The Chevy Cavalier was introduced by General Motors in 1982 as its premiere compact car. Despite a few generational redesigns, the braking system on the Cavalier remained virtually unchanged. The Cavalier features front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. Since the front brakes work three times harder than the rear, they required more service. The rear drum brakes are comprised of many intricate parts and require a level of skill to repair.
Front Disc Brakes
Before servicing the Cavalier brakes, siphon half of the brake fluid from the master cylinder and replace the cap. In order for the new brake parts to fit, the hydraulic piston of the caliper needs to be retracted and this action will reverse the flow of the brake fluid into the master cylinder. A large C-clamp works well and can be placed over the caliper assembly with the pads and caliper intact to the knuckle. Retract the piston before attempting to remove the caliper.
The two caliper mounting bolts and sleeves need to be removed next. Once the caliper is free, support it to the coil spring with a hook or wire. This will prevent damage from occurring to the rubber brake hose. Unseat the outboard pad dowels from the caliper to remove the pad. A common screwdriver can convince the pad off. The inboard pad clips into the center of the caliper piston and can be pulled out of its seated position.
Clean the caliper-to-pads contact points thoroughly to remove corrosion and rust. This includes the caliper mount on the knuckle of the car. Once finished, apply a coating of brake lubricant or anti-seize compound to assist the pads in sliding. This includes the sleeves of the caliper mounting bolts when it comes time to reinstall them.
If replacing the rotor, remove the rotor and clean the hub flange thoroughly with an angled die grinder and a reconditioning disk.
Reinstall the new parts by reversing the procedure.
Always pump the brake pedal until firm after the repairs are complete and before attempting to drive. This will extend the pistons of the caliper to their original position and seat the new pads to the rotors. Check and adjust the level of the brake fluid again in the master cylinder, but only add new brake fluid.
Rear Drum Brakes
Rear drum brakes work by a smaller hydraulic component called a wheel cylinder. The internal pistons on each side of the cylinder extend when demand is placed on the brakes. This pushes the outboard and inboard shoes outward to contact the interior diameter of the drum. Removing the drum can be the first challenge. Tap it convincingly with a hammer to convince it off of the hub flange. In extreme cases, the brake adjustment will need to be taken down to remove the drum.
The shoes are held in place by several springs and clips. In addition, their placement retains the self-adjusting mechanism and integrates the parking brake cable. Because of all the parts involved, it is a good idea to remove both drums, but leave one side intact for a reference before replacing. Special tools such as a set of brake shoe pliers and a brake spring tool will make disengaging the springs easier and safer. The parking brake strut and spring also need to be removed from the parking brake shoe and then reinstalled on the replacement shoe. The self-adjusting mechanism should be taken apart, cleaned and then lubricated along the threads.
It is also recommended to replace the springs and hardware in the rear braking system. For a few dollars more, you can ensure the hardware and springs will apply the proper tension necessary for the rear braking system.
Once the shoes are in place and all the hardware intact, replace the drum and then adjust the shoes outward to contact the drum slightly. There should be a degree of drag on the drum so it cannot rotate a full revolution when spun by hand.
