Brake Spring Pliers Uses and Benefits.

If you work with many brake shoes on drum brakes, you already know what a brake spring plier is. It’s an essential tool you need to work on brake shoes. So, if you work on brake shoes or need to work on them, getting a break spring plier is the first thing you should do.

Don’t know anything about them? Well, I am here to help you out with that. I will go through a complete overview of the tool and even give you a little guide on using the tool. Without wasting further time, let’s get going right away.

Brake Spring Pliers

Image: Brake Spring Pliers

What are brake spring pliers?

A brake spring plier is a plier that you can use to remove a brake shoe return spring. Typically, you find this in the drum brakes of a car. It’s also used for installing the spring at times.

So, a brake spring plier is a tool that lets you install and remove the shoe return spring that you see on drum brakes. There is no other specific tool that can do the job as well as this one. It looks a bit different from the regular pliers.

Brake Spring Pliers

Image: Brake Spring Pliers

There are two different ends on a plier. You will see a socket end and a notched end. The socket end is used for removing the shoe return spring. And the notched end is used for installing it.

It’s not something everyone needs in their toolbox. However, if you have a car, it’s better to have this tool. Also, if you happen to work a lot with drum brakes or brakes in general, then this is a tool you should keep. It makes your life much easier in removing and installing the springs.

How to use brake spring pliers step-by-step guide?

The general use of brake spring pliers is for the drum brakes on a car. Other than that, you can’t get any benefit out of this tool for a different purpose. Now, let’s get on and see how you can use the brake spring pliers to remove the brake shoes of a drum brake.

Just follow the steps below, and you are good to go. First, I will take you through the removal process then we will get into the installation part. Let’s get going.

Image: How to Use Brake Spring Pliers

How to remove the springs from the brake shoe?

  • First of all, you have to start with removing the return springs using the pliers. Usually, the springs will hold the tension you get on the brake shoe.
  • To remove the springs from the brake shoe and shoe anchor, you can use the notched end of the brake spring plier.
  • Try placing the notched end right on the knob where the are springs are hooked in. Then, keep turning the plier until you see the notched end catching the spring.
  • After that, twist and pull out. This should remove the spring from the anchor pin.
  • Now, for removing the retaining the rings that keep holding the brake shoes in one place, you have to hold the outside of the ring gently. Then, you simply have to push in the rings with the pliers and keep twisting until you see the ring coming off.
  • There is another spring on the brakes, but no need to worry about that. It’s very easy to pull out without even needing the tool.
  • The last step is removing the emergency brake line. To do that, all you have to do is pull on the spring cover while sliding the cable away from the shoes sideways.

Now, this is the whole process of removing the brake shoes using brake spring pliers. You can also use it for installation. Well, I won’t be going through the whole process, as it’s not about that. Simply going backward from the removal process does the job for you.

I will just discuss when and how you have to use the brake spring pliers for installation.

How to use the brake spring pliers for installation?

  • You will need your brake spring pliers after you have put your brakes shoes into their places. Usually, you will need to put it back against the backing plate that you see.
  • Once you do that, you have to fasten all those springs onto your second shoe. This is where you will be using the flat end of the plier.
  • You will use the tool for prying the spring in its proper place and hook it. Make sure you are hooking it right on the top part of the second brake shoe.
  • Doing this should connect the two brake shoes, which is the purpose of using the brake spring pliers.

You may think that you can use other tools to do the same thing, but it gets much difficult in practicality. That’s why it’s best to use this tool instead of a different tool.

Advantages and disadvantages of brake spring pliers:

There are several benefits and drawbacks of this tool.

Advantages of using brake spring pliers:

There are quite a lot of advantages that you gain with this tool. It’s pretty handy with all its usage and benefits.

  • The removal and installation of brake spring shoes get much quicker and easier with this tool.
  • Using this tool is very easy; you don’t need any prior knowledge to benefit from it.
  • The tool isn’t that expensive; you can find them online pretty easily at reasonable prices.
  • Most of the brake spring pliers come with a chromium coating which makes them resistant to rust.
  • This tool makes your work effortless, and you don’t have to sweat too much to remove or install the related parts.

Drawbacks of using brake spring pliers:

Well, you can pretty much assume the drawbacks. They are pretty generic. There is nothing wrong with the tool in functionality in particular.

  • The first drawback is that you can’t use this tool for any other purpose in particular. The sole purpose of the tool is to work on brake shoes.
  • Another drawback is that they aren’t readily available everywhere. So, you will need to look up quite a bit.

Conclusion:

To sum up, any mechanic who works with cars and needs to work on the drum brakes will get used to this tool. It makes the whole process insanely easier than you would expect. And this is a beginner-friendly tool. So, if you know the process, you can use it without having any past experiences of using the tool.

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