Time for new rear brakes?

[Lolvoguy]

On the Focus in my sig, the rear brakes have become excessively noisy lately.
After a few stops the noise goes away, until I leave the car for an extended amount of time and return to noisy brakes (after they've cooled).

Car only has 100k miles and a rear drum setup.
I thought the noise might be coming from leaky wheel cylinder(s) but the fluid level seems fine.
I know the front brakes have an indicator to let you know when it's time for new pads/rotors. I dont' think the rear drum setup has that ability.

My question to you fellas, is since the noise goes away after a few stops, are my shoes finished? Or can I jsut keep driving it until the noise becomes consistent?

thanks in advance

 

[supton]

Sure its just not noise from rust in the changing season?

Can't hurt to pull it off. Better to do now and slap some anti-seize in there (on the contact surfaces), than to wait and then use the BFH to remove the drum a few years from now. But I doubt the shoes are worn. check the ridge on the drum too, make sure there isn't one (only because that would fight you also at some later date).

 

[old1]

Take it apart, or have someone else take it apart and check it! Brakes are nothing to second guess about. May be nothing, may be serious. Won't know without looking!

 

[Lolvoguy]

"Rust from the changing season"? where would rust accumulate that it causes noise whenever the brakes are cold?

I'd pull them off, but I know everything on there is sealed up from the factory and I dont' have the tools to do so. This obviously would be a job for my mechanic. He's cool with me bringing in a cart full of parts and installing them for me. I just don't get a warranty on the work.

 

[Falken]

I would take the drums off and inspect.

If you have 1/16" of pad left at the lowest point you would still have quite a bit of life left.

Then I like to rinse away the brake dust well with water in a squirt bottle, let them air dry, and adjust the brakes when reinstalling the drum with the star wheel.

Don't forget to knock the dust out of the drums too before you reinstall them.

If you have pad left, your stopping performance will be a lot better after, and that is without adding any lube on contact points on the backing.

 

[Lolvoguy]

This car does have issues with squeaking shoes against the backing plate.
I was going to have this addressed last summer, but decided to live with the noise.

If I'm going to have this pulled apart, I'd much rather just replace everything than do a simple adjustment and cleaning, considering the effort it takes to simply get access to it. Heck, considering this setup has lasted almost 10 years since being opened, I'd say it's doing pretty well for it's age.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
"Rust from the changing season"? where would rust accumulate that it causes noise whenever the brakes are cold?

I'd pull them off, but I know everything on there is sealed up from the factory and I dont' have the tools to do so. This obviously would be a job for my mechanic. He's cool with me bringing in a cart full of parts and installing them for me. I just don't get a warranty on the work.


Dropping temps, so the moisture falls out of the air. Lands on the braking surface of the drum, makes noise until its ground off.

I may be misunderstanding you--I'm thinking of after sitting overnight. If it's only taking a few hours for the noise to return then I'd think something else, but I'm not sure what.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
"Rust from the changing season"? where would rust accumulate that it causes noise whenever the brakes are cold?

Simple. On the inner surface of the drum. A small amount of surface rust can happen because of overnight temperatures, humidity, and parking after driving through rain. Rust forms on any unprotected metal surface in a very short time. After a couple stops the rust is wiped off and the brakes are again quiet.

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
I'd pull them off, but I know everything on there is sealed up from the factory and I dont' have the tools to do so.

If you can't do something as simple as pull a brake drum off to inspect the brake shoes, then your only option is to take it to a mechanic. Hint: Drum brakes are extremely easy to work on, and even easier to inspect for wear.

 

[Johnny2Bad]

It depends on whether you feel it's cheaper to buy new shoes today or new shoes and drums tomorrow. Hint, Hint.

 

[JC1]

Learn how to remove the rear drums and inspect the thickness of the shoes. My wife's 97 civic has 184,xxx Kms on it. We are the original owners and I replaced the original brake shoes earlier this year around 179,xxx Kms. Once a year I remove the rear drums and clean the shoes and drums with brake cleaner.

You may have excessive dust from the shoes moving around in the drum causing the noise.

The shoes on the civic still had a few mm of material left on them. I was bored and had the parts sitting around from a few years ago, so I decided to replace them.

Buy the brake cleaner when it's on sale at princess auto for $3 a can and save yourself some coin.

 

[bigjl]

I would be taking the brakes apart and seeing if the shoes are glazed.

The only reason I say that is you say the noise goes away with usage.

The only caveat is that due to the amount of work to get to the shoes and clean them and the inside of the drums up you may aswell change the shoes anyway.

 

[bigjl]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
"Rust from the changing season"? where would rust accumulate that it causes noise whenever the brakes are cold?

I'd pull them off, but I know everything on there is sealed up from the factory and I dont' have the tools to do so. This obviously would be a job for my mechanic. He's cool with me bringing in a cart full of parts and installing them for me. I just don't get a warranty on the work.


Dropping temps, so the moisture falls out of the air. Lands on the braking surface of the drum, makes noise until its ground off.

I may be misunderstanding you--I'm thinking of after sitting overnight. If it's only taking a few hours for the noise to return then I'd think something else, but I'm not sure what.


I can see how that can happen with discs. But drums? I haven't seen that before. Have you seen it first hand?

 

[bigjl]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
This car does have issues with squeaking shoes against the backing plate.
I was going to have this addressed last summer, but decided to live with the noise.

If I'm going to have this pulled apart, I'd much rather just replace everything than do a simple adjustment and cleaning, considering the effort it takes to simply get access to it. Heck, considering this setup has lasted almost 10 years since being opened, I'd say it's doing pretty well for it's age.


This could be your answer.

The rear drums and shoes should be cleaned and inspected. Perhaps it's a build up of brake dust from the shoes?

 

[andyd]

I would check for availability of parts, then pull the drums. A gently driven car, the rears will last a long time. Why be in such a hurry to spend money?

 

[LeakySeals]

.

 

[Lolvoguy]

Originally Posted By: andyd
I would check for availability of parts, then pull the drums. A gently driven car, the rears will last a long time. Why be in such a hurry to spend money?


hmm, I think I'll follow this advice.

thanks

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
On the Focus in my sig, the rear brakes have become excessively noisy lately.
After a few stops the noise goes away, until I leave the car for an extended amount of time and return to noisy brakes (after they've cooled).

Car only has 100k miles and a rear drum setup.
I thought the noise might be coming from leaky wheel cylinder(s) but the fluid level seems fine.
I know the front brakes have an indicator to let you know when it's time for new pads/rotors. I dont' think the rear drum setup has that ability.

My question to you fellas, is since the noise goes away after a few stops, are my shoes finished? Or can I jsut keep driving it until the noise becomes consistent?

thanks in advance



You could have pulled the drums faster than it took to make this post. Until you do that, you are just pis-sing into the wind

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: JC1


Buy the brake cleaner when it's on sale at princess auto for $3 a can and save yourself some coin.


Or don't, and save yourself $3.

As I think someone mentioned above, water (optionally with detergent) is a lot cheaper, safer and more effective at removing brake dust.

Wash it into a bowl and then dispose of the washings directly down a drain.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit

If you can't do something as simple as pull a brake drum off to inspect the brake shoes, then your only option is to take it to a mechanic. Hint: Drum brakes are extremely easy to work on, and even easier to inspect for wear.


Bit dismissive there.

Drum brakes CAN be easy to work on.

They CAN also be a real pain in the arse.

It just depends on the breaks (and, of course, on the brakes)

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: bigjl
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
"Rust from the changing season"? where would rust accumulate that it causes noise whenever the brakes are cold?

I'd pull them off, but I know everything on there is sealed up from the factory and I dont' have the tools to do so. This obviously would be a job for my mechanic. He's cool with me bringing in a cart full of parts and installing them for me. I just don't get a warranty on the work.


Dropping temps, so the moisture falls out of the air. Lands on the braking surface of the drum, makes noise until its ground off.

I may be misunderstanding you--I'm thinking of after sitting overnight. If it's only taking a few hours for the noise to return then I'd think something else, but I'm not sure what.


I can see how that can happen with discs. But drums? I haven't seen that before. Have you seen it first hand?


No, I have not. It's less likely, as ventilation is lower (so wind can't blow humid air as easily). But I could see it being possible...

The discs that I can see very often will rust overnight. Getting my vehicle(s) away from the road seems to lower this, but I noticed a fair amount after a week on my truck, despite being parked in the backyard.