Parking Brake Repair Procedure Question

[MidwestT4R]

I was driving around when all of a sudden there was a lot of screeching noise coming from my left rear wheel. So I came home and pulled the wheel, then the caliper, then the pads. Nothing out of the ordinary.

So I pulled the rotor and a couple pieces fell out. For those of you who have looked over the parking brake you have the adjustor bar and spring at the bottom between the two pads. You have a connecting bar and a couple of springs holding them at the top. But at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock you have retaining springs with small metal caps that hold the pads back. On my left one the small metal cap popped off because it had been bent at some time in the past and it finally popped off.

Got the new parts at the dealer and tried to put it back together. Read as many threads on here as I could find on the parking brake. On two wheel drive cars you can rotate the hub. I have a V8 with full time 4wd so unless all four wheels are up in the air I can't.

For the life of me I cannot figure out a way to compress the spring, hold it compressed, and still fit the pad in the space between the hub (front) and back plate. I've tried needle nose pliers, needle nose channel locks, screwdrivers, crushing my fingers. Some threads reference rotating the hub. Some reference using a specialized tool (a spring retaining brake tool?) to compress the spring and two end caps.

Anyone else figure this out? My bet is on rotating the hub but I don't have a way to lift the entire 4runner in my driveway. I have a buddy with a lift in his garage (nice, huh), but he is an hour drive away.

Right now I just removed all the parking brake parts, secured the brake cable, and put it back together so I can drive it. I've done brake jobs on every car I have ever owned, including drum brakes on my first cars. Just not this type that is packed behind a hub.

Any suggestions?

 

[TechWrench]

I was driving around when all of a sudden there was a lot of screeching noise coming from my left rear wheel. So I came home and pulled the wheel, then the caliper, then the pads. Nothing out of the ordinary.

So I pulled the rotor and a couple pieces fell out. For those of you who have looked over the parking brake you have the adjustor bar and spring at the bottom between the two pads. You have a connecting bar and a couple of springs holding them at the top. But at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock you have retaining springs with small metal caps that hold the pads back. On my left one the small metal cap popped off because it had been bent at some time in the past and it finally popped off.

Got the new parts at the dealer and tried to put it back together. Read as many threads on here as I could find on the parking brake. On two wheel drive cars you can rotate the hub. I have a V8 with full time 4wd so unless all four wheels are up in the air I can't.

For the life of me I cannot figure out a way to compress the spring, hold it compressed, and still fit the pad in the space between the hub (front) and back plate. I've tried needle nose pliers, needle nose channel locks, screwdrivers, crushing my fingers. Some threads reference rotating the hub. Some reference using a specialized tool (a spring retaining brake tool?) to compress the spring and two end caps.

Anyone else figure this out? My bet is on rotating the hub but I don't have a way to lift the entire 4runner in my driveway. I have a buddy with a lift in his garage (nice, huh), but he is an hour drive away.

Right now I just removed all the parking brake parts, secured the brake cable, and put it back together so I can drive it. I've done brake jobs on every car I have ever owned, including drum brakes on my first cars. Just not this type that is packed behind a hub.

Any suggestions?

I believe the items you are talking about are the two springs with round clips and pins that hold each brake shoe in place to the backing plate. On most standard drum brake systems, there is a tool that you use to push in (compress) the spring with the outer cap and then rotate the cap 90 degrees to lock it into the retaining pin. This tool works well on most systems because the cap/spring assy is not blocked by anything. But, in the case of most parking brake systems located inside the rear disc rotor, this spring is behind the axle hub, so the straight-in push tool wont work as well. I didn't see a special Toyota tool listed in the manual, but BMW does list a special tool for this procedure. It has a 'U' shaped bend to allow it to go around the hub. When I took my parking brake assy apart, I used a set of long nose vise grips to hold the sides of the top spring retaining washer. It takes a bit of finger juggling to hold the pin in place from the back side of the backing plate with one hand, while compressing the spring with the washer and then rotating it to lock it into place with the other hand. You have to be careful with how tight you adjust the vise grips, so as not to crush the washer or fold it in half.

Good luck

 

[MidwestT4R]

So, in this case, the assembly would have me attach the brake pads at the top and bottom with all springs, then insert the retaining pin from behind the back plate, then put the plate and spring on manually, and finally use vise grips to force the front retaining plate on.

I have not gone back out there to do it, but how do you get the back retaining plate on and spring on before you use the vise grips to force the front retaining plate on? It seems pretty tight.

Thanks.

 

[TechWrench]

So, in this case, the assembly would have me attach the brake pads at the top and bottom with all springs, then insert the retaining pin from behind the back plate, then put the plate and spring on manually, and finally use vise grips to force the front retaining plate on.

I have not gone back out there to do it, but how do you get the back retaining plate on and spring on before you use the vise grips to force the front retaining plate on? It seems pretty tight.

Thanks.

I know the area is tight to work in. I used a set of long nose forceps to put the spring in place before installing the top retaining plate. Also, you can try using a small amount of grease or silicone rtv to hold the back spring plate in place on the brake shoe before installing the spring. Just be careful when inserting the pin from the rear so you don't knock it loose. I know it isn't as easy as I am making it sound. It took me 4-5 tries to get it done. It seems like you need three hands to do it. If you have someone to help, they could keep the pin in place from the rear of the backing plate while you install the spring and retainer.

 

[karvtxr]

I have found that on my 2006 4 runner. That if you put the pins in the backing plate and then install the rear cup then spring then front cup and lock it on the pin. Then slide your brake shoe into the slot that is cut into your brake shoe you can hold the spring toward
you with neddle nose pliers. Then put the back cups arm with the hook into the hole in the brake shoe. Trust me I've been working this very problem for a long time now. And this is the very best way I have come up with. Make sure you have the horseshoe pin correct around the E brake lever on the backside of the trailing shoe. Other words put the hardware on the pin then slide the shoes into the slots in shoes then lock the claw on the back cup in holes in shoes.

 

[RCs4Runner]

OP you ever get it back on?

For the life of my I cannot get the reainer clip / spring back in the slot and pin hole. I might have to suck it up and take it to Toyota. The guy above says to use needle nose pliers but the pliers leave no room for the shoe to go back on?



Why the F did Toyota design it like this!?? I've seen other manufacurres and the retainer / spring is to the side of the shoes out in the open not hidden behind the hub flange where there's barely room for a finger let alone any type of tool once you try to install the shoes.

 

[gm350reratliff]

I found it easier to line up the hole in the hub. Then, using a small pair of needle nose pliers that are slightly flared out at the tip, insert the tip of the pliers into the recessed areas of the retainer. With one hand holding the pin, push the retainer in far enough that the pin is sticking past the retainer. Rotate the retainer with the pliers. You won't be able to fully seat the pin until you remove the pliers. Carefully grip the retainer from the side with another set of pliers and rotate until the pin seats in the retainer.

That is the easiest way I found to do this. Yeah, it's still a pain.

 

[RCs4Runner]

I found it easier to line up the hole in the hub. Then, using a small pair of needle nose pliers that are slightly flared out at the tip, insert the tip of the pliers into the recessed areas of the retainer. With one hand holding the pin, push the retainer in far enough that the pin is sticking past the retainer. Rotate the retainer with the pliers. You won't be able to fully seat the pin until you remove the pliers. Carefully grip the retainer from the side with another set of pliers and rotate until the pin seats in the retainer.

That is the easiest way I found to do this. Yeah, it's still a pain.

I have no clue how you got that many tools in that little area.

EDIT:
Finally got it. I ended up using twine to keep the spring compressed while I slide the parking brake shoe back on.

 

[gm350reratliff]

I have no clue how you got that many tools in that little area.

EDIT:
Finally got it. I ended up using twine to keep the spring compressed while I slide the parking brake shoe back on.

Thats a pretty good method too! Thanks for sharing.

 

[toyo]

Follow these instructions very close and you will not have a problem. As a side note, I used a piece of wire to hold the spring out and slide the shoe on. AFTER all the springs and such are installed I pulled the wire out and it all fit perfectly. See the attachment.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Those springs are a *****...

I had long needle nose pliers I borrowed from a co-worker, I don't know what kind they were but they were far thinner than the ones I have.

 

[toyo]

Those springs are a *****...

I had long needle nose pliers I borrowed from a co-worker, I don't know what kind they were but they were far thinner than the ones I have.

I had long needle nose pliers I borrowed from a co-worker, I don't know what kind they were but they were far thinner than the ones I have.[/QUOTE]

That entire shoe system is a *****! Funny story I'll share. A few days after I purchased this 4Runner I noticed while my window was down going about 20 mph I could a high pitched squeak. It was a late afternoon on a Friday after a pretty damn long day already. My wife wanted to go out that night and spend some time together. I figured I'm just gonna pull the wheels off and see what's going on, shouldn't take long at all. Oh.......After I discovered t was coming from the back, behind the rotor I pulled it off for a little more surgery. Some moron had pulled the rotor off without loosening the tension on the springs. If the shoes are real tight and you force the drum off the shoes you can actually stretch the shoe pins. The locking caps on both pins were up against the axle shield, causing the squeak. I figured this won't take long to fix.... Holy dog smack was I pissed after 2 hours of messing around with it.
I called my wife and told her no go on dinner as I was on a mission to finish this abortion of a brake repair. I took a deep breath, ate a snack and let my brain and frustration regroup.
I bet I tried 20 times to get that freaking clip on. Then it hit me! Just hold the clip, spring and cap and then slide the shoe over it all. I was at a satellite shop of mine and did not have all my usual crap to get a hold of. I cut a piece of 18 gauge wire about 8"s long and did it.

Lord, I have done some frustrating jobs over my years of being a technician but holy hell this kicked my butt. I did the other side in about 30 minutes after I figured out the trick. Toyota should be brow beaten for this particular setup. Why oh why???

 

[toyo]

I just realized the OP stated that since he has 4WD V8 that he was not able to turn the axle. If you have both rear wheels off the ground you can spin the axle to line the holes up. Just a fyi for future guys doing this in the future.

 

[BCfish]

I just realized the OP stated that since he has 4WD V8 that he was not able to turn the axle. If you have both rear wheels off the ground you can spin the axle to line the holes up. Just a fyi for future guys doing this in the future.

How would this work in full time 4wd V8 since the front wheels are still on the ground how can you turn them?:behindsofa:

 

[JB.]

Since it's full-time 4wd, there's a center diff that allows it. If the diff was locked, it wouldn't work.

 

[BCfish]

Since it's full-time 4wd, there's a center diff that allows it. If the diff was locked, it wouldn't work.

Ahh yes that makes total sense now thanks JB!

 

[Sungod]

I used a pair of angled needle nose pliers to hold mine. Having the right tools makes things easier, but having a creative mind to work with what you have is 100 times more valuable.

 

[AUmatt]

I joined this forum just to weigh in on this. I just purchased an '05 4wd sport which conveniently didn't have a working parking brake. Me thinking it can't be that bad to fix proceeded with the purchase. I replaced all the brakes but struggled with the parking brakes. So last night I was in here googling how to do it when I came across this thread. Very useful information with assembling he latch spring and cup on the pin prior to rotating the shoe into position.

Where I think I can help future users, while I was at O'Reillys I searched for anything that looked useful in this project and I hit pay dirt in the form of a tool for removing panels and trim. It is a screwdriver looking dude that has a bend just before the head. What would be a flat head has a cut splitting the head into two. It is red in the handle and silver on the shank and made this such a simple job.

I had to get everything in position and just before rotating the shoe up, I slid the tool across the top of the axle and pried the spring up. Pushing the shoe into position pushed into the loaded tool and it popped right into position. For the other side I worked the same way only sliding the tool in between the plate and the previously mentioned assembled shoe. Once I had to take a flat head and pry the spring off the tool. I suggest anyone in the future buying this $10 savior.

 

[TheBulldog]

parking brake repair

I also, have been victim of the infamous 4Runner parking brake repair. Recently replaced the rear discs and pads on my '05 4Runner, and in doing so - damaged the parking break hardware on the disassembly.

Read some good tips on here, regarding compressing the springs using string. Didn't have any string, so I used very small zip ties (2) each - worked well.

couldn't agree more with everyone else's assessment that Toyota didn't clearly think the design well through on this - or maybe they did - and intended it to be something that we go screaming to the dealerships to fix.

 

[DG&BRM]

Read some good tips on here, regarding compressing the springs using string. Didn't have any string, so I used very small zip ties (2) each - worked well.

This is a late bump, but I'd like to add that I used this advice above and it worked wonderfully. I bought the tiniest ones I could find at Walmart (pic of bag below). Remember to clip/remove them before assembling the rest of the hardware. Also, do NOT waste your money on a hardware kit from AutoZone. Very inferior parts such as the star wheel adjuster being shorter and c-clips being flimsy. I ended up re-using most of the stock stuff instead.