Brake shoes replacement?

Question

I am trying to replace brake shoes first time in my honda civic 2002 lx. I have always done brake pads but shoes what a mess.

I opened everything in my rear brake, now trying to put everything together but no luck. Can't put retainer spring (big one on top) back on. I brought brake shoes pliers yesterday but can't even do with that. Can some one please explain how to put it all together? I am trying to put big retainer spring at last but looks like way to hard to do it. May be it need to be put in some order. Any help is helpful.

Answer 1

There is a special tool to pull those big long springs back in place that hold the shoes to the mounting pin on top. Also if your uncertain about how to re-assemble the shoes I always leave one side together so you have it to look at when re-assembling the other side.

Answer 2

it easy if u remove hub there a cap and a big nut 30mm or 32 mm

more room to use pliers

long nose vise grip 1/4 inch from the end of spring

Answer 3

the best way to do it is if it,s your first time is jack up the other side and look how it,s put together.

Answer 4

Is your emergency brake on while trying to put the spring back on? If so, it's probably expanding things so that you can't stretch the spring enough.

Answer 5

if you can find a C-clamp large enough to pull your shoes together ,it will hold everything in place while you work with the spring.,check behind the brake shoes on both sides make sure the shoe hasn't slipped into that groove on the backing plate ,it will leave the shoes too far apart to get the spring on,make sure the wheel cylinder is squeezing back enough to allow the shoes to come together ,loosen the bleed s***w if you have to and blow off a little fluid it should squeeze right together then. ok now don't get insulted but i need to ask.. is it the right spring? it's easy to mix them up .........tom

Answer 6

Ooops!...even well trained mechanics will carefully take apart brake shoes and springs and retainer clips, sometimes also the self adjusting bar, and draw on a peice of paper, the whole layout of assembly, drawing the shoes and the holes and which holes the springs and retainer clips go into.....Now, your only chance is to get a haynes workshop manual, and work from that, I can only give you broad advice here, and that is, that the shoe has a lead end (more metal showing than lining), and this is the way both shoes should be pointing, towards the direction of wheel motion (i.e. clockwise)