#@%* rear brake hold down springs

[dan brooks]

Alright, what's the trick to reinstalling the brake shoe hold down springs? I've been fighting them for about 30 minutes, and after having to retrieve my tools from across the garage about a dozen times already I've had enough.



I'm sure there is a simple trick to getting these little boogers back in place, but I haven't figured it out yet... ... Any ideas?

 

[dan brooks]

Well, finally got 'em. Took a pair of vice grips, a BIG pair of channel locks..... and lots of verbal persuasion, #@$%! but they're on. Oo.



Also had to buy new drums - one was grooved pretty bad, and the other was right at the limit and couldn't be turned.



Well, back to the garage to work on assembling the second drum and hub... . had to give the ears and hands a rest.

 

[Wayno]

You can buy a good set of brake spring pliers at most auto parts stores that will get the brake return springs back on most drum brakes and there is a screwdriver type tool that will get the springs back on that hold's the shoe onto the back-en plate.

 

[dan brooks]

Yep, I have the brake spring pliers (they were of little use for this job) and the screwdriver-type tool for the "regular" hold down springs that use the cup and coil design. Unfortunately, this set up requires a different special tool that nobody had in stock. The vice grips did a decent job on three of the springs, but the rear passenger side spring was a major PITA because the parking brake lever was in the way.



Here is a pic of the hold down spring arrangement on my '92:

 

[Wayno]

It has been a few years since I did my rear brakes on my 92 D-350 but I thought mine had the regular hold down springs . You did the same thing I have done with that type of spring~~~~~~~~~~vise grips and channel locks .

 

[Philip]

Vice grips here also.

 

[therabbittree]

those springs suck . . im very aggravated withmytruck right now i've been fighting the drivers side for over 1/2hr . . what a pain if i knew they were this messed up i would have bought EGR's rear disc setup. . argh im not happy with the front setup up either . . no sliders , only caliper sliding on caliper holder leads to calipers that don't float freely for long if they ever feel free ha... bad bad design

oh well i guess i try the vise grips...

later deo

 

[sam peterson]

A good parts store should be able to put you on to a tool made just for those hold down springs. It is quite simple and is about the size of a medium screw driver. Hooks onto the spring and give leverage to connect pin.

 

[therabbittree]

i'll have to try that . . i thought i had a tool for it ha i even bought another generic brake spring tool kit and it didn't have one for that style. . and how

thanks deo