dadgum brake job

[tom_matthews]

Here's a way to possibly save yourself some time during your next auto brake pad replacement......

Recently, when replacing the rear brake pads on my girlfriend's car, I removed the front pads with out a hitch. But the rear rotors wouldn't budge. It took forever to get the rotors off the wheel. For HOURS I was banging on both rear wheel drums with a rubber mallet before finally managing to pull them off. Inside the drums I see a couple of drum-type pads (this is a disc-brake system) that were pushing on the inside of the rotors from inside the drum -- this was the cuplrit, but I'd never changed pads on such a system. I assumed this was some sort of belt-and-suspenders approach to the braking system.. At long last I get the pads off, take them to O'Reilly and ask for the replacements. The clerk gives me the brake pads, but no interior drum-looking pads. I asked where were the other pads. He said, "Oh, you're thinking of the parking brake, those pads don't usually get changed."

DOH!

I went home, released the parking brake, and the "drum" shoes instantly relaxed, allowing me to slip the rotors back on with no problem. If I had released the parking brake in the first place, the job would have taken fraction of the time it actually took me......

I felt pretty dumb, but I'm no pro, just a DIY'er trying to save some cash and destined to learn all lessons the hard way.

[HayZee518]

I can't follow your story. the car either has disk brakes in the back -or- drum brakes - not both! drum brakes use "brake shoes" not pads. disk brakes use pads, not shoes.

[wenglish]

Nope, actually he's right.
My Dodge Dakota has the same setup.

It has disk rear brakes but has a drum setup that is used for the parking brake only.
The drum brakes extend and grab the inside hub of the brake rotor when setting the parking brake.

[mrcaptainbob]

Yep. Same issue on my wife's Dodge Neon. Four wheel disc. Rear disc has a small drum turned in it to accept the (mini) parking brake shoes. Was quite surprised at this.

[tom_matthews]

Originally Posted by HayZee518

I can't follow your story. the car either has disk brakes in the back -or- drum brakes - not both! drum brakes use "brake shoes" not pads. disk brakes use pads, not shoes.

yeah, that was my understanding as well, which is why I kept banging on the wheel rotors. But as you can see from the feedback, Dodge does indeed use a drum-type parking brake, whether you call em pads or shoes,..... it's a crucial piece of info if you're changing those rear brakes.