Drum Cylinder Leaking - Squeaking

[salmonz]

I did some servicing on the rear brakes of my Yaris this weekend because I had some squeaking going on.

1. Brake fluid leaks through the brake cylinder if you press the brake while the drum is off. I am guessing if you had brake fluid leaking, the shoes may not be placed properly on the wheel cylinder.

2. There was a lot of brake dust accumulation. Spraying some brake cleaner and wiping everything off with a rag got rid of all the brake dust. I sanded the inside of brake drum and the shoes.

3. Re-assembly. Take some pliers and compress both sides of the brake cylinder. This allows the drum to fit easier on the shoes. Tip: If you're having trouble putting on the hold down spring and pin, take some small cable ties and compress the springs, pull the pin through and rotate the spring to let the pin sit on the spring cover. Then cut the cable ties and let the springs expand. So much easier that using a hold down spring tool.

Results: Car drives smoother, brakes better, no more squeaking, and saved a crap load of money.