Rear Brake Shoes
WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 9 other vehicles, including the 2004 Mazda B4000, 2004 Mazda B3000, 2004 Mazda B2300, 2003 Mazda B4000, and 2003 Mazda B3000. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
NOTE:
Rear brakes are self-adjusting and require manual adjustment only if brake shoes have been replaced.
- Raise and support rear of vehicle. Remove rear wheel assemblies. If drums are installed on vehicle, remove cover from adjusting hole at bottom of brake backing plate. Move the adjustment tool handle upward to tighten the brake adjusting screw. Turn adjusting screw with a brake adjusting tool until shoes drag against brake drum and lock drum.
- When shoes are against drum, move adjusting lever away from adjusting screw with a small screwdriver and loosen adjusting screw 10-12 notches so drum rotates freely. See Fig 1 . If drum does not rotate freely, remove wheel and drum and vacuum dust and dirt from linings. Use sandpaper and remove rust from points where shoes touch backing plate. Apply a light coating of molybdenum grease to brake shoe-to-backing plate contact points. Install wheel and drum, and adjust shoes.
- To adjust brakes with rear drums removed, first clean all rust and dirt on points where shoes touch backing plate and apply a small amount of molybdenum grease to those areas. Using a brake shoe adjustment gauge, measure inside diameter of drum braking surface. See Fig 2 .
- Reverse tool and adjust brake shoes until they touch gauge. See Fig 3 . Gauge contact points on shoes must be parallel to vehicle with center line through center of axle. Hold automatic adjusting lever out of engagement while rotating adjusting screw to prevent burring screw slots. Ensure adjusting screw rotates freely.