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Rear Brake Drum Pads How To?

22410 Views 19 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Tennessee
I am looking to replace my Rear Drum pads tonight. I just bought the Foreman and I have never replaced drums before. I have always had racing 4-wheelers that had discs all the way around.

What I am experiencing is that when I step on the brake pedal or pull the left lever, they go all the way down and never return. I have cranked up the adjustments on the outside of the drum and it did nothing. I have new drum pads and I am ready to get started.

My question is what to do next. Does anyone have a how to for this? How about some instruction. I don't want to mess anything up worse than it already is.

Thanks in advance for your help!
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i don't know where to start with brakes...

i have a similar problem, when i use the rear brakes they don't stop, but if i turn the adjustment a little, they are on all the time...

i should just change them too, but like you, i haven't messed with drums either...
Start out by removing the right rear wheel,remove tin brake shield,remove cotter pin and axle nut then you can slide off the rear drum.The shoes are held on by springs just remove them and then re-install in the reverse order.While you have the drum off,clean it out real good,use sand paper on the inside if necessary then grease the rubber lip seal before re-instaling.I hope this isn't confusing,i didn't intend it to be but once you get started into it I think you'll be able to figure it out.
Oh yeah,one more thing,I've ran into this alot on Honda's.The foot brake lever seizes on the pivot shaft,remove the foot lever from the pivot clean it up really good the apply never seize compound before putting it back on.
Do you also pull the hub after pulling off the nut?
QUOTE ("bobbybog":8g07gfmq)
I am looking to replace my Rear Drum pads tonight. I just bought the Foreman and I have never replaced drums before. I have always had racing 4-wheelers that had discs all the way around.

What I am experiencing is that when I step on the brake pedal or pull the left lever, they go all the way down and never return. I have cranked up the adjustments on the outside of the drum and it did nothing. I have new drum pads and I am ready to get started.

My question is what to do next. Does anyone have a how to for this? How about some instruction. I don't want to mess anything up worse than it already is.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Do the brakes work when you apply them? Worn shoes should not keep the levers from returning when you release them. Check the handbrake and footbrake cables to make sure they are moving freely. Also make sure the brake lever on the rear drum is free. Make sure all these parts are operating smoothly and levers return to proper position before you tackle the shoes.[/url]
The pedal and lever do not return at all. I turned the adjustments all the way clockwise on the outside of the drum. One problem I have is that I am having trouble turning them back to bring them back out. Any ideas?
Try moving the brake arm behind the rear wheel to see if it moves freely back and forth. This arm should move forward easily causing the brake cam to move the shoes closer to the drum. It should spring back towards the rear when you let go allowing the shoes to move away from the drum. If this cam is not moving freely it will have to be cleaned or freed up. If this arm is free but the levers don't return, the problem is your brake cables. They will need to be freed up and lubed or replaced.
If you have the adjusters turned all the way clockwise you have the brakes engaged and there will not be enough movement in the cable for the levers to return. Back the adjusters all the way off and check the arm for free movement.
I replaced mine last week it was real easy,,once you get into you will figure it out.It took me about an hour.
I got a whole different problem now. I never even got the wheel off. I have 1 lug nut that when you turn it the entire stud turns. The stud is completely loose and it will slide back and forth. There isn't enough room to get behind the wheel and cut it off or anything. I worked and worked trying to get it off.

Here is what I have done:

1. After trying and trying, then taking a break so I didn't just rip the stupid wheel off, I ended up trying to split the nut.

2. I split the nut and have it split almost all the way through, but I can't get it to budge anymore. I broke 3 screwdrivers trying to split the thing.

3. I heated the nut until it was cherry thinking that this would allow me to bust it easier. No luck.

4. I then figured I would just take off the castle nut and remove the whole hub. Two problems with that, one is that I can't seem to get the cotter pin out due to the small space in the ITP wheel, second problem is that I don't have a socket to fit the nut anyway. What size is the nut?

Can someone please help before I really break something?
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Cut the lug nut away from the stud with a mini grinder or split it with a proper cold chisel, not a screwdriver.
I will try that, what about the nut size?
Sorry can't remember the size.
i think the nut size is a 30 or 33 mm.

i had the same problem, just use a dremel tool or something and cut the nut off...

we got the wheel off an then layed it upside down and cut the part off the backside...and pushed it through.

a new hub part with the lugs and lug nuts was about $100 at the honda place. they had to order it b/c they don't keep anything for the foreman 500's in...idiots...

easy to put back on though...
Does anyone know for sure what size the nut is? I am going to have to go rent a tool from Autozone I guess. I don't have one big enough.
Somebody must know what size the nut is on the hub???
Anyone??????
I used an adjustable wrench on mine. You can do the same if you get the wheel off. Thats why I don't know the size. Tried to check it for you thru the wheel center but I don't even have an open end wrench that size and it doesn't even state the size in the service manual.
Thanks for checking for me. The problem is that I can't get the wheel off yet due to the lug nut problems I am having. I am going to try to take off the entire hub and just cut off the stud from the back side. I have ITP chrome wheels and the nut is pretty far sunk in the wheel, so an adjustable wrench is not going to get it for me.
Just measured the nut on mine at 30mm with a slide caliper. Mine is a 95 400 so I'm not 100% sure if yours is the same. I'm sure if you called a local dealer's service dept they would tell you the correct size.
I replaced by shoes this past weekend with some upgraded ones that are slotted for more wet riding conditions. I feel like such an idiot. My rear brakes have been crap for a couple of rides. I figured I must be riding the foot brake and just wearing them out. However, once I starting taking the hub off I realized it was full of mud and water. This thing was sealed good too? I guess when you are in mud 2-3 foot deep full bore things find a way in, it just can't find a way out. I tried to figure a way to correct this. Here is where the inner idiot came to be, I realized at the base of the inner oustide plate there is a drain bolt! I guess I should have read my manual a little better. New brakes are on and work great, and I drained the chamber after each ride now if I have been some deep stuff.
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