Raybestos® Update

Raybestos Chevy Pickup Truck Delived to Grand Prize Winner

MCHENRY, Ill., May 20, 2019 – The Raybestos® 1953 Chevrolet® pickup truck is now home in Minnesota, having been recently delivered to grand prize winner Charles Ruder, according to Kristin Grons, marketing manager for Brake Parts Inc LLC (BPI). 

Family, friends, customers and members of the Minneapolis Fire Department joined Ruder at an open house lunch hosted by Brake & Equipment Warehouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota to see “Big Red” and meet legendary car builder Jeff Schwartz. Andrew Miller, director of sales for BPI, Steve Sontich, customer experience specialist for BPI and Grons officially handed over the keys to the upgraded classic truck. 

“The weather was chilly, but the sun came out and shone on the truck as we presented the classic icon to its new owner,” said Grons. “We congratulate Charles again and thank him for being a loyal Raybestos customer. We know he’ll enjoy cruising around town, showcasing his new ride.” 

Ruder was named the grand prize winner at a special booth reception held at the BPI booth during the 2018 Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Raybestos® Training Update

Drum Brake Replacement: Removing Assembly

Disc brakes have become a standard for many modern vehicles in both the front and rear axles. However, drum brakes are still common to find on the rear axle of many vehicles on the road today. It is still important for technicians to know how to properly and safely perform a drum brake job. In this video series, we will walk you through each step of quality a drum brake job.

In the first episode, we take a look at correctly removing the drum brake assembly.

Watch this training video. 

Before you get started, we recommend taking a picture of the brake assembly. This will help you remember where everything goes once you put everything back together.

Step One: Remove Return Springs

Return springs return the brake shoes to their resting condition when the brake pedal isn't applied.

Brake springs are color coded so you can match up the springs out of the kit. However, don't worry if the colors don't match the springs on the vehicle. As long as you ordered the right kit, the springs will fit fine.

We recommend using the spring removal tool shown in the video. This is an easier and safer method than a pair of pliers. Regardless, always make sure to wear safety glasses when removing drum brake hardware.

Hook the tool behind the spring and turn the handle to lock the spring in place. Pull the spring out of place to remove the spring.

Step Two: Remove Hold Down Springs

Hold down spring kits do exactly what their name says. They hold the brake shoes down and keep them in place. There are three main components in a hold-down spring kit: the springs, set cups and pins.

We recommend using a special tool, oftentimes referred to as a spring compressor tool, to remove the hold down springs. This tool allows you to compress the spring and turn the set cup so that the pin is no longer locked in place. This will allow you to remove the hold down springs.

Step Three: Remove Brake Shoes

Now that the return springs and hold down springs are removed, you can remove the brake shoes.

If you are re-using the self-adjuster, you must take off the adjuster spring to remove the adjuster from the assembly.

Step Four: Remove Parking Brake Cable Retainer Clip

If your drum brakes also act as the parking brake, you will need to remove the parking brake cable retainer clip. This will release the brake cable. This clip should pop off with by using a flat head screwdriver.

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