Without going into a long story, my drivers side front brakes locked up on me the other day when I was driving at a low speed and I ground to a halt. Pulled the drum this a.m., and the rear shoe fell off (the cause of the lockup), and the front shoe is cracked.
1. Is it standard, when replacing brake shoes, to replace ALL the hardware (not the cylinder, these are new within 4 years, little used) that goes with the shoes? I.e., all springs, all clips, all retainers, etc?
2. Should I replace the wheel bearings? What do I look for to tell me they need replacing?
3. Are brake drums ALWAYS turned when you replace the shoes?
4. If not, what tells you whether they need turning or not?
5. If I wipe the inside of the drum clean and I run my finger across it, it doesn't feel grooved, but slightly wavy. Is this acceptable, or should it be totally smooth, no waves or surface imperfections at all?
6. Anything I need to be aware of (when doing this job) that isn't covered in the FSM, or is a trick I should know?
7. If I replace my brakes on the left front, is the right front automatically required to replace? It goes without saying I will be checking it for signs of wear or shoe-cracking/de-bonding.
8. Any special tools required for this job?
9. Any recommended brand of brake shoes that are better than others?
Thanks, in advance for replies. Need to take care of this as quick as I can.
