How to Change the Brakes & Drums on a 1992 Ford F150

The Ford F-150 was introduced in 1975, and it eventually replaced the F-100. The 1992 Ford F-150 base model was equipped with a 4.9-liter V-6 engine and a two-wheel-drive drivetrain. The 1992 F-150 was available with an upgraded 5.0-liter V-8, or a 5.7-liter V-8 on higher level trim packages. The rear brake shoes on the 1992 F-150 expand via the wheel cylinder, and cause friction against the inside of the brake drum. It is recommended that you replace all of the springs and hardware with the brake shoes and drums on this truck.

Instructions

Loosen the rear lug nuts on the F-150 with a tire iron. Raise the rear of the truck with a jack, and set jack stands beneath both ends of the axle housing -- the farther you set the jack stands apart, the greater your truck's stability will be for this project. Lower the truck onto the jack stands. Remove the lug nuts completely from both rear wheels, then remove the rear wheels from the truck. You can set he wheels flat near your work area for a makeshift seat, if you prefer.

Remove the rubber cap from the bottom-inboard side of one of the brake-backing plates, using a flat-head screwdriver. Insert the screwdriver into the uncovered slot in the backing plate. Push the star wheel adjuster downward to back the brake shoes off from the inside of the drum.

Remove the three retaining nuts from the brake drum with a ratchet and socket. Remove the brake drum from the truck and set it out of your work area.

Remove the brake hold-down spring caps with the cylindrical brake tool. Remove the hold-down springs from the brake shoes. Remove the hold-down pins from behind the backing plate. Remove the two upper shoe-to-anchor pin springs with a brake-spring tool. Remove the springs completely from the brake assembly. Remove the bottom adjuster-lever spring in the same manner.

Remove the self-adjuster cable from the adjuster lever and then from the anchor pin, by hand. Remove the parking brake and adjuster lever simultaneously, by twisting the parking brake lever off the parking brake cable. Remove the brake shoes from the truck.

Install the brake shoe with the shorter lining into the position, facing the front of the truck. Install a new hold-down pin from behind the backing plate and hold it in place with your finger. Install a new hold-down spring over the pin and onto the outboard face of the shoe. Install a new hold-down cap over the spring, then rotate it 90 degrees onto the hold-down pin with the cylindrical brake tool.

Remove the parking brake lever from the inboard side of the old brake shoe. Insert a new guide pin into the upper inboard side of the new rear-facing brake shoe. Use a hammer to gently tap the pin in place, if needed. Install the parking-brake lever onto the pin.

Install the rear brake shoe and parking-brake lever onto the parking brake cable, by twisting it onto the hook at the end of the cable -- the cable should sit on the inboard side of the shoe, near the backing plate. Install a new hold-down pin through the rear of the backing plate. Install a hold-down spring over the pin and onto the face of the shoe. Install a hold-down clip, then turn it 90 degrees to lock it onto the hold-down pin.

Attach the adjuster lever onto the lower end of the parking-brake lever. Insert the adjuster cable from the adjuster lever to the anchor pin by hand. Install the self-adjuster spring with a brake spring tool. Align the tops of both brake shoes with the slots in the wheel cylinder pistons, by hand.

Insert the star wheel adjuster, with the star wheel offset to the rear of the truck. Push the pins on the ends of the adjuster wheel onto the recessed grooves in the bottom of both shoes -- the adjuster spring will hold this assembly in place while you install the rest of the rear brakes. Install the upper brake shoe-to-anchor pin springs with the brake spring tool.

Repeat Steps 2 through 10 to replace the brake shoes on the second side of the truck. Adjust both star wheels completely inward while the drums are not on the truck, using the flat-head screwdriver.

Install the new brake drums onto the rear of the truck. Tighten all of the mounting nuts to 25 foot-pounds, using a 1/2-inch drive torque wrench and socket. Adjust the star wheels from the slots in the back of both backing plates. Turn the wheel from behind to lock the shoes against the new drums.

Insert the rear wheels onto the truck and snug the lug nuts with the tire iron. Spin each rear wheel separately. The wheel should spin exactly 1 to 1-1/2 rotations if the brakes are adjusted right. Loosen the brakes with the star wheel if the wheel does not make a complete rotation. Tighten the brakes if the wheel makes two or more complete rotations. Repeat this step on both sides of the truck until the brakes are properly adjusted. Insert the rubber caps into the both backing plates.

Raise the rear of the truck off of the jack stands, then remove the stands from beneath the truck. Lower the truck to the ground and immediately tighten the rear lug nuts to 120 foot-pounds, using the 1/2-inch torque wrench and a socket.