Hey, Don...
<snip> What tools, skills and time would it take to rebuild the old ones
myself?<>
You'll need to buy yourself the rebuild kits - $10 (max) each; spring kits
$15 (max) each: brake fluid; shoes; drums & possibly a wheel cylinder hone
attachment for your power drill...Had mine for 30 years, so I don't remember
the cost...Also a stiff-bristle parts brush to clean the backing plates can
be REAL handy...You may also need a big c-clamp to press the spring retainer
pins into the shoes (you'll see!)
First of all, you'll need to raise the rear of the truck, jack-stand it
(unless you have a lift) and remove both wheels. Then pop the small rubber
plugs out of the inwards side of the backing plates & crank the adjusters
down with a short flathead screwdriver, so the shoes collapse. I had to bang
on my drums with a BFH ( Dead-blow or Lead ) to loosen them...
Remove both drums but DON'T DISASSEMBLE BOTH SETS OF BRAKES. Leave one
together so you have a template for reassembly. They used to make a special
tool for removing the springs, but you can use a flathead screwdriver or
visegrips. The smaller coil springs on the pins thru the backing plates are
tricky to remove & can be a REAL BIOTCH...but if you're patient, they'll
come off...
Pop the dust cups off the cylnders & push the plungers & springs out. The
wheel hone can be used to cross-hatch & clean the cylinder walls, but I bet
you won't even need it...I didn't on the DAKSY...
Reassembly is the reverse of the above & you WILL be glad to have the
template on the other side!
After reassembly, I adjust the stars so the wheels just begin to drag on the
shoes...Then find a parking lot & drive backwards & slam the pedal down to
adjust them evenly...
Don't think I left anything out...
HTH,
Bob (DAKSY) Smith
DAKSY2K on AIM
2K SY Dakota Sport +
V-6 4 x 4 5 speed
2K05 HD 883C YP
http://home.nycap.rr.com/daksy/
Averill Park, NY
> Cost of rebuilt one vs. rebuild kits?
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