Replace Mechanical Brake Shoes

Brake Shoe Replacement Take off the wheel, remove the grease cap and split pin, undo the spindle nut then take off the drum. Remove the worn brake shoes. DO NOT discard the springs. Before replacing the brake shoes, check that there is grease on the backing plate under the lever assembly (at the bottom), use molybdenum grease as required. Assemble the new shoes to the backing plate with the springs between the shoes as shown on the drawing below. The longer spring must be assembled in the lower position, the shorter spring in the top position. Note that left hand side brakes are a mirror image to right hand side brakes.

 

Fit the drum over the brake shoes and reassemble. The assembly order is shown below.

Adjust the wheel bearings by tightening the spindle nut until firm while turning the hub slowly to seat the bearings. Loosen the spindle nut and then re-tighten by hand (not with a wrench) to a “finger-tight” condition, then align the first notch with the hole in the shaft and insert the split pin. Put the wheel back on the hub and tighten the wheel nuts in a cross star pattern as shown below.

Adjust the brakes by turning the square adjustment screw (on the rear of the backing plate at the top) with the wheel off the ground. Turn the adjustment screw until the brakes make it difficult to rotate the wheel. Then turn the adjustment screw in the opposite direction until it just allows the trailer wheel to turn freely.

Check the override/park brake cable is adjusted correctly. The brakes are now ready to use. Note that the brakes may require several stops to bed in the new shoes before they are fully effective.