# Problems with Brake drums 2013 RS?



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

As you know I bought this car in May and it runs fine just some noise in the rear. I did notice after I bought, the rear shoes appeared to be "new"/just recently replaced with 50K on the car. The drum particularly on the driver side rather difficult to remove/reinstall. Been thinking should I replace drums or maybe need to be turned? Take to dealer and let them assess? As work done on car before I bought


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Either the shoes are adjusted a bit too tight on the drivers side or the park brake cables are set too tight.......either will make drum removal a bit challenging.
I doubt, based on your description, that the drum is the cause of concern.

Rob


----------



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

> Either the shoes are adjusted a bit too tight on the drivers side or the park brake cables are set too tight


 I particularly noticed the problem esp after doing like the other Cruzes I owned and adjusted the drums due to mileage and knowledge of poor adjustment. I am leaning more to problem with parking brake adjustment as I tried adjusting them back. Really not had time to inspect since. I did notice the drums were not "lined up" correctly with the screw that secured the drum that was missing. So I did line them up. Never adjusted "parking brake cables previously just the star wheel.


----------



## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

The drum might be worn in the friction area making it hard to pull the unworn area over the shoes without loosening the star wheel first, or rust on the inboard edge of the drum can do the same thing. 

The important part:
Does the brake drag when you raise the wheel and spin it?
If not, let it be.


----------



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

> The important part:
> Does the brake drag when you raise the wheel and spin it?
> If not, let it be.


No drag and car is fine I will let well enough alone and just drive it.


----------



## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

The PI# for the 11-13's was the passenger one IIRC. I'm on a medium that banned Techlink to try and find it again.


----------



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Patman said:


> No drag and car is fine I will let well enough alone and just drive it.


Well I lied, Today I had both drums turned at O'Reilly's for $25 and that corrected the humming noise Yea However I uncovered another or bigger overall problem: Seems the Z Link Torsion bar on the driver side is bent and can rub against the frame if hitting a bump/curb when turning left. Overall not a problem for performance drive ability. Thinking should I address or just drive and forget? As it is not bent dramatically


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

I don't have to make a suggestion.........you know that it will drive you nutz knowing it isn't right and you will be replacing it anyway, heh heh.

I give you two weeks......three on the outside.

Rob


----------



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Robby said:


> I don't have to make a suggestion.........you know that it will drive you nutz knowing it isn't right and you will be replacing it anyway, heh heh.
> 
> I give you two weeks......three on the outside.
> 
> Rob


Yea you're probably right you know me too well, it will drive me nutz(kinda like seeing cars with lights out). Probably just take it to the dealer tomorrow. and be done with it! Least I know/what the problem is!!!! I am thinking what it is doing to rear wheel bearing and tire wear. That is the overall reason I would fix besides knowing it isn't right.


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Patman said:


> Yea you're probably right you know me too well, it will drive me nutz(kinda like seeing cars with lights out). Probably just take it to the dealer tomorrow. and be done with it! Least I know/what the problem is!!!! I am thinking what it is doing to rear wheel bearing and tire wear. That is the overall reason I would fix besides knowing it isn't right.


Not so much as knowing you as being able to determine that we sing from the same hymnal.

Always trying for perfection in a imperfect world.......something like a bent.....anything, would have me visualizing all sorts of bad ju ju.

Resistance is futile (I heard that somewhere once)

Heh heh,
Rob


----------



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Yea yea, I will probably get an estimate sometime soon if not look to see how difficult for me to do myself?
"Appears" to be only a couple of nuts holding it on but I know I don't have the know how to move/readjust the wheel if it moved before getting a 4 wheel alignment.


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Patman said:


> Yea yea, I will probably get an estimate sometime soon if not look to see how difficult for me to do myself?
> "Appears" to be only a couple of nuts holding it on but I know I don't have the know how to move/readjust the wheel if it moved before getting a 4 wheel alignment.


It won't move....well, actually it might back to its original position.....right now it is under some tension. Most likely it'll come off harder than the replacement will go on because it is under tension. Most likely the rubber bushing(s) are kind of mashed because they are pulling on the axle.....and it won't give.
Anyways, these bars bend for one of two reasons: Either the car was pulled out of a ditch and was improperly attached, pulling on the bar, or, the car slid sideways and punched a curb with the affected corner.....this will deform the bar due to extreme side load.

The 'Z' link bars won't, in and of themselves, cause a mis alignment. The only thing that would cause mis alignment would be if the axle itself is bent and there is essentially nothing to adjust back there to compensate.
This would become evident if the replacement would not line up, indicating the trailing arm section is no longer 90 degrees at the twist bar junction.

Sorry, starting to yammer.

Rob


----------



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Today is the day: "Things that go bump in the night" will be fixed. Dropped the car off last night at dealer and they will fix the suspension problems. For what the repairs cost no more worries about that anymore!!!! Dealer wanted me to get a loaner/get a ride to work. I told them no I will get a ride to my normal bus stop by my wife and the bus will take me back to the dealer to pick up when done. There is no need for a car downtown where I work. Only thing is it will cost me $2.65 to ride to dealer on bus vs. $1.75 normal fare where I normally get off Hope I don;'t get off wrong stop and cannot find my car because at dealer. LOL.


----------



## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Keep forgetting can't quote. Wish it was that simple here to take the bus. I would only make it part of the way then still need to Uber/Lyft/Taxi the rest of the way. Would totally leave miles off the lease.


----------



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

The car runs smooth and w/o any type of pull or anything holding it back, just like new again. Maybe I under spoke or tried to rationalize the way the car really ran only because I didn't want to believe I bought a car with problems. To me it was well worth the $385 and I have the type of car I like(the 6M Cruze getting harder and harder to find for the price) I know I mentioned to friends that is why I usually buy new but over all this was/is cheaper and done no more worries


----------

