# Some concerns after doing my first rear drum brake shoe replacement. (2007 Corolla)

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-concerns-after-doing-my-first-rear-drum-brake-shoe-replacement-2007-corolla/140012>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [May 9, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-concerns-after-doing-my-first-rear-drum-brake-shoe-replacement-2007-corolla/140012 "2019-05-09T01:51:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 18

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-concerns-after-doing-my-first-rear-drum-brake-shoe-replacement-2007-corolla/140012/18 "2019-05-10T01:48:31Z")

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You aren’t the first person to step on the brake pedal after removing the drum … ask me how I know 😉

Years ago an auto-shop instructor showed me how to replace the shoes on my truck. He told me to remove the drum then he’d show me. He removed all the parts from the backing plate then put it all back on in less than 5 minutes. His “trick” was to assemble both shoes w/the springs while everything was still laying on the garage floor. Then he positioned everything onto the backing plate as a single unit. In other words the _last_ thing he did was attach the spring clips to hold the shoes to the backing plate. This is a bit of a magic act, a juggling act, something I wasn’t able to do with any consistency. When I tried it most of the parts would drop off and land on the floor before I could get the spring clips on. But I think if you want to be a drum brake speed demon mechanic that’s the way it’s done.

I found the link below to be an interesting thread about drum brakes. Won’t be of much value for the OP’s practical problem, but maybe still interesting.

> [@Drum brakes : Braking force multiplied?](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drum-brakes-braking-force-multiplied/130091/30):
>
> What do you think they mean by “outboard side of the adjusting nut”? I can’t decide which is the inboard side, and which is the outboard side. Even if I wanted to do it that way, I’d have no idea what to do.

@COROLLAGUY1 … just curioius, what’s that “Sealey” cylindrical shaped tool used for?

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