Has anyone developed a good way of removing brake shoe springs without braking the little hook off the shoe.
I broke two hooks trying to get my springs off. These shoes are getting hard to find or are there good new ones available?
I do not know if that's the correct way,
But I just "fold" the shoes towards the middle.
(Holding one shoe on the right and the other on the left and folding it towards each other, like closing a book)
That way it’s off of the 2 pins (Axle pin and spreading/pushing pin)
and when there is no tension on the springs,
they come off easy.
I install it the same way-First install the springs, then holding in place and “Open the book”..
Of course better to put some very little grease on shoes inner ends before installing.
Don’t know if I’m lucky, but did it few times and nothing ever broke.
When I have to put springs on, I get a few feet of string or strong wire, fold it in half, put the closed end around the spring hook, wrap the other end ends around my hand and stretch the spring.
It hurts your hands a bit, but Iv always had success that way
That's a good tip Noam, I've always just levered them on with a small screwdriver. I've never had a hook break. I would say if the hook breaks the shoe was suspect and better it broke there than on the road.