2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Brake shoes - which is primary?

[Tom W]

Is the primary shoe the front and is it usually the larger lining? Rear drum brakes. Thanks,

 

[Lightman]

Long Shoe to the rear

 

[B.G. Smith]

Primary

Long Shoe to the rear

Yep, the front shoe is the primary (short) and rear is secondary (long). When going forward, the front shoe engages the drum and puts greater pressure on the rear shoe, thus longer and more material. bg

 

[Tom W]

Thanks, I think someone put them on wrong the last time.

 

[Matt42]

Did it stop strangely? I bought a used car for my daughter some years ago, and the brakes acted, well, funny. It turned out that the rear shoes had been installed backward, with the return springs but without the hold-down springs.

 

[Tom W]

It stopped OK but the rear shoe lining was completely gone. I had been hearing a slight noise ( not a loud grinding that you might expect ) just before I came to a complete stop but I thought it was front brakes. The rear linings only had about 40K miles on them but I probably was a little agressive on adjusting them and I have the larger wheel cylinders.