TU4EVER

We have finally replaced the front and rear brakes of our Peugeot 205. In this article we present you an overview of the work. When we first drove our car, we immediately felt that the brakes were not in the best shape and we knew that they would have to be changed very soon. We ordered the parts and decided to do the replacement at home and without special tools.

Rear brakes

Step 1: Opening

After putting the car on wheel chocks, removing the rear wheels and releasing the hand brake, we removed the hub cap. Then we were able to remove the nut with a hammer and a chisel.

Then, using the hammer and chisel on one side and a wooden wedge on the other side, we removed the drum. We hammered the part for a long time and sprayed some degreaser to remove it from the assembly.

Step 2: Removing the old kit

Once the drum removed, we have access to the shoe and the lined shoes. Before disassembling the old brake kit, we checked that the new one was identical. We removed the two retaining springs and removed the handbrake cable with two pliers.

At this point, we would normally have to replace the brake cylinder, which we decided not to do because the brake fluid inlet was so welded by rust that we didn’t want to break the part. We will replace this part in the future when we change the entire brake line. We also protected the bearings to apply some rust converter on the flange to make it look better.

Step 3: Cleaning, greasing and reassembly

We then cleaned the flange, the drum tread, and the taper roller bearing well with brake cleaner. Then we dried everything with a clean cloth. Afterwards, we applied the high temperature grease provided in the kit on the places where the new brake shoes rest and some suitable solid grease on the bearings.

The next step was to do the reassembly. First, we reconnected the handbrake cable, then put the shoes back in place, properly aligned with the cylinder and the stop. After that, we put back the springs and finally the drum. The drum should rub very lightly and evenly when turned. On some cars, we can act on the automatic brake slack adjuster spring. This is not the case on our Peugeot 205.

Here is the final result before putting the drum back in place.

Front discs and pads

Step 1: Disassembly

To remove the front brakes, we started by removing the brake indicator connector and the pad retaining key. We also removed the metal holding parts, then the pads. We then remove the two screws holding the discs in position and we remove the old brake disc.

Step 2: Cleaning

We started by scrubbing the caliper and the part on wich the disc sits with a brush, then we degreased the surfaces with some break cleaner. Afterwards, we applied an anti-rust spray to protect the parts.

Step 3: Reassembly

For the reassembly, we just had to follow the procedure in reverse. We started by reassembling the disc, then the brake pads. We put back in place the key and the springs to maintain the discs. We finished by reconnecting the brake indicator.

Here is the result we get.

Warning

Replacing the rear brake cylinder involves opening the brake system. It is therefore imperative to bleed the brake fluid before driving again. This step is delicate because the slightest air bubble in the brake fluid circuit can be fatal. We will therefore devote an entire article to this maneuver which we will carry out in the coming weeks.

Parts list

• Brembo brake disc, ventilated profile, sport range: Brembo brake discs 08-2985-75
• Brembo brake pad set for Bendix braking system: Brembo brake pads P_68_010
• Bosch drum brake kit: Bosch drum brake kit (non-sponsored)