[tidyupthegarage]

Have a 2007 silverado and rear brakes wore out before front brakes. What tools are needed to do the rear brakes myself. If you can tell me a part number of a Snap on tool, i can look that up because i have the catalog to view.
I can look up mac and matco too

Thank You for the time

 

[Als09Sierra]

Welcome to the site. I don't know if you need any special tools, but someone else will be better able to answer your question. Any idea how you wore out your rear brakes first?

 

[dsfloyd]

Ive never really done rear brakes with special tools. usually use a screwdriver instead of a brake spoon for the adjustment. drum brakes do need to be adjusted afterwards. a pair of vice grips or pliers to grab the springs for removal and installation. A photographic memory (or digital picture) so you make sure to put it all back correctly. on some vehicles (and I beleive this is one, sorry both my last two trucks had disc rear) there are two different size shoes (pad surface) and is very important that they are istalled correctly. rear brake shoes can be a pain because of all the peices and springs. Just make sure to keep track of everything. if you are fairly mechanical they really arent bad, can just give you fits every now and then. I know the rear shoes on my saturn I just did had me cussing cuz they werent cooperating and Ive done a lot of them. grab a can or two of brake clean as well.

 

[clgoch187]

disc or drums?

 

[dsfloyd]

I beleive chevy went back to drum rear after 2004. but if they are disc thats way easier.

 

[tidyupthegarage]

Drum Brakes, i am doing them monday

 

[MrShorty]

Years ago, I bought a brake tool set from Harbor Freight (http://www.harborfreight.com/7-piece-brake-tool-set-188.html) which I think was pretty useful. In particular, I've found the brake spring tool (bottom item in the picture) useful for removing/replacing the main springs.

 

[adam0285]

Drum Brakes are the devil! Now that I got that off my chest, I changed the drum brakes on my '07 Silverado last weekend. It is impossible to confuse which shoe goes on which side of the brake because one of them has a spring that the parking brake cable has to go through for it to function. That is also the worst part of putting the brakes back together, getting the end of the parking brake cable into the notch in the end of the spring. The problem i was having was the cable would work itself back up into the parking brake tube that comes into the back of the drum. I ended clamping a pair of vice grips on the cable to keep it from sliding around and that made it much easier. That being said I am probably going to be converting the rear to disc brakes rather than change another set of drums on my truck.

 

[alabamaxrebel]

DO ONE SHOE AT A TIME! The retaining spring will be a b*tch to get back together if you take the whole assembly apart. Learned that the hard way. Took myself and my cousing(certified mechanic) and hour to do the side we took the whole thing apart on and 15 minutes to do the other side where we left the spring n one shoe and replaced one at a time. Nice little trick. Helps to have two people to keep everything lined up as well. Good luck!

 

[Kraziken]

Guess I've always thought doing the job with the right tools makes life easier.

I believe I bought this spring plier.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00945494000P?prdNo=22&blockNo=22&blockType=G22

And this tool.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SP100A1798S170332725P?prdNo=8&blockNo=83&blockType=G83

 

[dedmon27]

I like working on rear drums. I will admit it took me about 4 hours my first time. Believe it or not it was on a Limo about 12 years ago. The more you do the easier they get. Just remember keep the other side together, it is a mirror image, everything is backwards. Also the shoe with the most friction material goes to the rear of

the truck. Always check your emergency brake cables, if one hangs up on you it will toast your brakes. If you have access to a compressor, an orbital disc sander with about a 5 in disc, use it to get rid of that rust ring near the outside of the inside of your drum. (Here in Ohio we have rust everywhere, you might not). This will

help you slide your drum on when your done, and make it easier to adjust up. When adjusting I adjust till there is very very light drag. The only tools I would recommend to make your life easier would be a hold down tool (screw driver handle with round opening at end), and a spring tool (almost shaped like an s). Hope this helps.