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BrakesDiscussions about the brake system in your vehicle and brake products.
This is a discussion thread titled "Checking Brakes", within the Brakes forum, part of the Technical & Vehicle Assistance Forums category.
I was checking my brakes last weekend because of a squeal I was getting but I ended up cleaned off the front rotors and it went away. Now for my question, what is the best way to get the cover off the drum brakes? I was going to clean them out also because I couldn't figure it out so bolted the tire back on and headed back out on the road. Also my friend came over thinking I was about to changed the front pads and said something about a relieve valve somewhere first or something, said all new cars have it otherwise it will set off the ABS sensor. Is that true? Only vehicles I've done brakes on are older so I'm not sure about this new stuff.
The rear drums are likely rusted to the axle hub, this is very common. To remove them it's first a good idea to hit the hub to drum area with some PB Blaster or similar liquid rust cutter. Let is soak a bit.
If you look closely you'll see two threaded holes in the drum, these take a small metric bolt which I believe is a 8 x 1.25 mm but I'm not positive.
Use these two bolts to dislodge the drum from the hub. Never hit these drums with a hammer unless you plan on throwing them out, it will damage them.
When your ready to reinstall the drum line up the bolt holes to the marks on the hub. This will insure that the drum goes back on in the same position it came off and should help prevent a run out problem. If you find a paper shim on the inside of the drum and it is damaged it is best to remove all of it, clean the hub and drum well and use a thin coating of silicone brake grease to keep the drum from sticking.
There is no relieve valve, but I think I know your friend may be confused about.
When replacing front pads you must push the caliper pistons back into their bores. This pushes fluid back through the system and into the master cylinder. This is usually not a problem unless you have ABS, then the fluid must also travel back through the valveing in the ABS unit. It is possible for contaminates that have settled in the calipers to be pushed up into the ABS unit and clog up the tiny passages in the dump and hold valves.
To prevent this it is suggested that you open the caliper bleeder valve and then seat that calipers pistons. This will prevent the back flow that could cause damage.
While your at it is a good idea to bleed the front brakes and install new brake fluid.
Mike
__________________
“The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them” (Albert Einstein) Moderator Brake Forum
The rear drums are likely rusted to the axle hub, this is very common. To remove them it's first a good idea to hit the hub to drum area with some PB Blaster or similar liquid rust cutter. Let is soak a bit.
If you look closely you'll see two threaded holes in the drum, these take a small metric bolt which I believe is a 8 x 1.25 mm but I'm not positive.
Use these two bolts to dislodge the drum from the hub. Never hit these drums with a hammer unless you plan on throwing them out, it will damage them.
When your ready to reinstall the drum line up the bolt holes to the marks on the hub. This will insure that the drum goes back on in the same position it came off and should help prevent a run out problem. If you find a paper shim on the inside of the drum and it is damaged it is best to remove all of it, clean the hub and drum well and use a thin coating of silicone brake grease to keep the drum from sticking.
There is no relieve valve, but I think I know your friend may be confused about.
When replacing front pads you must push the caliper pistons back into their bores. This pushes fluid back through the system and into the master cylinder. This is usually not a problem unless you have ABS, then the fluid must also travel back through the valveing in the ABS unit. It is possible for contaminates that have settled in the calipers to be pushed up into the ABS unit and clog up the tiny passages in the dump and hold valves.
To prevent this it is suggested that you open the caliper bleeder valve and then seat that calipers pistons. This will prevent the back flow that could cause damage.
While your at it is a good idea to bleed the front brakes and install new brake fluid.
Mike
Not sure if Toyota uses them but domestic makers install a couple sheet metal clips on two of the wheel studs to retain the brake drum to the axle during production. These just hold the drum to the vehicle during it's trip down the assembly line and can be tossed by the owner when the drum's removed.
Larry
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2004 Tundra V8 Limited Access Cab 4X4 , Auto Dim Comp/Temp Mirror, Aero Turbine #2525 muffler, Access Roll Up Cover, Optima D31A battery, Multi-Vex adaptive outside mirrors, Eclipse AVN5510 Nav unit and Sirius SIR-ECL1 tuner as of 10/07 pictures in my photo gallery
If a combo of all these whizz bangs met their claims you'd have to syphon gas out of your tank every second day and sell the excess horsepower on the third????
Checking Brakes
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