My ka is late 2000/2001 i had a friend attempt to replace the rear brake shoes this morning only to find he couldnt as he needs a special tool to release a centre bolt. Is there an alternative to needing this tool without the risk of breakin the bolt? if not what tool do i need to get in order to complete this repair thanku Susi

susi, July 2009

THe Ford manual says do not remove the centre nut to change the brake shoes, you should remove the four bolts from the rear of the brake backplate, this removes the stub axle with the drum, and on refitting tighten the bolts to 66Nm the big nut in the centre of the drum requires torquing to 235Nm!!

nigel, July 2009

To remove the brake drum, its best to remove that large central nut. With this undone, using a suitable size socket, the drum pulls clear, revealing the brake shoes.

John, July 2009