Parking Brake Shoe Removal
 

I'm doing the drum to disc brake conversion on my '99 GA. Got disc brake hubs from a donor '00 Alero at the salvage yard and having trouble removing the parking brake shoes so I can paint the back plates. There doesn't seem to be enough spring flex in the brake shoes to clear the hub without taking it apart. Is that the only way to get them off?

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It can be done. Just have to find the right process. Try and get one side of the shoe up over the hub and work I around. Don't be too Afraid to spread that shoe apart

The service manual procedures is to remove the hub to replace the parking brake shoe.

There's a clip that holds the shoe in. If you get it loose, it will come off. I found that out without wanting... one of my shoes were loose when my stuff was in storage.

The clip is easy...you just slide the shoe down and it comes loose off the clip. On my GMC truck that uses basically the same design it's easy to work the shoe off around the axle, but not on the Alero hubs.

It's hard to pry the spring very much with the hub off the car lest you end up smacking yourself in the face. I'll clamp the hub in a vice to see if that helps any.

You are right... my shoe did not separate from the hub.

sorry to thread jack, starglow post some pics of your car/motor in another thread.

Ok....will do, maybe this weekend. I washed and waxed it this past weekend so she's looking good for a photo shoot. :lol:

it comes off of the hub from the back must remove hub and the shield from that rear knuckle.

Today I figured out an easy way to get the parking brake shoes off without pulling the hubs off. You have to remove the parking brake actuator assembly which then allows more free space the maneuver the shoe around and get one side over the hub and then completely off.

With the parking brake actuator installed, there isn't enough room for the parking brake shoe to clear the hub and prying doesn't work. It comes off quite easily once you figure out the right process.

Glad i read all the way down before I posted. whatch out with that actuator though, I had a hell of a time with one of mine going back on there right.