The Ford Motor Company introduced the first Taurus in 1986. By 2006, the Ford Taurus camp equipped with the option of two versions of the 3.0-liter V-6 engine. The 2006 Ford Taurus came standard with front ventilated disc brakes and rear drum brakes. Replacing the rear brake shoes on the 2006 Taurus can be challenging, and requires someone with prior mechanical experience. When replacing the brake shoes on the 2006 Taurus, replace all of the hardware associated with the rear drum brakes to ensure optimum operation and performance.
Instructions
- Ensure the vehicle is in park and then loosen the rear wheel nuts with a tire iron. Raise the rear of the Taurus with a jack. Place jack stands beneath both ends of the rear axle beam. Leave yourself enough room to access the backing plate behind the rear wheels. Lower the car onto the jack stands. Remove the rear wheel nuts and remove the rear wheels from the Taurus.
- Remove the rubber plug from the backing plate on one side of the Taurus. Insert a flat-head screwdriver. Set the tip of the screwdriver against the self adjust wheel inside the drum assembly. Push the "star" shaped adjuster downward to back the brake shoes inward, away from the brake drums. Tap the brake drum sides toward the front of the car and toward the rear of the car with a hammer.
- Remove the old brake drum and set it with its opening downward, in order to dump all of the rust and brake dust out. Remove the parking brake cable from the parking brake lever, at the bottom of the brake assembly. Use a flat-head screwdriver to pull the parking brake lever up and outward from the brake assembly. Twist the lever to remove it from the cable.
- Remove the two hold-down spring at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, in the middle of the brake shoe supports. Use a circular brake spring remover to pull both springs. Remove the retractor spring from between the two shoes, using a brake spring hook toward the bottom of the brake assembly. Remove the retractor spring from between the two brake shoes at the top of the brake assembly, using the same tool.
- Slide the brake shoes outward, away from the center of the brake assembly. Remove the self-adjuster wheel assembly from between the shoes, just behind the wheel hub assembly. Remove both rear brake shoes from the vehicle. Remove the spring retainer pin from the forward brake shoe, using a hammer and screwdriver to punch the pin out.
- Remove the parking-brake lever pin from the other brake shoe with a pair of pliers. Pull the horseshoe pin from the brake shoe and discard it. Remove the pin from the brake shoe. Remove both brake shoes from the Taurus and throw them out.
- Visually inspect the wheel cylinder at the top of the remaining brake assembly. If there is any moisture on or around the cylinder, this may indicate bad seals. Replace the wheel cylinders as needed.
- Install the parking brake lever and pin into the new brake shoe. The brake shoes come four to a box. The two shorter shoes face the front of the vehicle, while the longer shoes face the rear. Insert a new horseshoe clip to lock the parking brake lever on the new shoe. Attach the parking brake cable to the rear facing brake shoe, once you have installed the lever onto the shoe.
- Install the new brake shoes one at a time and insert new hold-down springs and pins. Use the circular brake spring tool to twist the spring end caps so they lock the hold-down pins in place. Turn one end of the self-adjuster wheel so that the adjuster assembly contracts to a smaller size, in order to allow room to install the drums on the new brake shoes. Install the self-adjuster in between the mounted shoes, with the wider slot facing the front of the car.
- Install the brake tension springs between the upper and lower ends of the new brake shoes, using a brake spring tool.
- Stretch the tape measure straight across the opening of the brake drum. If the brake drum opening is larger than 8 and 15/16-inches, discard the drums and replace them. Install the drums over the new brake shoes. Make adjustments in the rear of the brake assembly, using the self-adjuster hole in the backing plate. Turn the self-adjuster until you can no longer turn the brake drum by hand.
- Install the wheel on the car where you just completed the brake shoe replacement. Install the lug nuts snug with a tire iron. Turn the wheel by hand. If the wheel turns around one full rotation and stops, the brakes are adjusted properly. If the wheel turns more than once, the brakes need tightening. If the wheel turns less than once, the brakes need loosening. Repeat the step until you have properly adjusted the brake assembly on the first side of the car.
- Repeat Steps 2 through 12 to complete the brake shoe replacement on the second side of the Taurus. Enter the car and pump the brake pedal five to ten times to complete the seating of the brake shoes against the drums. Install both rubber stoppers back into the backing plates on the rear of the car.
- Raise the Taurus off the jack stands, and lower the car to the ground. Tighten the rear wheel lug nuts to 95-foot-pounds of torque, using a 1/2-inch drive torque wrench and wheel nut socket.
