It only took me about three hours to replace the brake shoes on my car the other day. After an initial test drive, it didn’t seem to have improved anything. I was worried that maybe it was my master cylinder, but after driving it for a couple of days, the adjusters have done their job and the brakes feel right. I played with the adjusters before I put the drums back on, and I thought I had them extended as far as possible, but apparently not. Oh well, I’m just glad I don’t have to sink any money into the car. It’s bad enough that it’s got an oil leak and also needs some work on the front struts.
Last weekend, I started having problems with my truck–brakes again. I was stopped along the side of the road at Joe’s Valley, finding a cache, and when I got back in and started up the truck, the ABS warning light and the parking brake light stayed on. The owner’s manual is vague on what that means–it just says to have the brakes inspected by a professional. I’m hoping that the shoes are just worn down enough that the sensors are picking up on it, but who knows? I’ll probably end up removing the wheels and brake drums to check them out pretty soon. Did I mention I hate getting my hands dirty?