My 70 was lucky enough to have 4 wheel drum brakes. At least I bought the Wagner brake shoes for the front, not the cheap Napa Chinese brake shoes like I did for the back. I also swapped the wheel cylinder, passenger front brake hose and cleaned everything and repacked the bearings and new seals, it took hours on just one side! The other side also has a leaky wheel cylinder and like the back the pads were down to the rivets, so just in time. I couldn't see any leaky looking spots in the lines so hopefully it was just both front wheel cylinders leaking, both had leakage and were why my fluid was disappearing. Just my rant, forgot how easy front disk brakes are to service in comparsion. I am shocked that the brake lines loosened without breaking, lucky on that one. I do like the long nuts on the brake lines and trans cooler lines on this old car.

 

Drum brakes are not that bad if you have the right tools.

 

I just bought Wagner riveted brake shoes, new wheel cylinders and rubber brake hoses from Rock Auto delivered for $37 and change. The shoes and hoses were "clearance." The hoses were $.76 a piece, I bought 4 hoses, 3 were correct one was for disc brake. Made in USA, except one hose made it Japan. Oh, I bought a 4 pack of hose frame clips also. These are for the front brakes of a 1972 Cutlass. Pretty good deal.

 

This is good to know if I ever buy something older than 76 haha, I'm sure the drums would be a bugger to get off once the shoes are down to the rivets.
I didn't know ther was bearings needing repacked on the front of a drum brake car, its been a while since I seen them being done.
Wit new wheel cylinders you didn't have to worry about breaking any bleeder screws so that's a plus.
Good thing these parts are cheap now lol.
Let us know how the bleeding process goes.

 

Did you purchase new drums or just having your old ones turned? Many shops here got rid of the old brake lathes and just replace all .
Japan, I didn't know they were in the aftermarket auto parts game as well.
Come on Trump... Get these aftermarket ma 'N' pa shops back into existence with U.S.A tags on things !!!
I hope you picked up a spring kit just for the heck of it LOL.

Eric

 

They drums aren't too bad, reused them, I know not ideal. I plan on buying the disk brake kit that goes on drum spindles. Even up here 2 seals, 2 wheel cylinders, one hose and shoes cost me around $75. As Joe pointed out these drums are part of the hub, so they probably cost more and they were just starting into the rivets. I bought the shoes for the rear wondering why they were so tight, looked and noticed they were wider and for the front after checking the number.

 

If you don't have a shaking in the car or steering wheel when you apply the brakes then your drums are probably fine. If you do then you could take them to an auto parts store (what we do here), have them put them on their brake lathe and cut as little as possible to make them true.

 

[QUOTE=oldcutlass;992653]If you don't have a shaking in the car


I seem to remember when I was 16,17,18 and now 50, depending on my passenger, some shakin' in the car was a good thing while driving. Although the pot holes were a challenge. The drums were on tap in the trunk back then thou.

 

Yeah no shaking at all but did have to adjust them right down to fit the new shoes and still be able to turn them by hand.

 

When you go from worn shoes to new ones the adjusting barrels always have to be turned back in to compensate for the difference in thickness.

 

I know that, I usually don't have to set them back all the way. I do have brake spring pliers but should get nicer shorter hand held tool for the two center coil springs with the twist pins in the center.

 

I did for the NAPA shoes, but not for the Raybestos.