I'm in need of new brakes and can do the front disks fine. But have never attempted changing drums and from what I hear it is more difficult and may require special tools...
If anyone knows what I will need, or If I should just let a shop do it for me please help.
I'd prefer doing it on my own so that I can learn, but I don't want to put myself in danger because of brake failure, even though the fronts do most of the work.
This is a '92 civic sedan dx by the way.
thanks

 

if you dont know what your doing, have a friend help you so u can learn or take it to a shop, they are harder but once you do it tis easy. i know how to do them but they are a pita so i would take it to the shop. my friend got all 4 drum brakes done for 41 dollars. he has an old car so all 4 are drum

 

The special tools help and make it much easier but its not necessary.

You will need a mallet.
Needle nose plyers
and a screw driver.
New shoes.
Brake fluid.

Take off the drum(use the mallet to get it loose) and remember the order the parts came off so you know where they go.

Reassemble.

Adjust. (this is where the screwdriver comes into play) most drum brakes have an access hole on the back side. you want to turn the adjuster untill you start to feel some friction.

Bleed.

Adjust parking brake if necessary.

Just do 1 side at a time that way you can look at the other side to be sure you re assembeld them correctly.

 

I did mine on my hatch with never taking drums apart before and it went pretty well. Minor frustartion at time but nothing too bad.

 

Thanks for the info guys, if I can get a friend to help I will. But it is Easter weekend, maybe the rears will have to wait another week.

 

I had to do all four corners worth of drums to get my 67 firebird rolling, that was when I was 16 and hadn't done any previous brake work. Civic brakes are much easier IMO, front and rear. If you have the tools and can accept a day or two w/o your car, give it a shot. Worst case they only provide 30-40% of your car's stopping power, so don't worry

 

This is basically what you need for a painless drum brake job: http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/AP-7848.html This is what I use and takes me 10-20 mins max on each side. Changing them on Civics are really easy, try doing drum brakes on a 18-wheeler w/ air brake system now that's a PITA

 

Wear safety goggles cuz the springs in the brakes can poke yo eye out! My next door neighbor has 1 eye