The brake shoes on the rear wheels of a 1980 Cadillac Eldorado drag when the retractor and hold-down springs lose their tension because of the repeated heating and cooling cycles the brake is exposed to. The way to fix this problem, which causes excessive brake-shoe wear, is to replace the springs. Both sets of rear-wheel springs should be replaced even if only the brakes on one wheel are dragging. This procedure of replacing the parts on both wheels holds true for any parts that are found to need replacement as the springs are replaced.
Tools Used: Blocks, Lug wrench, Jack, Jack stands (2), Brake cleaner, Brake spring tool, Hold-down spring tool, Hold-down spring set (2), Retractor spring set (2)
Fix the Rear Brakes Dragging
Place blocks at the front wheels. Release the parking brake. Slightly loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheels with a lug wrench. Jack up the rear end of the vehicle until the wheels are off the ground. Place jackstands under the rear axle to support the vehicle. Remove the rear wheels. Remove the brake drums. Clean the brake-drum assemblies with brake cleaner.
Use a brake spring tool to disengage the end of the primary retracting spring located above the wheel cylinder. (The primary retracting spring is the one toward the front of the vehicle.) Remove the primary retracting spring by freeing it from the primary brake shoe. Repeat the procedure on the secondary retracting spring.
Remove the secondary shoe hold-down spring by pressing down on it with a hold-down spring tool and rotating the tool 90 degrees. Remove the retainer, the hold-down spring and its seat. Repeat the procedure at the primary shoe hold-down spring.
Center the secondary brake shoe and position the parking brake lever assembly using the hold-down pin as a locator. Reassemble the seat, new hold-down spring and retainer and use the hold-down spring tool to lock them in place. Repeat the procedure for the new primary hold-down spring.
Hook one end of a new retractor spring into the secondary brake shoe and place the other end of the spring on the anchor pin using a brake spring tool. Repeat the procedure at the primary brake shoe.
Repeat the spring replacement steps on the other wheel. Reinstall the brake drums and wheels. Hand tighten the lug nuts. Take the rear end down off the jackstands and finish tightening the lug nuts. Check the operation of the parking brake and test the rear brakes before driving in traffic.
Tips & Warnings
If you have trouble removing the brake drums, spray penetrating oil between the hub and drum, after first checking that the parking brake is fully released. If this does not work, remove the brake-adjustment plug (located at the lower part of the brake backing plate) and use two small screwdrivers to hold the lever and turn the star wheel to move the shoes away from the drum.
Work only on one wheel at a time so you always have an example of how the brake goes together.
Do not use compressed air to clean out the brake drum. The dust from the brake shoes may contain asbestos. Use only brake cleaner, never a petroleum-based solvent, to clean brake parts. Wear a filter mask when working on the brakes.
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