Are there any tricks to replacing the rear parking park shoes on my 1976 corvette. These things are miserable they were missing on my car and i have the rear apart. I really dont want to take the trailing arm apart. But, this is looking like the only way. The rear hubs do not come easily. I think there is a special tool. I am trying to find it (should be easy i work in a chevy dealership). Has anyone ever done this before. I ahve all new GM hardware to go back on so I am not worried about the fit. I am just looking for a little Magic........lol

The "easiest" way is to pull the hubs.

Ken Styer

While you have it apart. Rebuild the trailing arms, bearings, e-brakes, & etc... Trust me, you will be glad you did. It is a pain to take it all apart again two years down the road... Do it right the first time. You will enjoy your Vette more! Lesson learned.

When I redid the brakes a couple of years ago all the parking brake parts were replaced. The hardest part (for me anyway) was reconnecting the shoe springs, mostly because I didn't have the right tool for the job.
So if I can do that job ANYONE can...!!!

I just went through this as part of a complete rear suspension overhaul. The parking brakes are fairly simple but the hardest part is the $#@&&#@! brake shoe retaining clips. If they make a tool, it's well worth the cost. I messed with hemostats and needle nose pliers for a long time before I got them on. Once I got the hang of the first one, the rest were easier. Good luck!

there is a tool for this and isnt really worth a damn in my opinion.. its just a flat head screwdriver notched in the middle. the reason it isnt very helpful is that all it really helps with is rotating the pin.. it does have a little notch up towards the main shaft and in theory it allows you to hook the pin with the keeper pushed in.. but theres not enough space to really use it.

When I ordered my SS complete kit from ecklers it came with the tool.. I spent more time trying to figure out how to make the tool useful then i did when I gave it up and did my way.

The tool for a normal car looks like a nut driver and slips over the keeper.. it wont fit through the hole.

I use a baby set of right angle needle nose to hold the pin and another set of straight baby needle nose through the hole to push and rotate the keeper.

once you get the first one done the other three are a breeze.. just make sure you dont have any impressionable young children around when you do this..

The easiest way certainly is replacing them as part of a rear wheel bearing overhaul or similar repair. You might want to think about new backing plates as well. 1 retaining pin on each side can not be replaced without removal of the backing plates.

Big Fish said: The easiest way certainly is replacing them as part of a rear wheel bearing overhaul or similar repair. You might want to think about new backing plates as well. 1 retaining pin on each side can not be replaced without removal of the backing plates.

yes it can... you just have to take the four nuts off the studs and bend it little but you can replace all the pins without taking the backing plate off... it definitely is easiet when doing wheel bearings.. but its not required.

if in doubt do it all..

it would suck to put them on and then pull them again six months from now becuase the bearings went out.