Hey there sports fans! The rear left brake pads are almost down to metal-metal, so this coming week I'll be replacing the pads, the drums and all related hardware. I know this project isn't too difficult, but if any of you have comments or suggestions I would like to hear them. I do have the two required special tools for this job. Best wishes to everyone here.

Just do one side at a time so you can reference how the parts go back together.

Will do, thanks.

Replaced the drivers rear tonight, replaced all parts and everything looks proper....BUT....once I put the drum back on it was a little difficult to turn the assembly by hand, and once I mounted the tire and rim I could not turn by hand. Is that normal? I did not get a chance to crank her up and test her in the driveway due to severe storms.

Did you take a glance at the other brake post, and the vid I posted? They do need to have some drag, but you’re a pretty hossy-sized mf, so your definition of putting some mojo on turning the wheel seems a little snug.

One thing you might want to check is the rear section of the e-brake cable. The cable can crud-up, not articulating freely, a very common problem; as a result, it spreads the shoes slightly, enough to cause the problem you describe. Also, check the adjustment on the e-brake cable, and make sure that it’s slack, not loaded up.

This works in my mind’s eye, so it’s worth a try. Tear your other side down, but this time, pull the e/brake cable from the backing plate. Take a small hose clamp, put it over the end of the e-brake cable that goes inside of the backing plate. Install it low enough on the cable to compress the holding tabs, but away from the backing plate so that you can push the cable out. Tighten the clamp enough to compress the tabs, and the cable will slide out.

One you have it out, wallow it in and out some and see how freely it moves; also, hoss around with it to ensure that you have slack on the other side. Once you know that you have ample slack for the tight driver’s side, pull the drum, hammer the shoes in place to seat them; use a deadblow, rubber hammer, 2x4, whatever proper tool for hammering on brake shoes. If they compress down, and give you slack, you know what the problem is.

Report back.

Thanks, Merv. I'll give it a try.

Merv,

I just watched the video (great video), and think I noticed one step I may not have done correctly. I think I have the "parking brake strut" (the bar with one end having an oval spring) connected to the both pads housings. It appears in the video that the end with no spring should actually be pushing into the parking brake bracket, not the rear pad housing assembly. Make sense?

John. The slot on the strut without the spring captures both the brake shoe and the parking brake lever. The slots on the shoe frame and lever should align, and if they don’t, the e-brake cable is either too tight or it’s seized.

You know what? I’m going to yank a wheel and drum, and take a picture. If I ever pass through your neck of the woods, I’m holding you to that steak dinner. I like mine crunchy, encrusted in a thick layer of carbon.

It’s 6:17. Let’s see how fast I can yank a wheel drum, and shoot a picture. 6:28: pulled, shot, doctored the photo, wheel on, and done.

Notice how the brake shoe and e-brake lever are aligned? (The arrows reference the e-brake lever.) I took numerous shots, but I couldn’t get a clear one which shows that the e-brake lever sits about 3/16” forward of the brake shoe.

If the e-brake lever sits aft not before the shoe, the e-brake cable is frozen or it’s too tight, and that’s what’s causing your problem.

Amervo wins the steak dinner. Thanks for the photo. . Took it apart enough to remove and re-install the parking brake bracket and the "strut bar" and now it turns much easier. Can't do any driveway testing because of this darn rain!!!! Plus.... I had three beers doing tonights project. BURP.
Tomorrow night I'll do the passenger rear and see what adventures that brings. Thanks again, Merv.

I don’t just think this chit up! It’s the product of a quality education from the university of hard knocks, and quality educations are expensive!

Merv my friend, your help has gotten me through so many projects over the years. I truly appreciate all the help and the friendship.

My pleasure, John. Actually, I enjoy helping people. But the online technical advisor days are long gone because I just don’t feel like engaging. Even so, I do make exceptions. Just like these cars being someone’s fad, online technical advising was a fad.

Speaking about the old days, for old time’s sake, I like to park the garage queen outside in non-stop, torrential rain for a couple of days. After sitting for a couple of days in the rain and with spectators around, I like to pop the trunk and say, “See how dry it is? Not a single drop of water.” (In addition to having an extremely rust-free car, being a former professional GM chassis man helps out in the no-water leak department.)

I took the car to the OC cruise; of course, torrential rain is mandatory. I drove it some during the pouring down rain. The problem isn’t driving the car in the rain. It’s water tight, and until 2k, I have been driving it in the rain all of my life. The problem is that it isn’t any fun, and driving the car in the rain was always done as a means to an end, not something for fun. I got there Wednesday about 9 am, allowing me a chance to lay a few slabs and asswalk a few second-gears on dry road, so it wasn’t a total washout.

During the rain, I was sitting under the porch by my car. (The people at the motel in the end unit “reserved” that spot for me because they said that the ‘car needed to be parked there.’) And an endless stream of passing cars stopped and took pictures of the car, so I thought what the hell and took a shot.

One of these days, I’m going to run the car to its home dealership, Musser Motors, Terrell, TX. It would really enhance my collection of personal car trivia to have photos of it sitting on its home dealership. And the grandson of the guy who sold the car wants it on the lot for a photo shoot because he had never seen one of his grandfather’s sold cars, especially since it’s a Firebird.

Of course I would drive it. Why the hell would I want to trailer it? I also might take it to Galveston and drive it around on the beach, like I use to do so many decades ago, making the Mesquite-Galveston run as common as going to the grocery store.

Not if but when I make the run, I’ll give you a heads up, we’ll let the cars socialize, and I’ll take you up on the steak dinner. I like mine crunchy, covered with a thick layer of charcoal! No steak sauce or spice, just a dash of salt and pepper.

Come on down, Merv!

I've tried to have a dry trunk but I always seem to get a little water in there and have to leave the trunk open for a few days to aid in drying.
I have no idea where the OC cruise is but by the looks of that photograph I'd like to have my car parked there, beside the red one ,while enjoying a cool drink under the porch.