tools needed for brake shoes replacement?

i got the tool used to remove the hold-down springs, cuz someone told me these are a must.

do you recommend getting a tool to remove those longer upper and lower springs? they look like they would be difficult to remove just using a needle nose plier.

Maybe it's just Studebaker drum brakes... but... I never use the tool anymore. After watching me fight with the right tool and those stupid return springs and listening to me cuss and not really get anywhere...
an older and more experienced friend showed me how to do it with a long, small (narrow) flat blade screwdriver. I can now put those return springs on in about 5 seconds each. Just hook the spring on the shoe, set the screwdriver blade on the anchor pin, hook the spring on the screwdriver shaft, and pry. Spring slides down shaft onto anchor pin.
Oh so easy and I wish I could take credit for this one myself!

That's what I *used* to do before someone showed be the "right" tool way back when... I'm not sure which is easier, honest, but I like the screwdriver method best.

Which reminds me, I have some backing plates to paint and assemble...
(long story... adding LSD to my '62, so of course the entire rear end has to be detailed before I swap it in... even though the one under there isn't... I figure if I detail everything I work on sooner or later I'll have a nice looking car <G>

Just a food for thought. I was on Autozone.com the other day looking up things and came across "free tool rental". From what I understand, you can go into your local autozone, pay a refundable deposit and rent the specialized tools for free.

That's what I did too. I've also just taken visegrips and clamped them on the straight part of the return spring and then just used the visegrips as a handle and pulled the spring over the anchor. Have taken them off that way too. I finally broke down and both the
"right" tools last year and while they do make it a little easier they don't always work and sometimes slip off.

i own all of the special drum brake tools, but i only ever use my 10" linemans pliers. they replace all of the others. going on 15 years i still grab them first.

"Tim Blanchard" wrote

Yes, I would second this. The hold down springs can easily be removed with a standard pair of pliers....but the return springs can be a real bitch unless you happen to be quite strong. I know that there are tools available that combine both tools in one.
You might want to have a look around at an automotive parts store.

Approximately 8/30/03 11:32, Martin Lynch uttered for posterity:

A set of brake pliers can turn a very frustrating and finger whacking job into a breeze. Not that expensive, if you do drum brakes a lot, your sanity will thank you.

In my experience the tool to remover the hold-down springs is nice to have, it speeds things up, but is far from being a must. The tool to remove the return springs *is* a must though, both for removal and installation.

And I'll third it. Hold-down springs can often (at least in my experience) be dealt with using nothing but bare hands. A pair of pliers makes it easier, but they're definitely not *REQUIRED*. Without the return spring pliers, though, doing drum brakes is a severe pain in the ass. (among other places) For 10 bucks (or less) you can get 'em, and they'll save you endless pain and suffering. Trust me... there's
*PLENTY* of pain and suffering involved in *ALMOST* getting that return spring back on the peg, only to have it pop off and take a sizable chunk of your thumb with it. Never mind that fresh blood is a surprisingly effective lubricant that makes it rather difficult to get a hold on said spring for another attempt. How would I know this? Well, some people call it "experience"...