Drum brakes

[DaveyB]

Hi I've just come to fit my drum brakes having taken them out of the box with the bearings, suddenly struck me are they handed i.e. Near side / offside .or does it not matter ?
Any help greatly appreciated.
Cheers

DaveyB

[jps]

I was under the impression that drum brake shoes operated in such a way that they are 'pulled on' once contact is made with the drum. I'd assume for that to be true they'd have to be handed for the effect to work on both sides. So if yours are an identical pair they cannot be handed, if one is a mirror image of the other they must be handed - and then it probably will matter which one goes on which side.

Disc brake calipers are handed but it doesn't matter which side they go on as the way they operate is the same regardless.

[twinturbo]

Not come across a pair of handed drums myself.

Sierra drums are certainly interchangeable.

TT

[Ianr]

The drums may be but the shoes are handed, lots of brake material on the leading shoe and not a lot on the trailing shoe