What is a Brake Drum all about?
A brake drum is a smooth metal cylindrical housing attached to the rear wheel hub. It is an essential component of your car’s braking system that enables you to slow down or stop. Most new cars (1999 and above) come with rotors at each wheel. Older cars may have drums at the rear wheels instead of rotors. It is the friction between brake shoes and drums that cause your car to slow down and stop. As the drums wear out (get warped or grooved), they are unable to dissipate the heat caused by the braking system. This will cause the brake fluid to boil and weaken its ability to slow/stop the car.
What common symptoms indicate you may need to replace the Brake Drum?
How it's done:
A brake drum is a smooth metal cylindrical housing attached to the rear wheel hub. It is an essential component of your car’s braking system that enables you to slow down or stop. Most new cars (1999 and above) come with rotors at each wheel. Older cars may have drums at the rear wheels instead of rotors. It is the friction between brake shoes and drums that cause your car to slow down and stop. As the drums wear out (get warped or grooved), they are unable to dissipate the heat caused by the braking system. This will cause the brake fluid to boil and weaken its ability to slow/stop the car.
What common symptoms indicate you may need to replace the Brake Drum?
- Back of the car shakes when you brake.
- Car may pull left or right when you brake.
- Hand brake does not hold.
- Noise from rear brakes.
How it's done:
- Measure the thickness of brake drums.
- Remove and replace brake drums and shoes if the thickness is lower than specifications.
- Inspect wheel cylinder, springs, clips, and adjustment parts in the brakes.
- Lubricate backing plate.
- Perform road system to check brake system performance.