How to Replace Brake Shoes on the 2003 Corolla

You need to take special care if you try to replace your Toyota Corolla's brake shoes. The shoes are part of a drum assembly that uses multiple springs with levers and an adjuster system to control the shoes. You need to replace the shoes on both rear wheels together to make sure the rear wheels and brakes maintain their balance. This is a process similar to changing brake shoes on many other vehicles.

Instructions

Block the car at the front end using blocks or chocks on the front wheels, then release the parking brake, raise the rear end onto jack stands and remove the rear wheels.

Mark the brake drum's relationship to the hub using paint, chalk or a marker and then slide the drum off the hub.

Spray-clean the entire brake assembly using brake cleaner. Have a pan ready to catch all residue and carefully dispose of it as per your local ordinances.

Unhook the first adjuster spring at the top of the assembly from the adjuster lever, gripping the long, hooked end with pliers, and disconnect it. Remove the lever from the rear shoe using the same pliers.

Disconnect and remove the lower spring from both shoes using the pliers.

Press down on the shoe retainer springs, turn each one 90 degrees and release it using the pliers to disconnect each spring from its shoe.

Pull the front shoe out of its slot in the adjuster mechanism up top and twist the spring end free of the shoe. Remove the second upper spring -- the outer spring -- from the shoe.

Remove the rear shoe and the backing plate. Disconnect the parking brake lever from the shoe by prying off the clip with your pliers.

Connect the parking brake lever to the stud on the new rear brake shoe and clip it in place, clamping a new C-washer with your pliers.

Lubricate the six oval-shaped contact points on the backing plate with small dabs of high-temperature grease.

Position the rear shoe on the plate, guide its hold-down spring into the hole on the shoe and connect the hold-down cup over the spring with the pliers.

Lubricate the adjuster screw's moving parts lightly with the grease and connect the adjuster to the rear shoe on its slot. Hook the long end of the inner return spring to the top of the shoe.

Guide the spring's other end into the front shoe with the pliers and then line up the front shoe's top end with the piston slot in the adjuster cylinder. Connect the front shoe's hold-down spring.

Connect the adjuster lever and connect the outer return spring to the front shoe and adjuster lever with the pliers.

Connect the lower spring to both shoes.

Slide the brake drum back onto the hub, lining up the marks you made earlier.