Rear Brake Job???

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You don't necessarily need new wheel cylinders if yours aren't leaking, and if you don't want to buy new brake drums you may be able to take your old ones in and have them turned. You will also need to pick yourself up a couple of cans of brake cleaner and a one man brake bleeder to make your job easier. Now would be a good time to do a flush on your brake fluid while you're at it.

What makes you think your rear brakes are bad? Did you look at the pad thickness or does your truck not stop properly?

Take a couple of minutes and find a good youtube video of how to do rear brakes before you start if you're a little green.
 
Nuked Beaver said:
You don't necessarily need new wheel cylinders if yours aren't leaking, and if you don't want to buy new brake drums you may be able to take your old ones in and have them turned. You will also need to pick yourself up a couple of cans of brake cleaner and a one man brake bleeder to make your job easier. Now would be a good time to do a flush on your brake fluid while you're at it.

What makes you think your rear brakes are bad? Did you look at the pad thickness or does your truck not stop properly?

Take a couple of minutes and find a good youtube video of how to do rear brakes before you start if you're a little green.
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Thanks for the tips! I'll take a look at my cylinders before buying new ones, just figured it could use fresh ones after 220,000 miles. I doubt they've ever been changed before.

I know the rear brakes are toast because my pedal goes almost to the floor before I get any good braking and also if I'm reversing down my driveway (which is on an incline) and I hit the brakes hard the front tires will lock up and get drug down the driveway. Literally no stopping power going on out back... and yes, the pads are toast!
 
Poor rear braking can also be due to a bad LSPV as well as improperly adjusted rear pads. Make sure your brake auto adjuster is properly cleaned up and not rusted frozen so that it will ratchet allowing the pads to wear evenly. If your pad thickness is not the same on the upper vs. lower portion of the pad than that is a sign of a frozen adjuster.

And as always, bleed your brakes well, most of the time a squishy pedal is due to air in the line.
 
You will love these
$30 well spent
87f9d3e86adbb7cb8ae4bf925c55b9d6.jpg

I would swap in new wheel cylinders while your at it
Hell got mine for $7 from rockauto
Also this is a great time to give tour brake system a complete flush
And you will need some special brake tools to make your life much easier
This is my fav one
447291745440c2c55353b886d9fdfb59.jpg

And as mentions brake cleaner, high temp caliper grease, new spring kit and adjusters "adjusters are side specific"
Good luck
 
I would check to make sure the shoes are gone and it's not just an adjustment issue. If you rarely use your parking brake, they won't be adjusted correctly. Look for the little slot in the back and spin the wheel.

If your shoes were worn completely, but still engaging the drum (proper adjustment) the would provide "some" stopping power and a heck of a lot of noise.

No noise, and no stopping power leads me to believe the shoes are very far from the drum, hence the pedal to the floor with no engagement.

Edit** re-read OP and see you stated the pads ARE toast. Better change 'em out! Also, brake pliers make the job a lot easier. Those little springs and retainers are a pain if you're trying to make needle nose pliers work. The brake pliers have a receptacle on the bottom of one of the handles that works wonders.
 
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Well, got it jacked up and pulled the rear wheels and drums off. This is what it looks like in there!

Planning on going through it all this week...



 
I had an 87 Toyota 4x4 pickup, ran it for more than 340K before I sold it and kept the shoes clean and adjusted never had to replace. I would clean the heck out of the assembly make sure there is no gear lube leaking from the seals, no brake fluid leaking from the WC, hit the shoes with some sand paper to remove any glaze, adjust and go. There appears to be plenty of mtl remaining on the shoe.
 
kc15842 said:
I had an 87 Toyota 4x4 pickup, ran it for more than 340K before I sold it and kept the shoes clean and adjusted never had to replace. I would clean the heck out of the assembly make sure there is no gear lube leaking from the seals, no brake fluid leaking from the WC, hit the shoes with some sand paper to remove any glaze, adjust and go. There appears to be plenty of mtl remaining on the shoe.
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Really?! Think so huh?! That would save me a lot of money!
 
I bought a 87 4 runner with 222K and when I checked the rear brakes they were worn about the same as your rig. I took a water hose to the assembly made sure everything was clean, lubed the shoe contact points, took sand paper to the shoes and drum contact surface and adjusted the emergency brake and then the self adjuster. Good to go for another 40K.
 
kc15842 said:
I bought a 87 4 runner with 222K and when I checked the rear brakes they were worn about the same as your rig. I took a water hose to the assembly made sure everything was clean, lubed the shoe contact points, took sand paper to the shoes and drum contact surface and adjusted the emergency brake and then the self adjuster. Good to go for another 40K.
Click to expand...

Well, I've already bought new shoes and a spring kit, so I think I'll just throw those on, clean, grease, and adjust everything else, then go from there. Drums definitely don't need replaced, they are still good, and it doesn't look like there is any leaking going on from the WCs...
 
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