Brake shoe break-in procedure?

The basic rule for new brakes is 'go easy on them for a while'.

If the pad manufacturer doesn't offer any recommendations, most mechanics I've known suggest 400 to 500 miles of moderate driving while avoiding heavy braking during this period. (This is also true for new cars, which might explain why a "break in" period is generally mentioned in the owner's manual for new cars). As with any new set of brake pads or shoes, don't tow a trailer or do any hauling during the break-in period. Full seating of new brakes normally occurs within 1,000 miles.

If you haven't checked out this site , you should. It's got lot's of good Honda Accord help, though brake shoe systems aren't covered from what I can tell. But otherwise very DIY info.

(I did my own > Good afternoon.

wrote

Thanks for the info. I'll do that.

Ugh...the drums can't be turned again.

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Read both pages of this thread and follow any links provided. Same basic drum brakes as yours. Your parts diagrams are at

'Curly'

From a 95 Civic's Owner's Manual: Break-in Period Help assure your car's future reliability and performance by paying extra attention to how you drive during the first

1,000 km (600 miles). During this period: Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid acceleration. If you need to add oil, use the engine oil recommended in this owner's manual. Avoid hard braking. New brakes need to be broken-in by moderate use for the first 300 km (200 miles). You should follow these same recommendations with an overhauled or exchanged engine, or when the brakes are relined.

The 91 Accord's Owner's Manual says similar.

personally, i'd be more worried about whether they were genuine honda brakes than what the break-in procedure was. in my experience, non-honda components tend to fade badly and score disks and drums. judging from your desire to replace the drums already, highly unusual on a honda except for extreme mileage or cheapo brake linings, it sounds like you could be discovering that already.

why were they turned in the first place? what is the mileage?

"jim beam" wrote: >

187k miles. I am getting pulsing from the brake pedal, and a squeal from one of the rear brakes. The linings are very thin, and I don't want to put new shoes on drums that are out-of-round or cut beyond limits. These drums are about 0.012" beyond the limit.

The old shoes were genuine Honda, as are the new ones that I will install. The drums are just old, and have already been turned at least once.

go ahead and replace the brake linings, but the pulsing can usually be solved with a little antiseize and a torque wrench. google this group for details. use honda linings - seriously.

as for the drums, why were they turned? my civic has 176k miles, and the drums are /well/ within limits.

good.

why were they turned?

Beats me. This is the first time I have done the rear brakes myself. I took the drums to a local shop this afternoon. They measured them and pronounced them out-of-limit. Unfortunately I don't have a suitable caliper to verify this myself.

ok, here's what i suggest - remove the drums yourself and check to see if there's a ridge. the brake linings are not /quite/ as wide as the drum width, so if there's wear, there will be a ridge between the original drum diameter and the worn drum diameter. if there's no ridge, or if it's tiny, like a finger nail thickness, they're b.s.ing you and you need to re-measure somewhere else. that said though, if the drums are badly grooved, just replace them.

Yes, there was definitely a ridge. And the brakes have been rebuilt several times since I have owned the car, so I find it likely that the drums have been turned once or twice before.

Yes, there was definitely a ridge. And the brakes have been rebuilt several times since I have owned the car, so I find it likely that the drums have been turned once or twice before.

See Bendix Brakes "Brake Burnishing Procedures"

Brake Burnishing Procedures for New Brake Pads or Shoes

At Bendix, we highly recommend that new pads and shoes be broken in properly. After every brake job the technician should first confirm that he has a good brake pedal by gently stroking the pedal to move the wheel cylinders and caliper pistons back out to the normal position. After confirming a good pedal the follow burnish procedure should be used during the test drive:

30/30/30 Burnish Procedure

=95 Perform 30 stops from 30 miles per hour with a 30-second cooling interval between stops. These stops will be performed at a decelerating rate of 12 feet per second or less. This means that it should be a gentle easy stop.

=95 The 30/30/30 Burnish Procedure beds the pads and shoes into the rotor and drums. It also deposits the necessary friction transfer to the rotors and drums for optimum brake performance.

=95 Following this procedure also assures that your customer will have excellent brake performance from the first time he or she drives the car after brake service has been performed. You should not depend on your customer to break in the brake job. The only way to assure that it is done correctly is to incorporate it into your brake job test drive. Remember, proper burnishing assures a long lasting, high performing, noise free brake job!

Honda has added Akebono to the list, besides the good 'ol Findlex and Nissin. I prefer the Akebono and just get the aftermarket Akebono ProAct.