26 Nov 11 15:49, Mark Hofmann wrote to Roy Witt:   
      
      
      
    RW>> It's quite easy, if you leave one side intact while you work on the   
    RW>> other.   
    RW>>   
    RW>> Remove both drums, but don't touch one set of brakes until you're   
    RW>> satisfied with what you've done to the other side.   
      
    MH> Good idea.  Using the other side as a reference would certainly make   
    MH> putting things back together, easier.   
      
   Just remember that they're opposite sides...study both sides before you   
   do anything else and you'll see what I mean.   
      
    RW>> Just pull a drum and check the thickness of the shoes. If they're   
    RW>> thin in the center of the shoe, they'll need to be replaced sooner   
    RW>> or later, but sooner than later. If you get my drift. With 70k on   
    RW>> the back, they should be OK for now (weight transfer back to front   
    RW>> during braking determines when they will wear out).   
      
    MH> There is no noise on the rear pads yet.  Next time to do some work on   
    MH> the truck, I will pull the drum and take a peek.  It looked rusted,   
    MH> so I'm sure it won't be a simple thing to pull off.   
      
   If they're worn, they could have a groove where the shoes fit the drum and   
   a ridge where they don't. Meaning, there might be a ridge that doesn't   
   allow their removal unless you can find the adjuster wheel and back off   
   the adjustment so the shoes clear the ridge in the drum. I'm no longer   
   familiar with Mopar products, so you're on your own there.   
      
    RW>> Funny how different products wear. My 02 Chevrolet 1/2 ton Silverado   
    RW>> has 72k on it and I was inspecting the front rotors and pads at the   
    RW>> tire store that mounted two fresh tires for me on Wednesday. They   
    RW>> were as good as new, shiney with no grooves in the rotors and still   
    RW>> plenty of material on the original pads.   
      
    MH> On my Monte Carlo, it seems the rotors get warped before the pads get   
    MH> worn out.  At least when you use the cheap China rotors.  Maybe it   
    MH> would be worth getting better rotors next go round.   
      
   That happened to my Z28, early on, maybe at 65k. The factory rotors were   
   notoriously thin and any amount of agressive brake use warped them right   
   now. I'll bet every agressive driver will have experienced that in the 4th   
   generation F-bodies.   
      
   I replaced those with an aftermarket rotor made by GM but sold for   
   $150 less per/pair than the same rotor that was on it. These were also   
   drilled and slotted. I also replaced the old pads with Titanium pads.   
      
   The car now has better brakes than it came with from the factory. Which   
   allows the driver to drive deeper into a curve or corner and brake later,   
   increasing the speed through a road course.   
      
    MH> I did a full brake job on my Monte this past spring.  Using cheap   
    MH> rotors, but top of the line ceramic pads.  I also replaced one of the   
    MH> rear caliper clamps that was corroded and not sliding properly.   
      
   Put new drilled and sloted rotors up front, sand the pads on a flat   
   surface if they have high and low spots in them. You'll be happy with the   
   results.   
      
      
      
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