4 Symptoms of a Damaged or Faulty Brake Drums & Shoes

Drum brakes are a typical sort of braking mechanism that may be found on many vehicles' rear wheels.

While they slow the car in the same way as disc brakes do, they do it in a somewhat different way. Brake drums employ wheel cylinders to force brake shoes on the interior of a brake drum to slow the wheel, rather than calipers to press pads onto a disc.

Because they rely on friction and contact to work, they ultimately wear out and need to be replaced. Check your vehicle's MOT status and get defective brake drums fixed or essential parts replaced, since this will result in a MOT failure.

The brake drums and shoes are essential parts of the braking system of a vehicle. Braking drums and shoes are more frequent on older cars that do not have a brake disc system.

The brake drums act as the brake discs, while the brake shoes act as the brake pads. Each wheel is equipped with a brake drum, which resembles a bowl-shaped component.

The brake shoe pulls on the brake drum as the driver presses down on the brake pedal, causing friction and slowing the spinning wheel down. It's an idea that's similar to disc brakes, but it's an earlier form of the concept.

Brake drums frequently create a few signs that might notify the driver that a problem has occurred when they go bad or begin to have a problem. The following are four signs that your brake drums and shoes are worn out:

1.      Weak Brakes - If the car takes longer to slow down or stop when you step on the brake pedal, you may have an issue with your brake drums and shoes. Although additional issues with the braking system may exist, the most common reason focuses around these two components. If you have a newer vehicle with disc brakes, however, the equivalent would be defective discs and pads. If you perform a MOT history check on your car and it has previously failed on the braking system, the failure section will clearly specify which portion of the braking system was at fault.

2.      Brake Noises - When you step on the brake pedal, you will hear noises in addition to weak brakes. Because brake drums aren't very excellent at absorbing heat from braking, this will develop over time. As a result, heat builds up, putting strain on the braking system. The brake shoes will then scrape against the drums, resulting in irritating scraping noises. This could lead to a MOT failure so check MOT status of your car and get the braking system diagnosed and repaired.

3.      Brake Pedal Vibrations - As previously stated, as you continue to use your brakes, the brake drums will wear down. When they're worn down enough, you'll notice vibrations emerging from the brake pedal when you step on it. If there are no other indications, you may not think it's a huge concern, but if you begin experiencing brake performance issues, you'll have no option but to have your drums and shoes replaced. Of course, you should treat brake pedal sensations as an early warning indication that your braking system needs to be evaluated for issues with the drums and shoes.

4.      Loose parking brake - A loose parking brake is another indicator of defective or failing drum brakes. If your vehicle has drum brakes and you check MOT history, you'll see that a faulty parking brake is a typical reason for a failed MOT test. The parking brake may fail as the shoes on the drum brakes wear down and are unable to push against the inside of the drum as easily. If the drums are worn, the car may slip just a few inches after the parking brake is applied. It's possible that a damaged brake wire, as well as maybe old shoes, are to blame. You should have the vehicle thoroughly inspected by a trained technician if you believe this is the case.

The brake drums & shoes are a vital component that is necessary for the vehicle's braking system to function properly. As a result, if you believe they're worn or have a problem, get your braking system evaluated by a skilled technician to see if the drums or shoes need to be replaced.