How long should rear drum brakes last-or does it depend?

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I’ve got an '03 Honda Pilot which has drum brakes on the rear. I was recently told by by mechanic that the rear brakes would have to be replaced at the next oil change, or 230,000 miles. Seems reasonable, yet given I replaced these at 178,000 miles, that’s only 52,000 miles on these babies.

The original drum brakes lasted till about 100,000 miles. I do live in a hillier area now–could the differences in braking have an impact on the need to replace more often? I was starting to wonder if my mechanic had a boat payment due…or is this legit??

2

More braking equals more shoe and pad wear. Also, brand of pads and shoes make a difference. OEM usually last longer.

3

If your mechanic says you need new brake shoes, and you don’t believe him, ask to see the current brake shoes. Ask him what the replacement spec is and measure them for yourself. Maybe after doing this (or something similar) a couple times, he will earn your trust. …or better yet, get a second opinion from a mechanic you trust.

You’re asking strangers on the internet if you really need a brake job. How can we possibly tell without inspecting your brakes?

4

100k then 78k then 52k, and you moved to a hillier area? Sounds OK to me, I would want to see them before they replace them (if you know what to look for). Otherwise, if you trust him, I’d just do it.

5
  • it depends -
    You DON’T replace brakes by X miles.
    You LOOK at them measuring the remining thickness.
    If your mechanic did not look at them…he can NOT say you need them soon.
6

There was a period when I did most of my driving on the interstate. I racked up 200,000 miles before having any brake work done.

I agree with all the others – don’t go by mileage. Replace brake pads and shoes only after indicated by an inspection.

One more thought – the shoes ought to have a wear indicator that squeaks when they are approaching replacement time.

7

With todays vehicles, measuring is only reliable way. My wife’s old Prius went 150K before it was wrecked. It was on the original brake pads. I have over 100K on my Prius and still on same set of pads. It depends how the car was driven. I have mostly flat freeways and usually can brake using only the regenerative braking.

It depends on road conditions, driving style and type of vehicle to determine how many miles a set could go.

8

I’ve seen brake wear indicators on pads, but not on shoes.

9

“I do live in a hillier area now–could the differences in braking have an impact on the need to replace more often?”

Absolutely. If you use 'em more, you lose 'em faster.

10
One more thought -- the shoes ought to have a wear indicator that squeaks when they are approaching replacement time.

Pads - Yes. Shoes - NO. With shoes…they are inside the drum. If they did have an wear indicator…you’d never be able to hear the squeak.