How long does a brake drum last?

The front and rear brakes of a car are subjected to serious stress over time. On most older cars, the front brakes will be discs and the rears will be drums. Drum brakes on a car are an integral part of maximum stopping power. Over time, the drums and shoes at the rear of the car will have to do a lot of work and may begin to show some signs of wear. When the brake pedal on your vehicle is depressed, the brake pads at the rear of the vehicle press against the brake drums to stop the vehicle. Drums are used only when braking the car.

Your vehicle's brake drums are rated for approximately 200,000 miles. In some cases drums wear out sooner due to worn internal components that put more stress on the drum. As your brake drums start to wear out, they actually get smaller. The mechanic will measure the drums to determine if they need to be replaced or if they can be rotated instead. If the damage to the brake drum is severe enough, then problems with the brake pads will begin.

In most cases, brake drums are replaced in pairs due to the problems that can occur with one new and one worn drum. When a professional is hired to replace the drums, he will inspect the wheel cylinders and other parts of the wheel brake system to make sure the drum hasn't damaged them. Here are a few things you may notice when it's time to replace your brake drums.