*new member in need of tech help*

[moonrunner1972]

Good evening fellow Aveo owners. I am the parent of a 2004 Aveo owner that needs a bit of tech help regarding the rear brakes and wheel bearings. This afternoon I discovered that the friction lining on the right rear brake shoes separated. It appears that the wheel cylinder was leaking but I credit the brake problem to the car's limited mileage (33k) from the previous owner. Along with the above mentioned problem, the wheel bearing, that looks like a one-piece unit consisting of an inner and outer cone style bearing separated. The bearings themselves appear to be in fair condition and seem as though a repack with grease and new seals would remedy the situation. Along with the rear brakes (shoes, wheel cylinders, and brake hardware), I plan on replacing the front pads as they were also in need of replacement. The drums and rotors will be measured and replaced/resurfaced as necessary. However, I have a few concerns that I hope someone familiar with these cars can help rectify.


With that, my questions are as follows:


1. Can this wheel bearing be salvaged or should I replace them?

2. How do you remove the wheel bearing assembly from the brake drum? (It appears that a snap ring holds it in place)

3. Can the locking nuts that secure the wheel bearing/drum assembly to the rear spindle be reused?

4. What is the recommended torque value for the above mentioned retaining nut and wheel lug nuts? (the car has the factor aluminum wheels)

As I mentioned earlier, this is my daughter's car and I don't want to sacrifice on parts due to my concerns over her safety. Any assistance or advice is greatly appreciated.

[jimzdat]

1 - Given the reasonably low cost of the parts (of course, that is a relative concept), I would replace everything - I also have a 04, and when I did the rear brakes, it was cheaper and less hassle to just get the new drums that came with the bearings already installed. This assumes you have the one piece drum and hub.
BrakeBest Select Drum/Rotor/Hub 6634DGS - Brake Drum | O'Reilly Auto Parts


2 - See above; I wouldn't bother trying to deal with the bearing itself; especially since it's more expensive than the drum - MasterPro Bearing/Seal 516012 - Wheel Bearing | O'Reilly Auto Parts

3 - I have reused them, but not 100% positive of what the service manual may recommend. I have never encountered a problem with reuse, but not going to say it couldn't happen.

4 - I don't have my service info handy, hopefully someone else has that particular torque spec for the bearing retaining nut. Wheels are typically 80-100 ft lb of torque, not sure if the owner's manual specifies?

[moonrunner1972]

Jimzdat,

Thank you for the wise counsel. I have since ordered the drum assemblies as you recommended and will return the wheel bearings this morning. I had forgotten to ask if the nut that holds the hub on the spindle should be replaced. Thanks again for the help.

[moonrunner1972]

Also, is there a specific procedure for adjusting the rear brakes? Typically, I use a brake caliper that you can adjust to fit the inside diameter of the drum, then flip it over and turn the adjuster until the shoes contact the opposite sides of the caliper. I use this tool whenever I replace the shoes on RWD cars with limited slip/pozi traction axles.

[avguy]

It's standard practice to not reuse the calking nuts, but I did, with no problems that I'm aware of. If the staking sleeves are still solid, you probably can reuse them.

Did you get the hub/drums out of the spindles? If you haven't been able to get them off, and don't have access to a suitable puller, post back and I'll give you a redneck method to get them off.

[moonrunner1972]

Avguy,

Good morning. Thank you for the advice on the caulking nut. They look undamaged and serviceable so I plan on reusing them. As for the hub/drum, I opted to buy the replacement combo from O'Reiley's since they were less expensive than the bearings themselves.

[avguy]

Yes, I understand about the new parts, but was asking if you've been able to remove all of the old factory parts from the spindles?

[moonrunner1972]

Avguy,

I misunderstood your last reply. Yes, I was able to remove the entire hub/drum assembly from the spindle without issue. The spindle appears to be free of any heat marks, scores, or other damage so I hope to proceed with the repairs without delay.