2 Ton Floor Jack
Needle Nose Pliers
Flat head Screwdriver
Socket Wrench Set
Lug Wrench (from trunk spare kit)
Two 8M x 1.0mm x 20mm bolts (~$0.70 each)
1 Brake Drum All-In-One Kit - Rear - Part Number H7402 ($6.99 at Autozone)
**This post is mainly for my own purposes. I recommend taking your vehicle to a licensed mechanic for repair. I assume no responsibility for damage or injury for anyone attempting this repair.**
This job could probably be done using the scissor jack in the trunk, but I would use the scissor jack only in emergency situations. If you roll the car off the scissor jack while working, not only is it dangerous, but you will also find yourself searching for a new scissor jack which will fit in the trunk slot.
Be sure to jack the car up at the metal jack bracket just behind the body molding.
In order to remove the drum you will drive the two M8 metric bolts through the two threaded holes in the drum. The bolts will pry the drum away from the lug stud plate and the backing plate assembly. The drum is not bolted in place and has to be pried off with mechanical force. The other alternative to using the M8 bolts is to beat the drum off with a hammer being careful not to damage the lug stud threads.
Hear I am GENTLY using the flat edge my flat head screw driver to keep the drum from turning while tightening the M8 bolt with my socket wrench. I am using a length of metal pipe to get more leverage on the wrench because the threaded holes are very rusty.
Once the bolt has started to bite into the plate beneath the drum will probably stop turning while you are trying to tighten the bolts and you can stop applying force to the lug studs.
Once the bolts are getting deep into the holes you should hear some metal creaking as the drum slowly separates from the backing plate assembly.
You should then be able to remove the drum easily by hand.
When I removed the drum I expected to see worn down brake shoes or a broken part (spring or clip), but much to my frustration I could not find anything wrong upon visible inspection. These brakes had been replaced at my local shop a couple years ago and the parts all looked relatively new and in good shape. The shoes still had plenty of steel on them and the drum was not scored.
I blew out all the dust and crud, put it back together, and took it for a drive to test it. The noise had gotten better but it was still there, so I went back and looked at all the new parts in my $6.99 kit and compared them to the old ones.
The culprit turned out to be the brake hold down springs (spring clips).
The clip springs force the brake shoes outward into the drum wall. The clip springs were no longer exerting enough force outward and allowing the brake shoes to walk back and forth between the backing plate assembly and the drum wall causing the clicking noise.
Here you see the difference in the span of the old clip spring vs the new.
To remove the brake hold down springs, press the screw driver into the notch and turn the pin with with the needle nose pliers.
The pin comes out from the back of the backing plate assembly. Feed the new one back through and install the new spring the same way you took out the old one.
Now the spring on the other brake shoe.
Put the drum back on and the wheel and the job is done.
This turned out to be a very simple solution. If any of the other springs (tension springs) or the self adjuster need to be replaced, then it will be a bit more challenging. One other problem area that may not require replacement is where the top brake return spring comes close to the self adjuster gear. If the brake return spring is deformed enough it may actually touch the adjuster gear during operation.
Here I have inserted my flat head screw driver and applied force upwards to make sure the arm of the spring clears the gear.
Here is a useful link on how drum brakes work:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-types/drum-brake2.htm
