f-ing rear drums :facepalm:

[outtamymind]

a good rule of thumb is you will replace your front brakes twice before you replace your drums under normal driving.

 

[mrsilent13]

i replaced my rotors with slotted rotors and hawk pads at about 35k...and my front pads still have about 8/32nds of life....rears i recently adjusted...right now im sitting at almost 57k miles

 

[cobalt123]

brake drums=shit

 

[mrsilent13]

brake drums=shit

brake drums have better stopping power than disc...but less heat dissipation...and since no one really adjusts them...well they get lots of brake fade because the front brakes are the ones doing almost all the stopping...so the fronts over heat...so lesson here is...if you have drum brakes...keep them adjusted

so as long as they are adjusted....they work fine

 

[YelloEye]

Here:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-types/drum-brake1.htm

 

[ff_drift_lol]

i think just about everything's been covered here. another method of adjusting shoes is removing the rubber plug on the backing plate and adjusting with an actual drum brake adjuster tool. you can get your basic drum brake tools for about 15 bucks at pep boys. usually up is tighen. the adjuster will only move one way unless you release the auto adjuster which is attached to your parking brake, which is usually a quick solution to something like this. if you don't use your e brake at all, the drums will never adjust. if it's till not right, adjust it manually like i explained through the backing plate and spin the hub by the drum. give it a good shove and try to spin it. it should spinn free and smoothe, but come to a stop before a full rotation.

as for the squeaking, i could go on and on.

 

[FASTL61]

^werd

 

[ls1fbody]

Most modern brake systems (even my shitty 8 valve 99 cavalier) have self adjusting drum brakes.

Drive in reverse, apply brakes firmly. there is a little star wheel in there, and since the torque on the shoes is opposite of what they would see under normal forward braking, they adjust to take in the wear.

Believe it or not, this helps most of the time. If it still squeaks, pull the drum off and take a look.

I like to wear surgical gloves when doing brake work because brake dust gets under your nails easy and is hard as **** to get out. Gotta impress the ladies.

 

[FASTL61]

werd^

 

[ls1fbody]

Like Mike said, parking brake can also do the trick, just depends.