Odd drum brake tool

[JHZR2]

Curious what a drum brake tool like this is used for:

I believe it’s an old Proto. No tapered hooks/ends, how is this used?

 

[CharBaby]

I believe that this is used to grab the round slotted disk that goes over the
spring & pin to push it in & turn to release. Probably for larger trucks.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...MIrovzg92lkAMV81BHAR2AqADcEAQYASABEgIrlPD_BwE

 

[burbguy82]

The purpose of a spring brake tool is to make folks wonder "what in the hell"?

It is also made to make the user think about homicide\suicide toward self, and the person who decided that Drum brakes would be a good thing on a road car.

 

[97prizm]

The purpose of a spring brake tool is to make folks wonder "what in the hell"?

It is also made to make the user think about homicide\suicide toward self, and the person who decided that Drum brakes would be a good thing on a road car.

This! I don't think any manufacturers should have used drum brakes past 2000. Apparently the 2000's Dodge neon sxt had a rear disc brake option but it was $600.

 

[vwmaniaman]

My old VW's and my 1990 Ranger have drum brakes and they are simple and the shoes last a long time. My old Ford Model A and my 1936 Ford 5 window Coupe all had drum brakes with no hydraulic systems and they worked very well and were simple to adjust. Its all about what you are used too. My sons don't like drum brakes either. When they drove my VW beetle growing up they were shocked to learn how fast it stopped with those brakes. It survived 3 sons leaning to drive a stick shift and its 40hp motor survived them too.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

The purpose of a spring brake tool is to make folks wonder "what in the hell"?

It is also made to make the user think about homicide\suicide toward self, and the person who decided that Drum brakes would be a good thing on a road car.

As someone in the salt belt, I wish smaller vehicles still had drum brakes in the rear! Small vehicles and rear discs just don't work up here. You're doing rotors every other year and the caliper pistons and slide pins are always seizing up.

I've never been able to use the proper drum tools. I just do it with a screwdriver or normal pliers.

 

[gman2304]

My old 2000 Ford Focus wagon has front ABS disc brakes, and rear drums.

 

[Capt W]

There's nothing inherently wrong with drum brakes. They are extremely simple, long-lasting, and reliable. The brake systems on most vehicles with rear drums are heavily biased to the front anyway, meaning the rears are largely supplemental...and for the parking brake.

I've replaced the rear brakes on my old Caravan twice in 20 years and over 265K miles. And that was largely preventive maintenance, not due to wear.

Vehicles with rear drums are so-equipped because that's all they require. Unless required - like you'd see on a high-performance vehicle - why add cost and complexity? Because it sounds neat?

Many of us grew up driving 60s and 70s Chevrolets with drums at all four corners - and lived to tell about it.