I am continuing my brake repair. I had to replace the parking brake shoes too. The linings were essentially gone.
The driver’s side parking brake cable was disconnected from the parking brake lever so it was possible to install the brake shoes on the driver’s side. I got the cable connected to the parking brake lever on the driver’s side after taking the tension off the parking brake cable at the parking brake adjuster clip. On the passenger side the parking brake cable was still connected. After shortening the star adjuster to its shortest length I was still not able to assemble the brake shoes. I finally removed the passenger side parking brake cable from the parking brake lever and was able to assemble the parking brake. I cannot compress the spring on the parking brake rear cable enough to install the parking brake rear cable to the parking brake lever.
1. Installing the brake shoe retaining clip was very difficult. What is the best way to install these brake shoe hold down clips? Is there a special tool?
2. Do you have suggestions for compressing the parking brake rear cable spring so I can attach it to the parking brake lever? Is there a special tool for this application?
3. I do not have a brake adjusting gauge. What is the best way to adjust the brake shoe clearance? How about tightening the star wheel until the shoe touches the drum and then backing off eight notches? This was the procedure I used on my ’92 Crown Victoria.
4. Is it necessary to “bed the shoes to the drum” on the 02 Mercury? It was recommended in my ’92 Crown Victoria’ Haynes Repair manual
1. Yes there are special brake tools for installing clips.
2. What I use for compressing the spring is two pair of needle nose vise grips. Not easy, but effective.
3. tightening the star wheel until the shoe touches the drum and then backing off eight notches? This should work just fine.
4. It is not a bad idea, I road test them, get them hot so to speak and then readjust. Sometimes I might even drive it for a week and then readjust. They are supposed to be self adjusting…. but sometimes that doesn’t work fast enough for me.
feel free to respond in the comments below….
1. Here is a Pic to the clip I am trying to easily install.
Is there a tool in this kit that installs the Rear Drum Brake C Clip Shoe Retainer?
2. Thanks for the needle-nosed vise grip suggestion. I’ll get two.
3. Thanks for validating this procedure.
4. Thanks for validating this procedure.
You’ve been very helpful.
2. What I use for compressing the spring is two pair of needle nose vise grips. Not easy, but effective.
I bought 2 needle nose vise grips but cannot compress the cable retaining spring. I thought the tension on the parking brake cable at the cable connect was still too great after releasing the tension using the parking brake adjuster clip. One only gets one shot at reducing the parking brake cable tension and that does not seem to be enough. Can you briefly explain how you use the needle nose vise grips to compress the cable retaining springs at the rear disc brake adapter plate?
Do you have suggestions for disconnecting the rear parking brake cable and conduit from the front parking brake cable and conduit at the cable connector that is located under the car body in a position roughly even with the driver side door post?
What I do is two push the park brake spring in and secure it with the needle nose vise grips and then use the other pair to move the cable into place and attach it. This is done before you install the brake shoe itself. You connect the park brake cable with the shoes hanging to give you much needed space and then attach the shoes with the spring clips.
This might help visualize: http://www.freeautomechanic.com/brake-drum-brakes.html
You shouldn’t need to disconnect the cable and conduit.
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