It's much easier to remove the small springs first and install them last and then you don't need to fight the big one. Prybar between shoe webs and pry the springs out then pry the top shoe over and out then the bottom one just falls away. Install the top shoe with the big spring attached and leave the anchor pins out to allow for easy installation of bottom shoe to the other end of the spring, set the rollers to the cam face, lift the pin ends of the shoes and install the pins, then the small springs easily get attached with a spring tool or a good long modified screwdriver (I use a long bolt with the bottom cut to fit the spring end in. Working in a fleet shop and with many other techs over many years has made this task so easy and safe. Never work against the force of the big spring, it is unforgiving,
that dolly trick is pretty slick. its really easy to pop the 2 smaller springs off with a flat blade screw driver. then just pull the top shoe up and over an the shoes just fall off.
You can put the drum back on without touching it also. Using the 2 wheeler, it sure saves a person's back. And as people get older, we sure look for the better way.
Those little springs are some times the biggest pain in the pooch. This year I've been helping the mechanic and probably have done 7 brake jobs and tried different ways for different trailers. This would've come in handy for the lowboy where I didn't have any room. And when pounding Those pins in for some reason I always find they go in easier holding them a little bit and whacking them with a bigger hammer.
I think I know what that Snapp on tool is that I found on the side of the road is now. It is to pry off the big blue spring like you recommend with the needle nose pliers.
All Brake drums on these new truck brakes have built in ware indicators on this one the recessed groove on the edge of the drum is the maximum size. When they start getting close to the indicator it's time to change them. They also make a no go gauge for 16.5 in brakes.
One way you can tell if you have is to look at the metal bracket portion. Q plus has a little plus someone that looks like a four leaf clover stamp. The regular Q does not
You can leave the big spring in it.. Pop off the 2 smaller ones takes 5 seconds and pull up .. Use anti cease on your bushing.. When replacing makes it easy to get back off on next brake job.
Well I haven't done a set of drum brakes in 28 years and in a hotel room with 6 hrs to kill I'm going to try this hard part is taking off the tires with a nut buster
It looks complicated the way he took them off and put them back i usually take little springs out firs them take both bakes and do the assembling while there’re out
I just wonder.... How many miles can Drumbrakes last in Citytraffic ??? My Toyota Van has Drums on the rear... They are 24 years old... All original.... 157.828 miles on it... They are only just over the half of thier lifespan. Sidenote: Citytraffic and occasionaly in the mountains... Buuut i like to use the 2.4L Diesel (naturally aspirated) it's compression to slow me down. (and that saves tons of fuel and wear) What is your estimation of how long these brakeshoes can last ? Thanks in advance. Bjorn
I'm doing a bunch of old motorcycle drum brakes, and I'd really like to RE-LINE some old shoes sometime. It's surprising the Semi-Trailer brake shoes are a disposable item. You'd expect that to be a re-line job. Wouldn't you?
they do reline them, you exchange the core for a relined one for about $40 per wheel or if you don't have a core its an additional $30, or i think you can buy a new one for about $80 or something like that
around 200k, I don't think thats typical though, i try to slow down before i use the brakes if i can, my friend only gets 100k out of his, they aren't much more expensive than say a quality pad for a 3/4 ton truck
I got some that are froze in there. I tried beating them out with a 4lb hammer won't budge. Don't wanna torch em out just yet. this trailer was neglected before i got it
@@LifeWithChase Because it was neglected is no excuse for not getting it back into proper shape. Those anchor pins are designed to rotate for a reason. The parts were in the kit. It takes a press and some talent to change them. Looks like you were just cutting corners and getting another job out the door. Most trailers never see the same tech the next time. Just passing the buck eh?
@@christopherjamieson4237 yeah passing the buck since the trailer belonged to me, Roll eyes... I didn't have a way to remove them without damaging it so I carried it to someone who did and paid them to change the ones I couldn't get out, and this video is almost 3 years old, that trailer has had another complete brake job done with new drums and all since then!
these on this wheel won't come out i've beat them with a 4lb hammer and they won't budge and I see no reason to cut them out with a torch and risk damaging an expensive axle for no reason. when they get worn down then i will I suppose.
@@LifeWithChase If u get a spring that fights u try the chain trick. Hook one end of the spring on the retainer. Put the link on the other end of the spring then run the chain under the other retainer. One tug and it's on. Most people split the spring with a pry bar or a screwdriver but that stretches the spring and weakens it. I work for a garbage company we run 4711 and 4718 qplus severe duty linings. We'd glaze over 45s in the first hour.
