The drum-brake assemblies on your 1973 Chevy Camaro contain several parts to operate the brake shoes with the brake pedal under the instrument panel and the parking brake next to the driver. Several springs of different size and configuration and a series of levers makes this possible. When installing new brake shoes, every part should go back to its original place. Make your job much easier by doing one side at a time and using one of the assemblies as a reference.
Tools Used: Lug wrench, Floor jack, 2 jack stands, Rubber mallet (optional), Brake-parts cleaner, Lint-free towels, Brake-spring tool, Hold-down spring tool, Brake grease, Needle-nose pliers
Install the Drum Brakes
Removing the Brake Shoes
Park your car on a level surface and release the parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheels with a lug wrench.
With a floor jack, raise the rear of your Camaro until the rear wheels are off the ground and support the vehicle by positioning a jack stand at each side under the frame. Finish removing the rear wheels.
Pull the brake drums off the hubs. If necessary, tap around the outside edge of the drum with a rubber mallet to free the drum. Replace one set of brake shoes at a time and use the other side as a visual reference during the reassembling process.
Dampen the brake assembly with brake-parts cleaner and wipe the lining dust with lint-free towels. Remove the upper return springs using a brake-spring tool.
Detach and remove the spring from the adjuster lever connected to the adjusting screw at the bottom of the assembly with the brake-spring tool. Swing up the adjuster lever and remove the actuating wire from it by hand.
Remove the hold-down springs on the adjuster lever (next to the rear brake shoe) and the front brake shoe with a hold-down spring tool. Rotate the springs 90 degrees counterclockwise to align the slot on the spring cup with the retaining pin to release the spring.
Take off the adjuster lever and its spring from the rear brake shoe by hand. Pull the front brake shoe from the adjuster screw and spring at the bottom of the assembly by hand. Remove the adjusting screw and spring from the rear brake shoe by hand.
Lift the rear brake shoe off the backing plate and disengage the shoe from the parking-brake strut and detach the parking-brake lever from the shoe using needle-nose pliers.
Installing the New Brake Shoes
Spray the backing plate with brake-parts cleaner and wipe it clean with lint-free towels. Apply brake grease to the brake shoes' contact points on the backing plate. These are the raised surfaces on the backing plate where the shoes mount.
Set the rear brake shoe in place on the backing plate and attach the parking-brake strut and parking-brake lever to the shoe using the needle-nose pliers. Position the adjusting screw and spring on the rear brake shoe.
Set the front brake shoe on the backing plate, adjuster screw and spring by hand. Install the adjuster lever and spring on the rear brake shoe by hand.
Install the hold-down spring on the adjuster lever and front brake shoe using the hold-down spring tool. Swing up the adjuster lever and install the actuating wire. Install the spring to the adjuster lever.
Install the upper return springs using the brake-spring tool. Replace the brake shoe set on the opposite brake assembly following steps 7 from the previous section through step 10 of this section.
Mount the brake drum on the hub and rotate it by hand. You should feel the brake shoes slightly dragging against the drum. If not, adjust the brake shoes by rotating the adjusting screw at the bottom of the brake assembly. Mount the rear wheel and install the lug nuts snugly. Lower your Camaro and finish tightening the lug nuts.
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