How To Change Rear Brake Pads On 2003 Harley Softail

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One of the most important rubber features of a car is its power to stop. Replacing the rear restriction shoes on a car will ensure that the brakes are in good working order and ready to role properly in the event of an emergency. You can learn how to change rear brake shoes in a professional manner to save yourself money and to help you understand your car better. Even a novice can learn to change brake shoes, provided they have the right tools.

1
Jack the vehicle up and remove the bicycle. Park the vehicle on a house, level surface. Utilize a tire atomic number 26 or the advisable socket to loosen the lug nuts on the first rear wheel, and so slide a jack below i of the vehicle'due south rear designated jack points to elevator the vehicle upwards.^[1]
- Always use jack stands when working on a jacked up vehicle.
- Unscrew the lug nuts and remove the wheel.
- Refer to your vehicle owner's manual if you lot need aid locating the designated jack points.
2
Remove the grit cap with a screwdriver. With the wheel removed, y'all will exist able to run into the outside of the brake drum directly behind where the bicycle used to exist. The center of the circular restriction drum is a removable dust cap. Slide a flat head screw driver into the gap beneath the dust cap and pry information technology toward you to remove it.^[2]
- The dust cap may have rusted in place or could be stuck due to brake dust and road grime.
- If the cap doesn't come up off easily, spray it with rust remover like WD40 and allow it to sit for a minute earlier trying again.
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iii
Use a ratchet to unscrew the beam bearing nut. Below the grit embrace, you'll notice the beam begetting nut. This large nut is commonly a 22 or 24 millimeter metric socket, or a 7/eight" standard socket. Utilise a billow bar or half inch drive ratchet to turn the nut counterclockwise in social club to remove it.^[3]
- A traditional 3/8-inch drive socket wrench may non permit you to put plenty force per unit area on the nut to break it loose.
- Set the nut bated someplace condom for use when reinstalling the drum.
four
Twist the drum as y'all pull it backward to remove it. With the axle nut removed, the drum will no longer be held in place, simply may still be stuck on due to rust or crud. Twist the drum slightly as you remove it to break it free from any rust.^[4]
- The drum may be extremely difficult to remove.
5
Spray the drum with rust remover if it's stuck. Rust removers like WD40 can help loosen the grip created by rust on your vehicle'south drums. Spray information technology around the exterior circumference of the pulsate where it meets the vehicle and give information technology a few minutes to prepare in. Then attempt to remove the drum again. ^[5]
- Y'all may bang on the drum with a condom mallet to help loosen it up.
- Do not strike the pulsate with a hammer, as it may damage it.
- If you are replacing the drum as well, information technology doesn't matter if you impairment it.
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i
Use pliers to remove the primary restriction shoe springs. The principal brake shoe springs are the large springs located beneath the drum one time you remove it. Some vehicles will take one spring for each brake pad, while others may have two. All of the springs will need to be disconnected to relieve the tension and allow you lot to remove the pads.^[6]
- Yous may exist able to remove the springs with your fingers, only it could pinch or injure you.
- Endeavour not to bend the springs out of shape, as you will reuse them when installing the new brake pads.
2
Pull out the brake shoe clips. Use the same needle olfactory organ pliers to remove the clips that hold the brake shoe in place. At that place should be 2 clips within the restriction organization that demand to be removed prior to removing the pads themselves.^[seven]
- Brand certain to set the clips aside someplace safe for reuse when installing the new brake pads.
- If the clips are damaged, you lot tin often purchase replacement ones at your local automobile parts store.
3
Remove the parking brake cable. The parking restriction cable will be much easier to remove after the spring tension has been relieved. In some applications, it may be easier to remove the parking brake cable after you've pulled the brake shoe set away from the backing plate.^[8]
- If you tin't make up one's mind how to remove the parking brake cablevision easily, refer to the service transmission for your specific vehicle for further guidance.
4
Pull the brake shoe set free from the bankroll plate. Grip the brake pads on either side and pull them straight toward you to split them from the bankroll plate. The springs will come with the brake shoe gear up, but the parking restriction cable should remain with the vehicle.^[9]
- Once the restriction shoe set take been removed from the backing plate, you lot tin begin replacing the pads.
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1
Place the new brake set next to the old i. Lay out the new brake pad set on a tabular array, then place the brake shoe set y'all just removed from the vehicle downwards on the table side by side to it. Be sure there are no other parts on the tabular array that tin become mixed up with the components as you transfer them from the one-time fix to the new ane.^[10]
- Compare the two sets of brake pads. Aside from the wear on the old ones, the ii sets should be identical.
2
Swap components onto the new fix. Starting with the springs, remove the components on the brake shoe set you pulled from your vehicle and place them on the new brake pads until the new pads are ready to be installed dorsum into the vehicle.^[11]
- The number of springs and hardware you transfer may vary from vehicle to vehicle.
- Refer to the service transmission specific to your vehicle for farther guidance.
3
Reset the parking brake adjuster. The parking restriction adjuster will need to be transferred forth with the springs as you transfer the hardware from the sometime brake gear up to the new 1. Push button the adjuster cycle abroad from the pin as you install it onto the new brakes.^[12]
- You may also wind the threads inwards to make the adjuster as short as possible before installing information technology if it does not have a pin.
- The adjuster is designed to self-arrange for your parking brake once installed.
4
Hold the brake spring away from the end of the cablevision. Use a pair of pliers or dikes to pull the parking brake leap away from the cease of the cable. This will go out the end of the cable exposed to make it easier to install it back onto the brake assembly.^[13]
- If y'all are doing this task yourself, you may want to employ locking pliers to hold the spring back from the end to make it easier to install.
5
Place the shoe set against the backing plate and secure it. Press the brake shoe fix with the new brake pads up against the backing plate, then reinstall the brake shoe clips you removed previously to hold the brake prepare in place.^[14]
- Some drum brake sets will come with replacement clips in the effect you damaged the old ones.
half-dozen
Connect the return springs. Reconnect the brake springs you disconnected in club to remove the former brakes. Use a pair of pliers to ensure yous don't pinch or hurt yourself in the procedure. If the springs get also bent or damaged in the procedure, they will take to be replaced.^[15]
- Be careful not to overstretch the ends of the jump. If you exercise, yous may be able to bend it dorsum into place using the pliers, just if not, they will need to exist replaced.
- Yous tin buy replacement springs at your local auto parts store.
- Reconnect the parking brake cable besides.
7
Install the new drum. Remove the new drum from the packaging and compare it to the old drum to ensure they have the same diameter. Identify the new drum over the brake shoe fix and spiral the axle nut on to hold information technology in place.^[16]
- A new drum is required to allow the brakes to seat properly onto the new braking surface.
- Replace the dust cover, so mountain the bicycle back on the vehicle and repeat the process on the other bicycle.
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Question

How do I loosen the pulsate shape cover?

Afterwards you take off the tire, in that location will be two holes. You can get a couple of bolts and twist them and it will take the drum cover off.
Question

How practice I change a rear brake shoe if I tightened the brakes too much?

Are you sure you have the parking brake off? The adjuster can sometimes be an outcome. Just turn it the other way to loosen, on those cars and so equipped. It might be a bad brake cylinder getting stuck.

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Article Summary X

If your brakes are squealing or aren't working as effectively, information technology'southward time to change your rear brake shoes. In order to do so, you need to remove the brake drums so y'all can pull out the former brake pads and replace them with new ones. First by jacking up the vehicle and removing the wheel to access the brake pulsate behind it. You tin can so use a ratchet to remove the axle bearing nut and pull off the brake pulsate. Then, pull off the restriction shoe springs, clips, and cable and then y'all can pull off the old brake shoes. Slide the new brake shoes into place and reconnect all of the springs, clips, and cables and then y'all tin replace the drum and beam. Terminate the job by putting the tire back on. For tips about how to loosen a stuck brake drum, continue reading!

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