Oh my goodness!! These are the worst rear drum brakes I have ever replaced! I have replaced rear drum brakes on a 66 Mustang, 71 Nova, Civic's, CRX's and I have never had such a hard time until my 2001 CRV!!! Gosh I hate rear drum brakes! This is why I converted my 88 CRX and my 98 Civic hatch to rear disc brakes!

 

seems fine to me...
may be im just used to tackling drum brakes
eversince ive been introduce to automotive world..LOL!!

ot: ive a lot of experience w/it on a *****'s jeep(army)
theyre all over our country, even up to now most of them are modded..

 

I guess when all you have are pliers and a few screwdrivers it sucks. Also, leave it to Autozone to screw up parts! Went to Autozone, exchanged the crap brake shoes they gave me since all but one were the same size. Then, the darn brake drums they sold me do not fit my car the right way! Maybe I should take some pics to better explain it but they do not mount all the way in. Freaking Autozone!

 

its a lot messsy to deal with drum brakes compared to disc..
most problems i encountered with replacing the drums were sometimes
it feels like it doesnt fit.. my remedy to do was to release the calipers first
then refit the drums w/out the lines engaged, see if it really doesnt fit, it
might be just caused bt having a new shoe or if its a autozone/pep boys
replacement sometimes its a lot thicker than the oem ones..if still it doesnt
fit try the old ones... then go from there...
if your really pissed off, pass the job to them, then if you could watch, see
how will they install it, this is what i did when i was starting w/ my fascination
to cars.. looking/observing...then trying to mess up with my own! LOL!

GOOD LUCK!

 

you should only use oem pads on the drums, if you dont upgrade. You just downgraded...why would you put **** parts on....on purpose?

 

Because I didn't feel like getting ripped off at the Stealership but I guess I will just have to do that from now on.

 

buy good quality parts on the expensive end of the spectrum from reputable sources on rockauto.com, Honda dealership gets a lot of their parts through the same sources and is repackaged with different labeling. Kinda the whole generic concept. It is true that it varies in quality sometimes, all the depends on the supplier and price. again rockauto.com has great selection. Never really had a problem, only when I buy the cheapest they offer.

 

<shrug> I think drum brakes are just fine. The problem is when you aren't using the correct tools or the correct parts

Buying OE shoes that are guaranteed to fit, to last, and to not make noise isn't what I would call "being ripped off." Surely a quality part is worth a little bit more to you.

Buying shoes or drums that don't fit - at any price - is what I'd consider a ripoff.

 

There's a technique i used to assemble the drums brack together:

(With the hub off, makes sliding the shoe assembly off and on easy)
Note: Don't forget to put some ant-seize where the two shoes meet the dust shield before installing the shoe assembly.

-After installing the parking brake. Using a tie strap, I tighten down the left side of the top spring, adjuster and the adjusting bracket.
-Mount it between the shoes while holding the parking brake lever to the right shoe. Make sure notches line up on the adjuster to the shoe and lever. Viewing it from the backside is easier.
-Bend the two shoes to connect it all.
-Slide the assembly on the wheel cylinder.
-Install the bottom cylinder.
-Cut the tie strap.
-Install the adjusting bracket spring.

That's it.

 

I performed a rear brake shoe replacement on a 1999 Honda CRV way back and remember it being very frustrating (not having the right tool to remove the upper brake return spring ?)

I now need to replace the rear brake shoes on couple of 1997-2001 Gen I Honda CRV s . I have looked at various procedures but none of them showed a picture of the tool used to remove the upper brake return spring.

Any other suggestions, tips, links, pictures are appreciated.

 

Slip-joint pliers, needle nose pliers, and screw drivers= brake job done...

I don't see why people have such a hard time with drum brakes. They are pretty easy and basic. Some are harder to adjust than others, but same with some calipers (namely the ones that screw back in tend to seize).

If you take the time to go to ANY automotive parts store they sell brake spoons and other various tools made specifically for changing brakes. If you are not strong enough to overcome the springs with basic hand tools then I highly suggest you purchase these specialty tools for drum brakes.

PS - You shouldn't bump old threads as they tend to get locked after they are bumped.

 

Like the OP,I have performed many drum brake projects in the past on a variety of vehicles and found this one ( Gen 1 Honda CRV ) to be a pain because of the difficulty in removing the upper brake shoe return spring.

I have the typical brake tools - brake spring pliers, multi purpose shoe tool, clip retainer tool ,spoons but those did not work and wound up wrestling through it with needle nose vice grips screwdrivers and pliers. This was a very frustrating experience that could avoided the with proper tools.


Possible tools to remove the upper return spring might be. What do other people who have done this job use ?





or this Honda special tool mentioned on elsewhere here - http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/at...1&d=1135361870

(maybe fabricate something similar)

 

No so much a tool but man power. Typically I just put the top together on the floor and pull them apart and slip them on the slave cylinder. Otherwise a pair of channel locks and just pull it on. It really isn't that tough of a spring (that or I guess I am just really strong)...