Now I know for most of you out there changing you own brakes, chances are you will not have to do a rear brake job on a GMC Sierra 2500, but if you are lucky enough to try one on your own, I will show you how easy it is and along the way give you some free tips on how to make that rear brake job a snap.

Keep in mind that if you have any questions about this or any other automotive repair that you might be attempting to perform on your own, that you should consult your owners manual or an after market Chiltons or Haynes manual.

After you remove the rear tires, you should see a couple of brake drums that look like they belong on a school bus . Loosen and remove all eight bolts from the axle shaft flange.

Next remove the shaft from the axle tube. Now remember this can only be done on a full-floating axle. For semi-floating and locking differential axles, you must use a different procedure.

You will need a special socket to remove the adjusting nut. It should look like this and can be found at any parts house.

Once you remove the adjusting nut, you will be able to remove the drums.

After you remove the drums, you will have access to the brake shoes. Start by removing the hold down springs.

Remember to only change one side at a time. That way if you forget how the springs go back on, you can use the other side as a reference. Try to lay out your brake hardware on the floor as you take it off. It makes re-assembly much easier.

Its always a good idea to replace the seals in the back of the drums while you have them off. They can be harder to remove then standard seals, so you might want to use a slide hammer to get them out.

With all of the brake hardware out, now is a good time to inspect the wheel cylinder for leaking seals. If they look like they need to be replaced, then now is a good time.A good rule of thumb is to always replace paired items at the same time. We decided to replace both of ours due to one of them leaking.

Most wheel cylinders are held on to the backing plate by two bolts . Don’t forget to use a flare wrench when removing the brake line.

After you replace the wheel cylinders, install all of your brake hardware. Don’t forget to buy a spring kit . That way you can replace all of those old springs while you are in there. Once you are done it should look like this

When replacing brake springs, its always a good idea to invest in brake spring pliers. It makes the job so much easier.

Now check to make sure everything is back they way it should be and complete the other side. After that you can install the drums. Make sure you adjust the adjustment nut to spec by referring to your manual. This is important  so make sure its right.

All that is left is to turn the star adjuster until the drum turns with a little drag. Now you can bleed the system and check for leaks.

Now remember to always consult with your manual while performing this procedure and if you have any questions you can leave me a comment.

If you scroll to the top of the page you will see our latest DVD on brake repair . Its a must for the do-it yourselfer and is packed full of tips and tricks on brake repair. Just click on the image and get your copy today.

Until next time, this is Jeff Williams saying “  Thanks for stopping by “ and if this article has been helpful then please click on the coffee cup icon below and help us keep this site running.  Thanks.   Jeff

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