Brake Shoe replacement & repair made easy

If your car has brake drums, it will have brake shoes which are mounted inside it. Brake shoes are similar to brake pads as when the brake pedal is applied they will come into contact with the surface of the drum to slow a vehicle

• Mechanic will inspect the brakes and establish if there is any issues with one or several of the brake shoes.
• Mechanic will establish if the brake shoe's thickness is within the required tolerances.
• If necessary, the mechanic will replace the brake shoes.
• The mechanic will advise if other parts of the brake system need replacing too.
• Mechanic will test drive the car and inspect the brake system to ensure it is in perfect working order.
• Mechanic will make adjustments if necessary.

Unless you are a qualified mechanic with the required skills, training and equipment to do the job, we strongly recommend a brake shoes replacement is only carried out by a professional mechanic. ClickMechanic can help get you a vetted and local mechanic to carry out the work. Just enter your postcode and your car's registration number at the top of this page and select the work needed to get an instant fixed price up front.

• When the hand brake does not work properly.
• If you hear a squealing or scraping from a rear wheel during braking.
• When the car pulls to the right or left under braking.
• When the car becomes unstable under braking.

A brake shoes replacement typically takes 1 hour, but can take less or more time. Ultimately, the time that the job will take depends on a range of factors. For example, your vehicle's make and model, year, as well as other factors. Select your car at the top of this page for information on job time and cost for your vehicle through ClickMechanic.

Over time, the brake shoes can wear out due to the friction that it has to endure each time you brake. Brake shoes can wear to such an extent that the rivets holding the friction plate to the rest of the shoe can get exposed. Each time you brake in this scenario the rivets can potentially score the contact surface inside the drum. This damages the brake drum as well, which would need to be replaced too to ensure effective braking.

Brake shoes replacement is not as common as brake pads as less braking force is applied to them in comparison to the front brakes. However, as the brake shoes are made of relatively soft material, it’s inevitable that, in time, they will wear away. Just like your tyres, the harder you drive and the more you use your brakes, the more often you will need to have the brake shoes changed.

The way you drive can have a significant effect on how long you can drive between two brake shoe replacements. Using common sense, driving carefully, and anticipating the hazards on the road ahead are the best ways of doing this.

The earlier you can brake when you need to slow down or stop, the less pressure you will need to apply on your foot brake, and so the less pressure you put on your brake shoes, and the more slowly they will wear.

Frequent, hard or emergency braking will always take a greater toll on the compound of your brake pads and lead to the risk that you will need to replace the brake shoes more often.

The way you drive can have a significant effect on how long you can drive between two brake shoe replacements. Using common sense, driving carefully, and anticipating the hazards on the road ahead are the best ways of doing this.

The earlier you can brake when you need to slow down or stop, the less pressure you will need to apply on your foot brake, and so the less pressure you put on your brake shoes, and the more slowly they will wear.

Frequent, hard or emergency braking will always take a greater toll on the compound of your brake pads and lead to the risk that you will need to replace the brake shoes more often.

If the brake shoes have worn beyond the legal limit or the manufacturer recommended limit or have otherwise worn and been compromised and no longer are able to guarantee optimal brake performance and safety then book a mechanic to check and replace the brake shoes where necessary. If you experience any untoward characteristics in your braking, book a diagnostic inspection immediately and do not drive the vehicle. Driving with bad brake shoes can impair brake performance and safety, and can be lethal.

Typical symptoms that require the brake shoes to be replaced:

• When the hand brake does not work properly
• If you hear a squealing or scraping from a rear wheel during braking
• When the car pulls to the right or left under braking
• When the car becomes unstable under braking

There is a number of steps involved in replacing the brake shoes, there are variations between manufacturers, the basics are pretty similar. Hence, changing brake shoes is a routine repair for all mechanics and can be done both kerbside as well as in the workshop, providing it is safe to do so.

Yes, you can just replace the rear brakes if it is just the rear brakes that have worn, this has been professionally diagnosed and is safe to do so. A professional mechanic can advise on which brake parts need replacing, they can check the brakes and advise on the next steps for your brake repair.

Yes, worn brake shoes can cause an MOT failure. For example if they have worn below the legal limit, are contaminated (with oil or grease) or are incorrectly mounted.