Brake Shoe replacement & repair made easy

What does a Brake shoe do?

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

How do brake shoes work and what are the components?

The compound of brake friction material varies between manufacturers to produce different results in terms of durability and resistance. The friction material is cast to a specific shape for the application area of the brake drums and that is then mounted onto a steel backing plate, which again is cast to precisely fit the brake drum that it is going to be used in.

The friction material is typically a mixture of chalk, bronze powder, graphite, vermiculite, resin, steel and rubber. There are other materials too, but they vary widely.

Without being too technical, the brake shoe when pushed against the drum creates kinetic and thermal energy through friction. When the pads heat up, they coat the drum in a micro film of the friction material, when this occurs the shoes and the drum now have the same friction material. This then literally binds together and slows the rotation of the drum.

The previous paragraph also explains why you get brake dust, which is the discarded coating and also, obviously, explains why brake shoes wear out!

There are obviously many different combinations of material, sizes and even the number of brake pads on vehicles, to go into all the details of each would be a document of some length, but the basics are pretty similar.

How do you know there is something wrong with a brake shoe?

• 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.

When should you consider replacing a brake shoe?

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.

How common is a brake shoe replacement?

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.

How can I extend the lifetime of my brake shoes?

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.

What happens during a brake shoe replacement?

• 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.

How much does a brake shoe Replacement cost?

The cost of a brake shoe replacement depends on your car and what parts your car's manufacturer recommends using for the replacement. Find out what you could save by having your brake shoe replaced by ClickMechanic, by selecting your car at the top of this page!
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