<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247); ">And now they're saying some hydrolic piston parts are stuck out and need to be replaced and that this is what caused the brake shoe assembly to fail. WTF?</span>
<br><div><br></div><div>Tell them to screw off. OF COURSE the wheel cylinder pistons will come out, due to the shoes being destroyed (somehow during their installation and/or adjustment of the shoes). MOST mechanics do not know how to properly cut/sand drums / adjust rear brakes, which is what probably happened. </div><div><br></div><div>They may (probably) over-adjusted (tightened) the shoes (via the star adjustment wheel), making them heat up and crack apart (creating clearance issues), thereby allowing the brake cylinder pistons to come out. Wheel cylinders just don't go bad that way. They usually "seap" for thousands of miles, so IF they were bad, the "mechanic" would have seen it, since he/she must push the wheel cylinder pistons in and out to get the shoes lines up. </div><div><br></div><div>The only other way the wheel cylinder pistons is by installing shoes with a brake drum that has been cut too many times and is past o.e. specs. And if they did that, Ohhhhh boy... Sue-city. </div><div><br></div><div>Ok, just read some more of your posts... I bet they did not do a FINE cut (and then swirl) on the drums when they did the brake job. Often, mechanics do a rough cut (saves time, BUT looks/feels like a 45 record grooves) and then adjust the drums. The brakes shoes begin wear in the track after a 100 or so miles, and track like needle on a record player, thereby "slapping" the shoe against the backing plate -- hence your initial noise complaint?</div><div><br></div><div>They then may (my guess) have over-tightened the shoes (to get rid of the noise), which caused a heating condition, and destroying the shoe material. Finally, the wheel cyclinders pop out, due to no pressure holding them in... MAJOR SNAFU ON THEIR PART. Midas was anal about doing things right, when I was there... </div><div><br></div><div>I was Midas certified in brakes and ASE, GM certified later on. </div><div><br></div><div>With only 3k miles on it, they would be stupid to create such (forgive the pun) "unwarranted" drama... </div><div><br></div><div>When u say:</div><div><br></div><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247); ">They loosened the calipers and sent me on my way.</span>
</div><div><br></div><div>You mean wheel cylinder, right? The calipers/pads are on the front, drumes/shoes on the rear. Unless you have calipers/discs all around, then you wouldn't have shoes (unless the rear is disc with a little drum and little shoes inside that act as a parking brake), but you don't. <b><u>You have drums/shoes/wheel cylinder.</u></b> </div><div>FYI, wheel cylinders cost 20 bucks, buy I always buy a simple rebuild kit (just a springs and 2 rubber suction cups). Just scotchbrite the inside of the wheel cylinder, clean and install. Takes 5 minutes and costs 7 bucks or so. </div><div><br></div><div>These guys are terrible... They need to<b><u> fix it for free</u></b> and throw in sealing the differential for free... Tell them you'll contact your local DMV investigator, along with filing a B.A.R. (Bureau of Automobile Repair). That should change their attitude... Also, I'd like to know the actual mechanic's brake certification/training, if possible. At least call the BAR to ask for advice. Shops are scared chitless of the BAR, since complaints are permanently logged and investigated... </div><div><br></div><div>I'm a pitbull on a puppy on crap like this.....</div><div><br></div><div>I'm here for you, princess... - talking UP to you <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> </div><div><br></div><div>AJ</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>
