Hello everyone,

So I am in the process of installing new brakes on all four corners and I was going to ignore the parking brake, but as I was knocking the mud and the rust off the dust shield the huge chunks of rust falling off lead to holes in dust shield. So I inspected the dust shield and the bloody thing is one complete circle (see first pic), meaning that you can't get it off or install it without removing the park brake shoes and the drive hub. I think the wheel knuckle can stay on, but the drive hub has to come off as the diameter of the hub is larger than the hole in the dust shield (see second pic).

Am I missing something or does one actually have to remove the axle nut and the drive hub just to change a simple dust shield?

Is it an integrated part of the parking brake assembly? (I removed the park brake shoes and actuator cable, leaving the dust shield on, so far.)

Is it better to order the assembled parking brake (pic three) rather than the individual pieces? I would still have to remove the hub to install an assembled unit.

Realistically, the rust holes are not HUGE and wouldn't allow rocks into the system that the opening for the caliper would allow in, so I could just prep the surface and apply some kind of filler material and just order new shoes and springs. By leaving the dust shield on and only installing shoes and springs, the hub can stay on and reduce the workload.

Bodsy's Brake Bible has no mention of the "backing plate/dust shield"

Thanks in advance; your valued opinions are appreciated.

 

 

Well I can say that the fronts come off easy with the hub in place. I installed a new driver hub and took the dust shield off to prevent damage/get a better angle with the heavy hammer.