The installation and removal of vehicle drum brakes is oftentimes difficult and time consuming. Unlike the more simple disc brakes, drum brakes employ a complicated set of springs and retaining pins to hold together and bias the brake components. Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary drum brake assembly 10 is disclosed. The drum brake assembly 10 includes a pair of opposed shoes 12 which are generally crescent shaped and pivotally secured to a backing plate 14. A braking force is applied when shoes 12 are forced outward and engage the interior of a rotatable drum. A number of springs 16, also referred to as return or retracting springs 16a or adjustor springs 16b, are provided which bias the brake assembly towards an unactuated state. In other words, springs 16 bias the shoes inward and away from the drum. The shoes 12 are provided with holes 18 which receive a hook 20 of return springs 16a. The upper two return springs 16a are thus coupled to the shoe 12 at holes 18 and the opposed end couples to a pin 22. The bottom adjustor spring 16b interconnects between the shoes 12, and thus each hook is received in a respective hole 19 on opposed shoes 12. An adjustor 24 may be provided to maintain a constant clearance between the brake shoes and the drum as the shoes wear. Various adjustors are used including rods, cables, and springs. In the example shown, the adjustor 24 is operatively connected to an adjustor spring 26 and cable 28, which in turn are coupled to pin 22.
A pair of retaining springs 30, also referred to as “hold down” springs, are carried by a projection (not shown) and maintained under compression by a cap 32, as is known in the art. In this manner, retaining springs 30 bias shoes 12 towards backing plate 14.
Replacement of shoes 12 requires a number of steps to remove the numerous springs. Additionally, different tools are necessary to remove each spring, depending upon orientation and the type of connection. Still further, reassembly of the springs after shoe replacement requires still additional tools. This is made even more complicated due to the difficulty of working with springs under tension or compression. A mechanic is constantly reaching for different tools while attempting to assemble or disassemble the brake.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for a single implement which carries all the tools a mechanic might need while servicing a drum brake. Additionally, there exists a need in the art for an implement which easily and quickly provides the appropriate tool to a mechanic with minimal effort.