Well last weekend I decided to tackle the rear brakes on my 2003 cavalier.
After wrestling to get the drums off, I discover why I had to bu my shoes from the Dealer at 90 dollars a set, they changed the read brake system.
My question, GM now has a plate attached to the trailing brake shoe, with a shoulder bolt so to speak that the rear adjusters slips onto.
This plate also has the parking brake cable attached to it.
So how do I get this plate separated from the shoe, and re-attached to the new shoe????
Thanks
Do you have a picture. I have done GM brakes many times. If I was for sure what you were asking I could most likely help you out.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
Dave Pyefinch
Youre parking brake lever has a notch in which the parking brake lever slides into, Then their is a cotter clip that locks it into place, Did you take a part both rears at the same time?. Usually I would just use the other drum side as a refference to questions. If you got a haynes manual they got pics as well.
Good Luck
I will try to get a picture posted in a few days, on a buisness trip right now.
This is a new layout for GM Rear Drums,
No spring retention clip on this version.
They use a one piece tension bar that hold both the leading and trailing shoes.
and as I said, the parking brake cable is attached to a large plate that is fixed to the trailing Shoe.
Its getting that plate off the shoe that is the problem.
Bone stock rear shoes on the 04'.
It's an anchored type brake setup.
I have an 02 and there is a C-clip holding the pin onto the brake shoe. Can't really tell by the pic posted whether or not the rear brakes are the same as mine but I'm going to guess that they are. Remove the clip with a scratch awl. Remember to install the shoe with the short lining to the front.
God bless America.
There aren't no clips on 2003's. I checked mine today and i don't have a clue how they come off. Maybe i have the wrong brakes, since i think maybe the bracket for the handbrake comes with the new brakes, even though they didn't come with mine. Any help will be greatly appreciated . Thanks.
The answer is that in 2003 Chevy changed the shoes to INCLUDE the lever as part of the shoes. You CAN'T get it off. I got the wrong shoes from the store the first time out and had to exchange them for the later ones - more expensive of course. At Canadian Tire they're $75 vs $45 for the regular ones. Very easy to do after that! Good luck.
Note: 2002 to 2005 are always the bigger brake shoes and drums. Pre-95-01 are the small brake shoes and drums.
