Rear Brake Replacement Problem

[seatbeltpads]

Hey guys, Yesterday I replace the shoes and drums in the back of my '04 Aveo. I even put new hardware (Springs) for the shoes. I did everything exactly the way it was and now for some reason my pedal is way low, very soft. Almost doesn't want to stop and the hand brake now comes all the way up and doesn't even hold the car.???

I've adjusted the screw on the hand brake but no go....?? Any suggestions, I'm afraid of driving that damn thing now after having a close call after I test drove it!

[rodo]

Hey guys, Yesterday I replace the shoes and drums in the back of my '04 Aveo. I even put new hardware (Springs) for the shoes. I did everything exactly the way it was and now for some reason my pedal is way low, very soft. Almost doesn't want to stop and the hand brake now comes all the way up and doesn't even hold the car.???

Sounds like the auto-adjuster has not taken up the slack from the new install. Have someone listen for the adjusters clicking while you push down on the brake peddle. If they are clicking, keep pumping the brakes until it stops. May be many times if you installed them loose. If they are not clicking, you'll have to open it up to see why the auto-adjuster is not engaging - don't know if they'll work if there is too most slack to begin with.

This assumes you didn't open up the hydraulics, you'll probably also need to bleed the system if you did that.

[seatbeltpads]

Sounds like the auto-adjuster has not taken up the slack from the new install. Have someone listen for the adjusters clicking while you push down on the brake peddle. If they are clicking, keep pumping the brakes until it stops. May be many times if you installed them loose. If they are not clicking, you'll have to open it up to see why the auto-adjuster is not engaging - don't know if they'll work if there is too most slack to begin with.

This assumes you didn't open up the hydraulics, you'll probably also need to bleed the system if you did that.

No, we didn't touch the hydraulics, so no need to bleed. But your probably right about the adjusters not wanting to adjust. I'll have someone come over tomorrow and give me a hand, see if it can do better.

I know if I have the hand brake on all the way up and touch the brake pedal. It's pretty damn high and stops on a dime. But lower the hand brake and nada........ nothing. The pedal is soft and low again.

[petrified.rabbit]

there are a few ways you are supposed to adjust brake adjusters, and for some reason i think in the aveo you need to drive backwards and the press the brake pedal firmly (within reason) to come to a stop from a decent speed. the other is typically applying the ebrake several times to pump up the system.

[rodo]

there are a few ways you are supposed to adjust brake adjusters, and for some reason i think in the aveo you need to drive backwards and the press the brake pedal firmly (within reason) to come to a stop from a decent speed. the other is typically applying the ebrake several times to pump up the system.

Yeah, I've had cars that ran the auto-adjusters off of the ebrake, but the 2004 Aveo is not one of them. The manual I have also doesn't say anything about needing to move the car in either direction, just have to pump the brake pedal and listen for adjusters:

If the clicking sound of the adjuster assembly is not audible from either brake drum, the clearance between the brake shoes and drum is adjusted.

The other requirement is that the brakes be preadjusted so that there is a slight drag when the drums are reinstalled - this is pretty typical. Some self-adjusters need resistance between the shoes and drum to operate; don't know if that is the case on the Aveo. If they're clicking, you can probably tighten them just by pumping the brakes, though it may take a lot of times. If they're not clicking, you'll have to preadjust to get them working.