Hi Clay, super helpful video, thanks! I recently picked up a Saturn L100; the previous owner had several years of bizarre problems with the rear brakes. I have the service record, where an otherwise reputable mechanic here in Hoo'ville, VA area kept replacing the rear hardware..... Turns out, as you mention at min 6:20, it really "sucks to put these things in backwards.... sic.... yup, the local professional mechanics here charged the previous owner an arm & several legs to keep re-installing the rear brake shoes & hardware exactly backwards..... with the parking brake plate IN FRONT of the trailing shoe, thus preventing the adjuster from properly seating into the back of the brake shoe! (There are a few differences between the SC and L series saturns, but THAT afaik is the same..... Astounding that after months of searching, I could not find ANY youtube videos, or diagrams, or even decent alldata or chilton diagrams of exactly how the L-series brakes are to go together.... Mattered to me because the mechanic had put BOTH sides together incorrectly, so I had no model to work from.... You and RichPin are all I had... thanks again.)
Its such an easy mistake to make. And you're right. There really aren'r a lot of resources out there that show the proper way these things are supposed to go together! Thank goodness for Richpin! His videos are excellent. I've used his videos myself on a number of occasions. I'm glad this video was helpful to you. Good job figuring out what the mechanics didn't! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
I thought you need to adjust the brake shoes from backside of the drum at adjuster. So, all have to do just follow this without adjusting and it self adjusting brake shoes by pressing brake pedal. I never knew this I always thought adjust at drum on back and then press brake pedal
Well, a lot of times I do both, I do a rough adjustment from the backside of the drum them pump the brake pedal after everything is put back together. But yeah both methods work. Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
I have a 2000 Dodge Dakota I put new brakes on my truck and when we bleed the brakes you would have a pedal for about 10 times and then the 11th time it would go to the floor so since it wasn't building up the pressure and keeping it I change the master cylinder and then it still does the same thing you have any ideas what it could be
I have a '99 Saturn SL1. Similar enough in most regards. When I changed the shoes on my rear brakes, I had a helluva time getting that C-clip off. There was no clearance at all to get any purchase with the screwdriver to pop it out. I had to hammer it in and really bend up the clip to get it out. Richpin just skipped right over that part and didn't show it at all. He just said "remove the C-clip". Gee, thanks, Rich. My new shoes did NOT come with a new pin and clip. I had to hammer the old one flat again and re-use it. Did the same squeeze you did because it was loose.
I've had the same problem and I ended up doing the exact same thing! I can't help but think, "would it kill them to include a new c-clip? I mean REALLY?!" Well, I'm glad you figured it out. Thanks for watching, and thanks for commenting!
About to do this on my SL1 99 - and thanks for reminding me. Maybe I should get c clips before i start this... I have all the parts, and my shoes didn't come with any hardware either. --Edit-- the hardware kit does include c clips. Thanks again. Great video Clay - and never forget a hammer.
@@delarius thanks! Glad to hear the kit came with c clips. I just noticed today that Harbor Freight sell a c clip assortment. I'm half tempted to get it just for backup. Thanks for commenting!
@@ClayCarlino It all went so well. Fixed the leaking cylinder per your instructions. Then passenger side wheel. Yeah, there's definitely a bolt that's not coming out. Heat, air chisel, penetrating oil - no go. Tomorrow, we're going to get a replacement bolt, and then cut the (was barely - now fairly) leaking cylinder off. Although, still a great video. but things are rarely as easy as you initially think.
@@delarius, that sucks! So sorry to hear that. That's the worst part about working on cars right there! Something that SHOULD be pretty straightforward turns into an ordeal because of one rusty bolt! Hopefully once you get past that, the rest will be easy. Good luck!
On my way back from the grocery store today, my brakes started feeling really weird. When I parked in my driveway, my emergency brake felt really loose and weak. I tried filling up the brake fluid reservoir under the hood, but a whole bunch of fluid ended up leaking out of the rear driver's side wheel. I guess I'll be replacing my rear brakes soon
Oh no! Sorry, I hadn't seen this comment when I responded to your last comment. If I had to hazzard a guess, it really sounds like the brake lines are bad. I only say that because in my experience, the brake cylinders in a brake drum can often times last for the life of a vehicle as long as the brakes have been decently maintained. But brake lines, especially in regions where they use a lot of salt on the roads in winter will corrode a lot faster. If it is the brake lines there's good news and bad news. The good news is that the parts necessary are really not all that expensive. Even buying tools and fittings for the job can be done without breaking the bank. The bad news is it's a LOT of work. I've done it on 2 vehicles so far, and both times were successful, but lengthy. One thing you can do to make it easier on yourself is to buy pre-made brake lines specific to your vehicle. It definately costs more, but will probably be easier than what I do, which is buying spools of brake line and custom cutting, bending and flaring them to fit. Good luck. Feel free to keep me posted about your progress!
@@ClayCarlino Thanks man! I figured it would be a lot of work, but luckily my family taught me to be a cheapskate and we fix all of our cars ourselves. It's an old car and just about everything on it is original, so I can't really complain. Also, where I live they don't salt the roads since it never snows, but there is the possibility of salty ocean spray corroding the brake lines. I have a 2002 Saturn SL1 5 speed. My dad, grandpa, and I are going to have a look at it this weekend
@@mgonza1350 that actually sounds kind of awesome! When I'm working on cars and really the whole time I worked on those brake lines, I think of my dad. He would have loved the work I do. It's really awesome to be able to share these experiences with family!
@@ClayCarlino I ended up replacing both rear brake cylinders and that seemed to fix the problem. I also replaced the shoes and a few of the springs since I was already in there. I might still have to fix the e-brake, though, since it was getting stuck on the rear driver's side and really wearing down the shoes on that side.
New owner of a 2002 SC2; thanks for the video. Been years since I did drum brakes; not sure if I'll do them after seeing how Saturn did them. Front brakes will be no problem.
I put a left backing plate on the right side of my Saturn race car. Only thing I could find in boneyard. I cut the park brake cable off on inside of drum. Don't need it. When drum installed will not turn at all. Used pads and drum. Less RR braking the better, but rules say all 4 wheels must have working brakes. Can you flip backing plates? What's up with no turning the drum.
Well crap! I'm not sure if you can flip the backing plate or not. I've never tried. As for the drum not turning at all, did you reset the adjuster screw? I've done that several times where I put the drum on but I forget to spin down the adjuster screw to it's shortest length. If you don't do that, the brake shoes can't retract far enough to let the drum spin freely. (You probably already knew that, but it's all I could think of!) Hopefully that helps! Good luck!
That little piece you cut off was not a manufactory error. It was to remove springs on trucks or bigger vehicles with 2 return springs that are on a stud.
Great job. Thanks. I know I have purchased one of those brake tools, but i am not certain if I can find it. Sigh. I will look for it before attacking my 2001 SW2.
fyi, found a few videos that neatly echo your broader point that these dual use tools are handy-dandy. (found one at NAPA for well under $6) Hope you don't mind me posting one of them here: th-cam.com/video/9f7hpI5JvyE/w-d-xo.html
@@hugh3rdof5 I don't mind at all! While I do try to make sure not to have spam in my comments, useful info like this is always welcome! If you ever have a link to a useful tool or even another video or article that can help, I'm happy to help share the information. Thanks a lot! Once again, thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
Your video is great - you are a good, clear explainer! I am doing this on my SC1 right now, and peeked inside the dust boots of the wheel cylinders (as Richpin suggests), and they were both leaking (both on the leading side piston for some reason) You couldn't see anything outside the dust boot.. And I could smell that it was brake fluid, and not the brake cleaner I used.. Probably a good idea to do, but must clean first of course to keep any dirt out.. Also, do you use a good bit of brake cleaner and a dust mask when doing the dusty parts of those jobs.. Nice thing about Saturn is the parts are pretty cheap....
Gotta love Richpin! His videos are a gold mine for Saturn owners. Yes, I do use brake cleaner. I absolutely SHOULD use a dust mask, but sometimes I don't think of it until half way through the job. Better late than never I guess!
Someone else told me some other purpose for that nub. Whatever it was, I've found that end to be much more useful for removing those twist off spring retainers. Anyway, that's not the first time I've cut parts off of something to make it do something it wasn't meant to do. It probably won't be the last, either! Ha ha ha! Anyway, thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
That tool you cut off is for taking real tough Springs off but it wouldn't work on your car it's made for other cars maybe trucks that are bigger Springs you'll have to go buy another one now the spring and cap you push in and turn you can use needle-nose pliers or pliers
Yeah. That's what someone else said a couple years ago. So far I haven't needed it, but I'm kind of glad to know that it's not a flaw. On the up side, after cutting that bit off, it really was a lot easier to use the tool on those little caps than it ever was to use needle nose pliers. So I'll call it a win. Thanks for the info! And thanks for watching.
well, i just figured out why my new rear drums dont work, i have the adjuster spring and the upper return swapped and the star adjuster installed backwards
Not emergency break -- PARKING break !!!!!. Video Is excellent and well done. A touch of lighting could help, the dialogue is very reassuring and understandable. Unlike some other videos (by others) the audio is easy to hear thanks so much.
Great video!
Thanks! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
Hi Clay, super helpful video, thanks! I recently picked up a Saturn L100; the previous owner had several years of bizarre problems with the rear brakes. I have the service record, where an otherwise reputable mechanic here in Hoo'ville, VA area kept replacing the rear hardware..... Turns out, as you mention at min 6:20, it really "sucks to put these things in backwards.... sic.... yup, the local professional mechanics here charged the previous owner an arm & several legs to keep re-installing the rear brake shoes & hardware exactly backwards..... with the parking brake plate IN FRONT of the trailing shoe, thus preventing the adjuster from properly seating into the back of the brake shoe! (There are a few differences between the SC and L series saturns, but THAT afaik is the same..... Astounding that after months of searching, I could not find ANY youtube videos, or diagrams, or even decent alldata or chilton diagrams of exactly how the L-series brakes are to go together.... Mattered to me because the mechanic had put BOTH sides together incorrectly, so I had no model to work from.... You and RichPin are all I had... thanks again.)
ps, if anybody comes across this and has experience with - or a detailed diagram or vid of -- the L-series drum brake job, please do tell.
Its such an easy mistake to make. And you're right. There really aren'r a lot of resources out there that show the proper way these things are supposed to go together! Thank goodness for Richpin! His videos are excellent. I've used his videos myself on a number of occasions.
I'm glad this video was helpful to you. Good job figuring out what the mechanics didn't! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
Thanks for taking the time to share....very helpful
You’re welcome. I’m always glad when my videos are helpful to someone! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
buen video gracias
¡Muchas gracias! ¡Gracias por ver y gracias por comentar!
Great video. Very helpful. Thank you.
Thanks! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
you should have put some grease on the pauls where the shoes meet the backing plate.
Did I forget to do that? Yeah you're right! I absolutely should have put grease there. Good tip! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
I thought you need to adjust the brake shoes from backside of the drum at adjuster.
So, all have to do just follow this without adjusting and it self adjusting brake shoes by pressing brake pedal.
I never knew this I always thought adjust at drum on back and then press brake pedal
Well, a lot of times I do both, I do a rough adjustment from the backside of the drum them pump the brake pedal after everything is put back together. But yeah both methods work.
Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
Just did my 98 saturn sl brakes I used oven cleaner and pressure washer to remove all brake dust and grease. Nice and clean :-)
Nice!!! I'm going to try that next time I do my brakes. Thanks for the tip!
I have a 2000 Dodge Dakota I put new brakes on my truck and when we bleed the brakes you would have a pedal for about 10 times and then the 11th time it would go to the floor so since it wasn't building up the pressure and keeping it I change the master cylinder and then it still does the same thing you have any ideas what it could be
I need some help I live in Kentucky and almost died twice now
I have a '99 Saturn SL1. Similar enough in most regards. When I changed the shoes on my rear brakes, I had a helluva time getting that C-clip off. There was no clearance at all to get any purchase with the screwdriver to pop it out. I had to hammer it in and really bend up the clip to get it out. Richpin just skipped right over that part and didn't show it at all. He just said "remove the C-clip". Gee, thanks, Rich.
My new shoes did NOT come with a new pin and clip. I had to hammer the old one flat again and re-use it. Did the same squeeze you did because it was loose.
I've had the same problem and I ended up doing the exact same thing! I can't help but think, "would it kill them to include a new c-clip? I mean REALLY?!" Well, I'm glad you figured it out. Thanks for watching, and thanks for commenting!
About to do this on my SL1 99 - and thanks for reminding me. Maybe I should get c clips before i start this... I have all the parts, and my shoes didn't come with any hardware either. --Edit-- the hardware kit does include c clips. Thanks again.
Great video Clay - and never forget a hammer.
@@delarius thanks! Glad to hear the kit came with c clips. I just noticed today that Harbor Freight sell a c clip assortment. I'm half tempted to get it just for backup. Thanks for commenting!
@@ClayCarlino
It all went so well. Fixed the leaking cylinder per your instructions. Then passenger side wheel. Yeah, there's definitely a bolt that's not coming out. Heat, air chisel, penetrating oil - no go. Tomorrow, we're going to get a replacement bolt, and then cut the (was barely - now fairly) leaking cylinder off. Although, still a great video. but things are rarely as easy as you initially think.
@@delarius, that sucks! So sorry to hear that. That's the worst part about working on cars right there! Something that SHOULD be pretty straightforward turns into an ordeal because of one rusty bolt! Hopefully once you get past that, the rest will be easy. Good luck!
On my way back from the grocery store today, my brakes started feeling really weird. When I parked in my driveway, my emergency brake felt really loose and weak. I tried filling up the brake fluid reservoir under the hood, but a whole bunch of fluid ended up leaking out of the rear driver's side wheel. I guess I'll be replacing my rear brakes soon
Oh no! Sorry, I hadn't seen this comment when I responded to your last comment. If I had to hazzard a guess, it really sounds like the brake lines are bad. I only say that because in my experience, the brake cylinders in a brake drum can often times last for the life of a vehicle as long as the brakes have been decently maintained. But brake lines, especially in regions where they use a lot of salt on the roads in winter will corrode a lot faster. If it is the brake lines there's good news and bad news. The good news is that the parts necessary are really not all that expensive. Even buying tools and fittings for the job can be done without breaking the bank. The bad news is it's a LOT of work. I've done it on 2 vehicles so far, and both times were successful, but lengthy. One thing you can do to make it easier on yourself is to buy pre-made brake lines specific to your vehicle. It definately costs more, but will probably be easier than what I do, which is buying spools of brake line and custom cutting, bending and flaring them to fit. Good luck. Feel free to keep me posted about your progress!
@@ClayCarlino Thanks man! I figured it would be a lot of work, but luckily my family taught me to be a cheapskate and we fix all of our cars ourselves. It's an old car and just about everything on it is original, so I can't really complain. Also, where I live they don't salt the roads since it never snows, but there is the possibility of salty ocean spray corroding the brake lines. I have a 2002 Saturn SL1 5 speed. My dad, grandpa, and I are going to have a look at it this weekend
@@mgonza1350 that actually sounds kind of awesome! When I'm working on cars and really the whole time I worked on those brake lines, I think of my dad. He would have loved the work I do. It's really awesome to be able to share these experiences with family!
@@ClayCarlino I ended up replacing both rear brake cylinders and that seemed to fix the problem. I also replaced the shoes and a few of the springs since I was already in there. I might still have to fix the e-brake, though, since it was getting stuck on the rear driver's side and really wearing down the shoes on that side.
New owner of a 2002 SC2; thanks for the video. Been years since I did drum brakes; not sure if I'll do them after seeing how Saturn did them. Front brakes will be no problem.
I put a left backing plate on the right side of my Saturn race car. Only thing I could find in boneyard.
I cut the park brake cable off on inside of drum. Don't need it.
When drum installed will not turn at all.
Used pads and drum. Less RR braking the better, but rules say all 4 wheels must have working brakes.
Can you flip backing plates? What's up with no turning the drum.
Well crap! I'm not sure if you can flip the backing plate or not. I've never tried. As for the drum not turning at all, did you reset the adjuster screw? I've done that several times where I put the drum on but I forget to spin down the adjuster screw to it's shortest length. If you don't do that, the brake shoes can't retract far enough to let the drum spin freely. (You probably already knew that, but it's all I could think of!) Hopefully that helps! Good luck!
That little piece you cut off was not a manufactory error. It was to remove springs on trucks or bigger vehicles with 2 return springs that are on a stud.
Great job. Thanks. I know I have purchased one of those brake tools, but i am not certain if I can find it. Sigh. I will look for it before attacking my 2001 SW2.
It's actually a pretty handy thing! I think mine was about 10 bucks on amazon. Good luck!
@@danielnelson9411, That's a good Idea! I may have to try that next time just to see how it compares to having the brake tool.
Oh!!! Okay. Thanks! I had no idea! I don't regret cutting it off though. Those twist caps are a pain without the tool.
fyi, found a few videos that neatly echo your broader point that these dual use tools are handy-dandy. (found one at NAPA for well under $6) Hope you don't mind me posting one of them here: th-cam.com/video/9f7hpI5JvyE/w-d-xo.html
@@hugh3rdof5 I don't mind at all! While I do try to make sure not to have spam in my comments, useful info like this is always welcome! If you ever have a link to a useful tool or even another video or article that can help, I'm happy to help share the information. Thanks a lot!
Once again, thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
Your video is great - you are a good, clear explainer!
I am doing this on my SC1 right now, and peeked inside the dust boots of the wheel cylinders (as Richpin suggests), and they were both leaking (both on the leading side piston for some reason)
You couldn't see anything outside the dust boot..
And I could smell that it was brake fluid, and not the brake cleaner I used..
Probably a good idea to do, but must clean first of course to keep any dirt out..
Also, do you use a good bit of brake cleaner and a dust mask when doing the dusty parts of those jobs..
Nice thing about Saturn is the parts are pretty cheap....
Gotta love Richpin! His videos are a gold mine for Saturn owners. Yes, I do use brake cleaner. I absolutely SHOULD use a dust mask, but sometimes I don't think of it until half way through the job. Better late than never I guess!
You just cut off the end that helps you remove the springs buddy lol
Someone else told me some other purpose for that nub. Whatever it was, I've found that end to be much more useful for removing those twist off spring retainers.
Anyway, that's not the first time I've cut parts off of something to make it do something it wasn't meant to do. It probably won't be the last, either! Ha ha ha!
Anyway, thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
That tool you cut off is for taking real tough Springs off but it wouldn't work on your car it's made for other cars maybe trucks that are bigger Springs you'll have to go buy another one now the spring and cap you push in and turn you can use needle-nose pliers or pliers
Yeah. That's what someone else said a couple years ago. So far I haven't needed it, but I'm kind of glad to know that it's not a flaw. On the up side, after cutting that bit off, it really was a lot easier to use the tool on those little caps than it ever was to use needle nose pliers. So I'll call it a win. Thanks for the info! And thanks for watching.
well, i just figured out why my new rear drums dont work, i have the adjuster spring and the upper return swapped and the star adjuster installed backwards
Emil Mikolon, I've done that! That sucks! Glad you found the problem, though!
i concur great video sir
Thanks!
Not emergency break -- PARKING break !!!!!. Video Is excellent and well done. A touch of lighting could help, the dialogue is very reassuring and understandable. Unlike some other videos (by others) the audio is easy to hear thanks so much.
Hey Thanks! Yeah, production value is always tricky while trying to shoot videos and fix something at the same time!
Brake, not break.
@@jbeargrr It's a taffy-pulling party at St. Peter's, not the other way around. :)
" little bit of grease" Just barely wiping some on the moving pin is more than enough.
Cool! Thanks for the advice!
The Part you ground off 11:09 is not for that , use it this way jeepin.com/features/drums/drum8.jpg