MikeX

I've looked all over this forum and a few other HHR forums and can't find any tutorials on rear brake shoe replacement, however there are several around for the front brakes. Does anyone know where a HHR rear brake tutorial is? That might be good to add to the forum.

NxlKing2304

Mike,

This is actually pretty simple to do. Take off the rear wheel. ONce rear wheel is off you take the drum off. Take the drum to the nearest dealer, or repair shop to have resurfaced if it can be. This will ensure even wear on the shoes.

Next to take the shoes off. Here is the tricky part. When you replace the shoes, you should also replace all of the springs and other hardware as well. Just to make everything new and tight. To take the shoes off they are held in by spring loaded pins about midpoint to the shoes. Take a needle nose plier and push the spring while turing the pin to release.

Once shoes are loose, you need to take the spring off one by one. After all springs are you there is a "U" clip holding the emergency brake cable. Remove this clip and the shoe will come off. Installation is opposite of removal.

I have to re-adjust my rears in a few weeks. I can take pictures for you once i get to that point. I hope this helps a little bit.

MikeX

Thanks. I thought I could do it after looking at generic drum brake repair, but wasn't sure if there was anything special about it. Plus, I thought it was rather strange that the disk brake, which seems less complicated, had more HHR tutorials than the drum brake. I wondered why.

Yea pics would be great for me.

Carproff

Remember to do one side at a time so you know where the springs go, or as one of my student did, take a picture first with your cell phone camera.

hyperv6

The E brake is different on disc from car to car where drums have changed little over the years.

Many people just now are owning cars with rear disc and never have changed them before.

ballplr

most likely the reason for no tutorials for rear brakes is because rear brakes on most car are done once too two times on the front. hope that answers your question

MikeX

I'm sorry but I don't understand what you are trying to say there.

hyperv6

I think he ment that the brakes are usally done twice as often on the front as they are on the back most time.

I think.

ballplr

yes on alot of vehicles with rear drum brakes, they aren't done as often as the front, and most people on here haven't had to do them yet is my guess. Also alot of talk about front brakes is due the up grade to better pads and rotors because of the vibration problem with the cheap rotors we have on our HHR's Front brakes are done normally twice before the rears are done once.

hyperv6

On my last truck the front to rear ratio was 3 to none in 100,000 miles.

I am waiting to see what the HHR does. My GTP has a Bosh balancing system with the stability control and even with the wifes hard driving got 63,000 miles front and rear. The pads were dead even on wear on both ends.

I hope the system on the SS does the same.