Stupid idiotic mistake - reinstalling brake drum

[terminaldegree]

Like the old saying, "no good deed goes unpunished".

My g/f and I were getting our '99 LeSabre ready to sell. I was rotating the tires and spraying brake cleaner into the rear brakes and she was removing the radio to put the old one back in. While I had one rear drum off the car, she moved the gear selector to undo something on the dash... As you know, this involves pushing the brake pedal to get the car out of park.

UGH! The rear brake shoes did what they were made to do (expand), and now I can't get the drum back on over the shoes. I've never worked on drum brakes before, do have a Chilton's manual, and my tools are fairly basic (don't have a brake spaner tool, for example). Tried disassembling the "adjuster shoe" to get to the star wheel and tried to set it to pull the brake shoes in as much as possible. For some reason, it didn't help. Wheel cylinder plungers seem pretty much retracted. Also tried doing some unholy things with the brake drum and a hammer...

Now I'm screwed... We need to drive this car to work on Monday, and have it ready to show prospective buyers asap. Any tips/tricks would be greatly appreciated. I can't believe how much harder drums are to work on than discs, and boy do I feel like a [censored] fool!!

-Owen (retreating with tail between legs)

 

[Shannow]

Should just be that the cylinder extended and needs to be pushed (albeit forcefully) back into place.

 

[JTK]

Git rid of the g/f then like Shannow suggests, mash the wheel cylinder pistons in just enough to gain shoe/drum clearance.

Joel

 

[Tosh]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Git rid of the g/f then like Shannow suggests, mash the wheel cylinder pistons in just enough to gain shoe/drum clearance.

You don't just get rid of a GF that can work on a car stereo. Maybe loosening the bleeder nipple will help push the pistons back in?

 

[Buffman]

I've done it 100s of times. I just use my mighty force and push on both shoes to push the wheel cylinder back in. Shouldn't be that hard.

 

[alreadygone]

Obviously somethings hung up and out of place. Possibly the self adjust rod(from one shoe to the other). Sometimes when over traveled it'll fall out of notch on one side or the other.

When you find what's out of position, shoes will self retract to proper position.

Bob

 

[terminaldegree]

I'm headed upstairs for round two with the Buick now... thanks so far.

I'm leaning towards something being hung up and out of place, as I already tried cracking open the bleeder screw to let the wheel cylinder retract. I just can't believe how much time I spent fighting with this stupid thing already!

Just in case I introduced air into the brake line, what's the proper bleed order for this car? Anyone know?

BTW, I'm not getting rid of the g/f-- this all happened because we didn't communicate with each other while working simultaneously on two projects. So far, she knows how to:

-rotate tires
-change her own oil and filter
-install aftermarket stereo systems
-replace disc brakes

I'll put that up against anyone else's...

 

[mechtech2]

They may have moved too far and are now hung up on the backing plate and can/t return properly.

Maybe the adjuster mechanism self adjusted itself in the out position. Some adjusters are cammed with step tapered wedges.

Did the pistons come out of the slave cylinder? Is there any fluid present?

5 minutes should have you back in shape no matter what, unless you have to bleed the system.

 

[wantin150]

Usually you bleed farthest (from MC) to closest (RR, LR, RF, LF)

 

[Scimmia]

From the GM service manual, the correct bleed order is:

Right rear
Left front
Left rear
Right front

The old furthest to closes is outdated with today's brake systems.

 

[PW01]

"BTW, I'm not getting rid of the g/f-- this all happened because we didn't communicate with each other while working simultaneously on two projects. So far, she knows how to:

-rotate tires
-change her own oil and filter
-install aftermarket stereo systems
-replace disc brakes

I'll put that up against anyone else's... "


Sounds great, but she would be more of a catch if she knew how to change drum brakes!

 

[terminaldegree]

Okay, I got it figured out... not as complicated as I thought. Just disassembled and reassembled the whole thing.

Now the pedal is soft-- thanks for the tip on the bleed order, I never would have guessed that.

Thanks again!

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: terminaldegree
So far, she knows how to:

-rotate tires
-change her own oil and filter
-install aftermarket stereo systems
-replace disc brakes



IMO....you should marry her right away.....

 

[deepsquat]

looks like you solved it ..I was going to sat try a large "C" clamp ..or just disassemble it

 

[alreadygone]

Usually if you know the cylinder that's had air ingress, it's not necessary to bleed the others.

Bob

 

[oilboy123]

If she can do all that stuff she is a keeper!

 

[Papa Bear]

She'll be gettin' rid of YOU.

 

[HM12460]

hey terminaldegree, does your g/f have a sister??

 

[RacerE7773]

I still need to get the LR adjusted as it locks up every so often. Insult to injury the cav has ABS.