A note for people with salted roads when doing bearings

[Crazy_pilot]

My car started making some nasty noises from the right rear last week, so today I brought it into the shop to see what happened. It wasn't the typical growling bearing noise, but a squeel/squeak type thing once ever rotation of the wheel. I saw nothing on the rotor, so I took the caliper and rotor off and discovered that one of the pins that hold the parking brake shoe against the backing plate had rusted to the point it broke in half, and the spring, cup, and pin were being pulverised inside the drum.

Solution: Go to dealer, buy all new springs and retaining pins for the parking brakes, both sides. Total cost was $72 for every spring, pin, cup, etc in the parking brakes, plus the caliper bracket bolts (mine were rounded off).

So, anyone who drives on salted roads, I would suggest that any time you get the brakes done you have the condition of the springs/pins/etc in the parking brake checked. When replacing the bearings it all has to come out anyway, so it's a good chance to replace it with all new hardware. When changing drum brakes on a car these springs should be replaced, so they don't normally fail spontaneously, but mine may have been 16 years old, and that many salty winters did them in.

This also applies to people who don't have a cold winter, it doesn't hurt to check, and unless you live in the middle of the desert, water may have gotten in there and rotted the parts.

[SVX92-97]

Thats why I wash my car once a week, sometimes more if the roads are treated. Dont want that salt sitting on the brake parts.