All Haynes Digital Online Manuals are currently 50% off. They feature everything you love about our books in an instantly accessible digital online form, that you can use via any device with an internet connection.
This page is taken directly from our online manual 50030 covering all 1987-2017 Jeep Wrangler models with 4 cylinder, V6, and inline 6 cylinder engines. You should check the wear on the rear brake shoes every 12,000 miles or once a year, and replace them when worn to 1/16-inch or less on the leading edge.
Warning: Drum brake shoes must be replaced on both rear wheels at the same time - never replace the shoes on only one wheel.
The dust created by the brake system may contain asbestos and is harmful to your health. Never blow it out with compressed air and don’t inhale any of it. An approved filtering mask should be worn when working on the brakes.
Do not, under any circumstances, use petroleum-based solvents to clean brake parts. Use brake system cleaner or clean brake fluid only!
Caution: Whenever the brake shoes are replaced, the retracting and hold-down springs should also be replaced. Due to the continuous heating/cooling cycle that the springs are subjected to, they lose their tension over a period of time and may allow the shoes to drag on the drum and wear at a much faster rate than normal.
When replacing the rear brake shoes, use only high quality nationally recognized brand name parts.
Note: The Jeep Wrangler has been equipped with two types of drum brake: the 10-inch drum brake and the 9-inch drum brake. The primary difference is the design of the parking brake adjuster cable and lever. Compare the brake on your vehicle with the illustrations to determine which procedure to use.
-
Block the front wheels to keep the vehicle from rolling. Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts, raise the rear of the vehicle and support it securely on jack stands.
-
Release the parking brake.
-
Remove the wheels
Note: All four rear brake shoes must be replaced at the same time, but to avoid mixing up parts, work on only one wheel at a time.
-
Remove the rear drums. If either brake drum is difficult to pull off the axle and shoe assembly, make sure the parking brake is completely released, then apply some penetrating oil at the hub-to-drum joint. Allow the oil to soak in and try to pull off the drum. If you still can’t pull it off, retract the brake shoes (see illustration 5.9a below).
10-inch drum brake
- Follow illustrations 5.5a through 5.5y for the 10-inch drum brake shoe replacement procedure. Don’t skip around - follow the instructions, in the sequence shown, in the captions accompanying the illustration.
5.5a An exploded view of the left rear drum brake assembly - Wranglers with 10-inch brake drums
5.5b Wash off the brake assembly with brake cleaner and allow it to dry before you disassemble anything (position a drain pan under the brake to catch the runoff) - DO NOT USE COMPRESSED AIR TO BLOW THE BRAKE DUST FROM THE PARTS!
5.5c Pull out on the adjuster lever and turn the star wheel to retract the brake shoes
5.5d Pull back on the self-adjuster cable and push the adjusting lever toward the rear, unhooking it from the secondary brake shoe
5.5e Remove the primary and secondary shoe retracting springs - the spring removal tool shown here can be purchased at most auto parts stores and greatly simplifies this step
5.5f Remove the self-adjuster cable and anchor pin plate from the anchor pin
5.5g Remove the secondary shoe retracting spring and cable guide from the secondary shoe
5.5h Remove the primary shoe holddown spring and pin…
5.5i … then lift the primary shoe and adjusting screw from the backing plate
5.5j Remove the parking brake link
5.5k Remove the secondary shoe hold-down spring and pin, then lift the shoe from the backing plate - pry the parking brake lever retaining clip off the pivot pin…
5.5l … then separate the lever from the secondary shoe - be careful not to lose the spring washer
5.5m Lubricate the brake shoe contact areas with high-temperature grease
5.5n Attach the new shoe to the parking brake lever, install the spring washer and retaining clip on the pivot pin, then crimp the clip closed with a pair of pliers
5.5o Install the secondary shoe and hold-down spring to the backing plate, then position the end of the parking brake link into the notch
5.5p Lubricate the adjusting screw with high temperature multi-purpose grease
5.5q Place the primary shoe against the backing plate, then install the hold-down spring - make sure the parking brake strut and wheel cylinder pushrods engage in the brake shoe slots
5.5r Install the anchor pin plate . . . . . . . . . .
5.5s . . . . . . . . . . and the self-adjuster cable
5.5t Hook the end of the secondary shoe retractor spring through the cable guide and into the hole in the shoe, then stretch the spring over the anchor pin
5.5u Install the primary shoe retractor spring – the tool shown here is available at most auto parts stores and makes this step much easier and safer
5.5v Hook the adjuster lever spring into the hole at the bottom of the primary shoe
5.5w Hook the adjuster lever spring and cable into the adjuster lever and pull the cable down and to the rear, inserting the hook on the lever into the hole in the secondary shoe
5.5x Wiggle the assembly to ensure the shoes are centered on the backing plate
5.5y This is what the 10-inch rear drum brake assembly should look like when you’re done (left side shown). Skip down to Step 7 below for instructions on adjusting the brakes and reinstalling the drums.
9-inch drum brake
- Follow illustrations 5.6a through 5.6ee for the 9-inch drum brake shoe replacement procedure. Don’t skip around - follow the instructions, in the sequence shown, in the captions accompanying the illustrations.
5.6a An exploded view of the right rear brake assembly - 9-inch drum brake
5.6b Wash off the brake assembly with brake cleaner and allow it to dry before you disassemble anything (position a drain pan under the brake to catch the runoff) - DO NOT USE COMPRESSED AIR TO BLOW THE BRAKE DUST FROM THE PARTS!
5.6c Pry the adjuster lever up and off the star wheel on the adjuster screw and turn the star wheel to retract the brake shoes
5.6d Unhook the adjuster cable from its hole (arrow) in the adjuster lever and let it hang out of the way
5.6e Unhook the adjuster lever spring from the adjuster lever (before you remove it, make sure you have a clear mental image of how it looks when it’s correctly installed on the pivot pin for the parking brake lever, with its lower end hooked around the front edge of the adjuster lever and its other, unhooked end pressing against the inside circumference of the trailing shoe)
5.6f Remove the adjuster lever from the brake shoe
5.6g Remove the adjuster lever return spring
5.6h Unhook the primary and secondary return spring from the anchor pin with a brake spring tool
5.6i Unhook the lower end of the primary return spring from the leading shoe and disconnect the metal loop on the upper end of the adjuster cable from the anchor pin
5.6j Remove the brake shoe guide plate from the anchor pin attached to the backing plate
5.6k Remove the lower end of the secondary return spring from the trailing shoe
5.6l Remove the cable guide
5.6m Depress the retainer for the hold-down spring on the leading shoe and give it a slight twist to release it from the hold-down pin…
5.6n … then remove the spring and retainer from the leading shoe (it’s a good idea to remove the hold-down pin by pulling it out from the back side of the brake backing plate to ensure you don’t lose it) - now remove the retainer, hold-down spring and pin from the trailing shoe in the same fashion
5.6o Disengage the notch in the front end of the parking brake strut from its corresponding notch in the leading shoe and remove the strut and spring
5.6p Spread the leading and trailing shoes apart and remove them from the brake support plate with the spring and adjuster screw assembly still attached (you can disconnect and remove the spring and adjuster screw assembly first, but the shoes will fall off; by keeping everything together this way during removal, you can see how the spring and adjuster fit between the two shoes)
5.6q Disengage the parking brake lever from the back side of the trailing shoe (if you need to detach the parking brake cable from the parking brake lever, see Section 13 of your Haynes manual)
5.6r Lubricate the brake support plate with high temperature grease at the indicated (shaded) areas
5.6s Lubricate the adjusting screw threads with high temperature multi-purpose grease (see illustration 5.5p), install the adjuster screw and spring between the new leading and trailing shoes as shown and install the shoe assembly back onto the support plate
5.6t When you install the parking brake strut between the two shoes, make sure the notch in the rear end of the strut seats properly into its corresponding notch in the trailing shoe
5.6u Push the hold-down pin through the brake support plate from the back side of the plate, install the hold-down spring and retainer, depress the retainer, give it a little twist and release spring pressure - now tug on the retainer and make sure it doesn’t pop loose from the flanged head on the hold-down pin
5.6v Install the hold-down pin, spring and retainer for the trailing shoe in exactly the same way you just installed the hold-down spring assembly for the leading shoe, then check it to make sure it’s properly installed
5.6w Engage the hooked end closer to the coiled part of the front return spring with its hole in the leading shoe - engage the hooked end closer to the coiled part of the rear return spring into its hole in the adjuster cable guide and install the cable guide onto the trailing shoe
5.6x Install the shoe guide plate and the upper end of the adjuster onto the anchor pin
5.6y Install the hooked end that’s farther away from the coiled part of the front return spring to the anchor pin with a brake spring installation tool
5.6z Install the hooked end that’s farther away from the coiled part of the rear return spring to the anchor pin with a brake spring installation tool
5.6aa Route the lower end of the adjuster cable into its groove in the cable guide
5.6bb Install the adjuster lever spring on the pivot for the parking brake lever - make sure it’s installed exactly the way it was before, with the loop in the spring facing up, the hooked end facing forward and down, and the straight end facing to the rear and up against the inside circumference of the trailing shoe
5.6cc Install the adjuster lever onto the pivot for the parking brake lever, then engage the hooked end of the adjuster lever spring over the forward end of the lever with a small screwdriver
5.6dd Hook the lower end of the adjuster cable over its corresponding notch in the adjuster lever
5.6ee The rear brake assembly should look like this when you’re done!
All models
- Before reinstalling the drum, check it for cracks, score marks, deep scratches and hard spots, which will appear as small discolored areas. If the hard spots can’t be removed with fine emery cloth, or if any of the other conditions listed above exist, take the drum to an automotive machine shop to have it turned.
Note: It is recommend that you have the the drums professionally resurfaced whenever a brake job is done. Resurfacing will eliminate the possibility of out-of-round drums. If the drums are worn so much that they can’t be resurfaced without exceeding the maximum allowable diameter stamped into the drum, then new ones will be required.
f you elect not to have the drums resurfaced, remove the glazing from the surface with medium-grit emery cloth using a swirling motion.
5.7a The maximum allowable drum diameter is cast into the drum
- Once the new shoes are in place, install the drums on the axle flanges.
- (See illustrations below) Remove the rubber plugs from the brake backing plates. Pull the lever off the adjusting star wheel with one narrow screwdriver and turn the adjusting wheel with a brake adjuster tool (or another screwdriver), moving the shoes away from the drum. Turn the star wheel until the brakes drag slightly as the drum is turned, then turn the wheel in the opposite direction until the drum turns freely again.
Note: You must keep the adjuster lever off the star wheel while you’re turning it or it won’t turn.
5.9a To adjust the brakes, remove the rubber plug from the adjustment hole in the backing plate, lift the adjuster lever off the star wheel on the adjuster screw with a narrow screwdriver and, using a brake adjuster tool or another screwdriver…
5.9b … turn the adjuster wheel in the direction shown until the shoes drag on the brake drum, then turn the wheel in the opposite direction until the drum turns freely again; make sure you keep the adjuster lever off the star wheel while you’re turning the wheel (drum removed for clarity in this photo)
- Repeat this adjustment on the opposite wheel and install the backing plate plugs.
- Mount the wheel, install the lug nuts, then lower the vehicle. Tighten the lug nuts to the proper torque:
2008 and earlier 80 to 110 ft-lbs
2009 through 2011 92 to 132 ft-lbs
2012 and late 95 ft-lbs
- Make a number of forward and reverse stops to allow the brakes to self-adjust themselves.
- Check brake operation before driving the vehicle in traffic.