Hi everybody,

I am almost finished changing the brake shoes on my 04 Honda Accord. However, I am unable to put the big spring back on even after loosening the tension on the adjuster. Does anybody know of any tips/techniques on how to get this big spring back on?

Eric the Car Guy, mentions a special tool that could be used in working with the big spring ( ). Does anybody know what this tool is called?

 

Don't know what it's called officially, but there's a couple different tools like a big hook.

I grab the spring with a vise-grip pliers & pull it over to hook it on.

 

Brake spring pliers.

Lots of them for sale on ebay.

 

I always assemble the shoes off the car (less the lower/tiny spring), then install......never have to worry with that spring .

This has worked on the Honda's I've owned with shoes. Here is a pic of the shoes on the ground.

You then slide the assy from the top -behind the hub down - attach e-brake cable then tug the upper part to clear the compressed wheel cyl........attach hold down pins and lower spring, adjust and done.....but that is me

EDIT: and I also take them off the car using same method.

 

was it hard to avoid damaging the wheel cylinder? whatever I'm using the traditional pulling of the spring method, a lot of force is pressed against the wheel cylinder. I'm afraid I might break it. Is that a valid concern?

 

I think the way you are doing it and the way I do it are two different things.

Your way, as long as the backing plate is ok, you should be fine.

My way, I never "stress" the wheel cyl. Compress the wheel cyl - ok "Newton" fights you - and I can pull the "top" part of the shoes apart far enough to clear the pistons on the wheel cyl and seat the shoes......I'm like 5' 8 and 140 (wet) but can still spread the top part of the shoes enough to clear the cyl.....the guy that taught me how do it this was smaller than me. Remember leverage, so pushing on the bottom part of the shoes makes it easier to "expand" the top/upper part.

I went to him (he and his brother owned a 4 bay shop and at the time we were "only some what "friends" - but he was willing to help and teach...thanks Mickey) after spending 6 hours doing one side on a 81 Accord hatch....some 20+ years ago. He spent 20 minutes fixing the one side I did (had the shoes too tight, 10 min of his time was getting the drum off). On the other side, he made me do it after watching him fix my screw up.

The brake spring pliers I bought back then haven't been use since he taught me this method. Needle nose, a flat head screw driver and the adjuster spoon is all I need for rear shoes.......of course I have never owned or worked on rear shoes for an '04 Accord....but I'd bet they have not changed that much.