack stands, then look at the other side.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Rural Saskatchewan = loose sand and gravel. Totally understandable.

 

[BrianF]

The jackstands, well I live dangerously....

In loose sand or gravel, the lightest pressure on the brake pedal caused lockup on the driver side drum.

It is an ABS equipped vehicle.

 

[BrianF]

Edit, they might actually be the retaining springs for the shoes. The pins do not have the pinching where the retainer would clock 90 degrees to lock the spring in.

 

[BrianF]

Further digging, they are just another version of a shoe retaining spring. Mine obviously had come loose due to the pin corroding.

 

[D60]

I can't remember but you might want the Lisle 48400 for those

 

[Lubener]

If in doubt where the hardware goes , check the other side for comparison.

 

[ecotourist]

I grew up in Saskatchewan and did some big repairs using only the jack. I had no idea how dangerous that was. If you're under it and a vehicle falls off the jack or the jack fails you might not survive the experience. Before you do anything else you need to invest in at least a pair of jack stands. And don't trust them either, you need to put a wheel under the body too. And block a front wheel front and back.

And yes you probably need to study the other side.

I had several vehicles with drum brakes and (like everyone else in rural Saskatchewan) drove extensively on gravel roads. I had no problems with getting gravel in the drums or locking up either.

PS Did you release the star wheel when you took it apart. Doing that makes disassembly easy. [I assume modern drum brakes still have a self adjusting star wheel but haven't had drum brakes for decades so I don't know.]

 

[PontiacHO]

Cheap brake shoes will cause the locking up. Oil or brake fluid soaked shoes cause it as well.

 

[Tman220]

Those clips look a tad damp. I suspect your locking is probably due to a leaking wheel cylinder. Brake fluid soaked shoes will cause early lockup.

If the shoes are soaked with brake fluid they are junk and need to be replaced no matter how good they look.

 

[michaelluscher]

Here's a parts breakdown of the rear drum brake
Looks like #22
https://charm.li/Pontiac/2002/Sunfire L4-2.2L VIN 4/Repair and Diagnosis/Brakes and Traction Control/Drum Brake System/Brake Shoe/Service and Repair/

The jackstands, well I live dangerously....

Stop doing that
Get yourself down to the store and pick up a set of stands before you wind up crushed as flat as those Saskatchewan plains
You haven't lived until you're waiting in the ER hoping whatever piece of you isn't attached anymore can hopefully be reattached

H7313 is the hardware kit, it'll include new pictured parts
I also second @Tman220, closely inspect the wheel cylinders for weeping behind the rubber boots

 

[BrianF]

Thanks again guys, much appreciated.

As for the jackstands, I chirp but I have a few different sizes, none which are small enough for the car. I use blocks and chalks to keep the car held and safe. My Jack is used to manipulate the rear suspension and I had it set where I like it, level. I don't like working on a vehicle that has one corner cocked up, I like things level. I do appreciate everyone's attention to safety, I to do not feel like dying under some cheapo car.

Yes, in another post I explained that the wheel cylinder had been leaking. I need to get this thing back together so I can roll it out of the shop. My new position at work has me on the road and I am going to be away for a few days. I hate leaving inoperable vehicles in the shop.

 

[ecotourist]

Yes, in another post I explained that the wheel cylinder had been leaking.

A leaking wheel cylinder is a common cause of brakes locking. Pads need to be replaced.

 

[BrianF]

@D60 Thanks for the link to that tool, we shall see how it all works tomorrow evening. Napa says they hardware kit should be in tomorrow and now my put of town trip for work has been canceled as the northern part of Saskatchewan is on fire.

 

[ecotourist]

@D60 Thanks for the link to that tool, we shall see how it all works tomorrow evening. Napa says they hardware kit should be in tomorrow and now my put of town trip for work has been canceled as the northern part of Saskatchewan is on fire.

If the wheel cylinder has been leaking you'll need to clean the drum thoroughly (brake cleaner I expect) and replace the brake pads whatever else you do. Or it will still "grab".

 

[BrianF]

Done and done. Driver side is together and working. New shoes, hardware and wire wheeled the drum. Used a full can of brake clean on all parts that side. Works line new.

I'll monitor the wheel cylinder but after a thorough clean and buffing down the buildup, it works great and hasn't leaked during testing.