How to Replace the Rear Brake Shoes on a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado

The procedure for removing and replacing the brake shoes on your 2005 Chevy Silverado truck depends on whether you have a 1500 model or a larger truck model. The Silverado 1500 uses different types of brake shoes from most other vehicles--it uses a singular, circular shoe that wraps around the brake actuator on each wheel. Larger trucks use a more standard form of brake shoes. In any case, you need to replace the brake shoes for both rear wheels at the same time.

Instructions

Raise the truck's rear end and support it on jack stands. Remove both rear wheels, but prepare to work on one brake assembly at a time.

Remove the brake caliper mounting bolts with a wrench (grip the slide pins with a second open-end wrench to keep them from sliding) and lift the caliper off. Unbolt and remove the mounting bracket and then slide the disc off the hub.

Remove the screw and clip, located near the bottom of the brake shoe, using a screwdriver.

Lift one of the brake shoe's top ends over the axle flange and wind the shoe around and off the flange.

Turn the adjuster screw at the top of the assembly with a screwdriver until the adjuster screw's slots and tappet are parallel with the backing plate.

Insert one end of the replacement shoes into one slot and tappet of the adjuster screw. Wrap the shoe over the axle flange to install it, then fit the shoe's other end on the adjuster screw.

Turn the adjuster screw until the brake lining begins to drag over the braking surface. Remove the disc and turn the screw in the other direction until the shoes don't drag any more.

Slide the brake disc back onto the hub and reconnect the caliper mounting bracket and caliper with their bolts. Reconnect the wheels and lower the truck after changing the shoes for both brakes.

Raise the truck and remove the wheels, caliper and brake disc, as described in Section 1.

Push down on the brake shoe's hold-down clip with a flat-head screwdriver, and turn the clip 90 degrees to remove it.

Unhook the return springs from the top and bottom ends of each shoe using needle-nose pliers, then remove the shoes from the backing plate.

Install the replacement brake shoes onto the backing plate and connect the return springs with the pliers, followed by the hold-down clips.

Adjust the shoes with the adjuster screw, as described above.

Reconnect the brake disc, mounting bracket, brake caliper and wheels and then lower the truck.