Replacing the Rear Drum Brakes on a 2010 Chevy Cobalt

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Check out the video description for extra info, parts, tools, torques, and any updates.

[@ahRisq]

replaced my drums once before with no video assistance and it was hell. So glad I have this video to help me this time! By far the best one I've seen

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Many thanks and good luck!

[@myinfo3406]

For anyone having trouble. Put the top spring in first than the bottom. You can pry over the bottom or man handle it. Be careful about tearing the wheel cylinder boot.

[@424io]

The manhandled parking brake *arm lever*, if you put it on the inside, that MAY make installing the upper adjuster spring easier.because all of the installation will be done from the front and not finagling from behind,avoiding much frustration

[@CesarForero-s2x]

This is the only video with the actual spring setup like mine! Thank you so much

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Thanks for watching, Cesar, I'm glad it was useful! Yeah, I felt the same way when I was trying to figure this out so I knew this video was needed "out there." One of the goals of my channel.

[@jenniferashley8386]

Finally found video similar tobmy daughters car...

[@bustownbc2787]

I asked because you just went from its off to its on but didnt show how you got it on

[@ForceBuilt]

Great video! Brake shoes are always such a pain to work on. If you don't mind, what kind of camera are you using? Videos look good and the sound is also great. Thanks for the video!

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Thanks for watching and for the kind words, Steve. The camera is just my iPhone 11. For this video, most of the audio is actually me narrating in post production using Windows Movie Maker. For the audio that is synced to the video (e.g. the 9:00 mark), that's just my iPhone microphone.

[@Cnorthrup74]

Should have been more direct towards the vehicle instead of on the side where you can't see anyting

[@RaysLaughsAndLyrics]

A few tips .. Pull the hub off with the drum, then separate off vehicle. To remove hub, remove dust cap to access 1 and 1/2 inch nut .. remove nut.. then wiggle off hub / drum assembly. Good time to re-grease hub bearings.Leave hub off until shoe assembly is installed. This also makes shoe removal/ assembly 100 times easier. Before removing brake shoe components spray all the components with brake clean. This will make removal easier and reduce the inhalation of toxic brake shoe dust. When re-installing hub torque axle nut to 140 ft lbs. Make sure the locking tab collar is tapped back into the axle groove to prevent axle nut from backing off. Replace dust cap. Clean excess rust from hub around protruding wheel studs using a hand held wire brush. Wipe loose rust dust from hub with clean dry cloth rag or paper towel. Newspaper is a good substitute for rag or paper towel. Brush a very, very thin film of anti seize paste on hub surface between studs making sure not to get any anti seize on wheel studs. Replace drum. Then adjust self adjuster until shoes lightly rub on the drum when spun by hand. Reinstall the small drum to hub retaining screw, install wheel assembly and torque wheel lug nuts to 100 ft lbs. Visually check lug nuts after driving 100 miles and again torque to 100 ft lbs.

[@Cnorthrup74]

You weren't really too that showing exactly where the Springs go an the adjuster...

[@Machchikn]

Where does the spring connect to the shoes? The spring I'm referring to is behind the adjuster. My mom's car was making horrible noise. The spring behind the adjuster was broken. I got a spring kit, and know where one side came from, but not sure of the other. Her rear brakes is this same setup as this video

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Go to 3:05 in the video and you can see the spring you're talking about, behind the adjuster. One end connects at the hole just above the "fork" of the adjuster. It's on the left of this frame and pretty easy to see. There's a hole at the same height on the other shoe. That's where the spring goes - it goes in from the back of the shoe on both sides (which is what makes it hard to install). Watch the clip starting at 4:55 and you can see me removing the spring from that hole (no clear/clean shot of that hole itself). When you go to put it back together, start with the spring in the hole on the side with the parking brake lever. I would say it's impossible (or near impossible) to connect that side second. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching.

[@Cnorthrup74]

Why do keep bouncing back and forth driver side the passenger side that's no way to teach somebody to show somebody how to reinstall the springs

[@austinbraxmeier7112]

Having and issue getting my new drum on after putting the rest together. The adjustors are maxed out. I can't get them any looser. Same brake setup you have in the video but an 09 hhr.

[@austinbraxmeier7112]

I adjusted it just like you did in the video but I can't get it to go far enough to put the drum on

[@bustownbc2787]

How did you get the spring on at the top that hooks into the other brake pad on the back side on? Im struggling

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

In the comments to this video, take a look at my reply to @JKDudz. I think that’s the info you’re looking. If not, there are a couple of other comments on the top spring. I hope that helps. Good luck and thanks for watching.

[@selinoinlasvegasalcaraz7100]

I sprayed brake fluid and finally it worked

[@nightcore0974]

Did you ever have a problem with those shoes I noticed they are different then the OEM parts

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Nope, no problems at all. They always worked great. No noises, binding, excessive wear, etc.

[@patriciamonk8059]

I can't get top spring on with needle nose pliers and I can't find a tool in stock to use any suggestions.

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

All I can really offer is that it sucked for me too and took a lot of frustrating attempts to finally get it. I don’t really have a tip or trick to offer, unfortunately. I hope you get it soon!

[@BeautifulWolf1987]

We have a Chevy HHR that I could not for the life of me find the correct video. All of them were for drums that didn't match what we have. Then I saw a post on a car forum where someone said some HHRs have Cobalt brakes and gave a link to this video. Bless you for making this. You saved us a lot of aggrevation!

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Thanks for watching and I'm glad this video was able to help you out, Riff! I really wish there was an easy way/resource for cross referencing things like that. I'd love to be able to put in my video descriptions "did this work on a 2010 Cobalt but would apply to ." I'm more afraid of possibly giving folks bad info. But I'll go update this video description to say that it should work for some HHRs as well so maybe for people will be able to find the video.

[@BeautifulWolf1987]

@@CarbonsDIYGarage If it helps ours is a 2011. Not sure if it was just for our year since even the auto parts store was confused when I said it had drums lol. But yes thank you again! I hope the description change will help others like us!

[@ebla83]

Great video.

[@JKDudz]

I can't get that top spring to stay in place. It doesn't hook tight on the right side because of the gold plate in the way. Any suggestions?

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

First, thanks for watching, JKDud! I'm assuming you have the same brake setup as I do, and not the big "W" shaped spring at the bottom. "Right" or "left" will vary depending on which side of the car you're talking about. But for that top spring, I hooked the side with the spring coils onto the back side of the shoe before I installed the shoe retaining spring (6:29 in the video). I then laid that spring across the wheel hub so it wouldn't drop down. If that side of the spring comes off the shoe, I learned that you can actually push that shoe just far enough away from the piston to be able to sneak that spring back into place without removing the shoe retaining spring. It's not easy at first, but after multiple times of dropping the spring struggling with the issue you're having, it got easier. I wish I had video of doing that, but it was just of the back of my head. Then I used needle nose pliers (7:30 in the video) to stretch/pull the spring. It's awkward because the hook has to come in from the back of the shoe. It was definitely frustrating. Try squeezing both shoes against the wheel cylinder to compress both of the pistons before trying to stretch the spring. Other than that, it's just a pain and leaves you wishing it had disc brakes. I hope this helps a little.

[@JKDudz]

@@CarbonsDIYGarage Thanks for the reply! I ended up taking the adjustor out, hooked up the spring and then pryed the adjustor back in. Not pretty but worked. Just have to bleed the line and done.

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

@@JKDudz Awesome! Glad you got it. I tried that at first but couldn’t get it to go. Good to know it’s an option for folks!

[@qman99plays25]

I can not the my top Spring to connect my pliers keep sliding before I meet the hole Any suggestions

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Unfortunately, I didn’t come up with any tricks. I used long, thin needle nosed pliers and tried many times until I finally got it, and prayed I’d never have to do that again. Sorry - I hope you’ve gotten it by now. Thanks for watching, though.

[@qman99plays25]

@@CarbonsDIYGarage I hate to talk to that Spring then I got it in thanks for the video

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

@@qman99plays25 Glad you got it!

[@DavidTGross]

What if can’t get drum back on?

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

There could be a few different reasons. Here are some things to try. Make sure the wheel cylinder is fully compressed (squeeze the top of both shoes in at the same time to compress the pistons). Make sure the adjuster is fully retracted so it’s not pushing the shoes against the inside of the drum. Put a little grease on the wheel hub so the drum will slide on to the hub. Hope that helps. Good luck!

[@DEREKANDERSON17]

I cant get the new drum to go on either. Everything is compressed and adjustated the most it will go, and cant get drum to slide over new shoes

[@dalemihocik4732]

I can't believe how many people don't know, you included, how to remove a brake drum. Go to 5:15 in the video and observe the oval shaped hole near the top of the backing plate. This is where you insert a flat blade screwdriver or proper brake tool and use it to turn the star wheel from behind to backoff the shoes to make them closer together and not have them gripping the inside of the drum. Please, let's start working smarter not harder. Beating on the drum is not how it's done.

[@FatCatGarfield]

You apparently missed the part at 1:06 of the video where he said and showed him doing exactly that.

[@dalemihocik4732]

@@FatCatGarfield I did miss that. However he must have extended the shoes onto the drum not contracted the shoes . Those drums should have slid off no problem.

[@ShaunCruzNYC]

THIS VIDEO IS EXTREMELY MISLEADING!! The spring locations and order of reinstallation is a nightmare. I am a professional auto tech and the Cobalt will never come into my shop again for rear shoes. It just ain't worth the headaches.

[@williampodgurny8818]

I have done 57 caddy , 77 F150, 78 TBird and 2005 cobalt the cobalt was the easiest you might want to rethink your trade

[@RaysLaughsAndLyrics]

Shaun.. Remove the hub.. Makes removal of shoe assembly and re- assembly real easy.

[@4bangerGobalt]

Did this and now ebreak doesn’t work what do I do 🥹

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

I made a video on how I adjusted mine. Check that out of you haven’t seen it/tried that. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIe7dZRpr7aWnbc If it’s still not working I know there are other videos out there that have alternate methods for adjusting them. I’m sorry it’s giving you trouble; I don’t have any great advice, sorry.