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Autopapyrus · JAC N-series (1st generation)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/jac/n-series/rear-brake-pad-shoe-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

JAC N-series (1st generation): Rear Brake Pad/Shoe Replacement

On JAC N-series trucks, the rear brake is usually a drum brake, but some versions and trim levels have a disc brake. First remove the wheel and determine which type you have. The exact procedure and dimensions for your version (wheelbase, load capacity) are not documented in open service materials, so what follows is the general principle. Always replace brake shoes/pads as a set on both sides of the axle.

Difficulty: Medium Time: 1.5-3 hours for both sides Steps: 14 Tools: Jack and jack stands, lug wrench, wheel chocks, socket and wrench set, screwdriver and pry bar, puller or soft-faced mallet for the drum, pliers for the shoe springs, wire brush, brake cleaner, copper or ceramic grease for contact points, hose and container for bleeding

Part

  • 🔩 Rear brake shoe/pad set (for a drum brake this means shoes with linings, for a disc brake this means pads with plates) for your N-series variant. Also buy a spring and retainer hardware kit for the shoes, and if the drum or rotor surface is worn, replace it too

Step by step

14 steps
  1. Park the vehicle on level ground, place wheel chocks under the front wheels, and do not apply the parking brake. Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts half a turn.
  2. Lift the rear axle with a jack and be sure to support it with jack stands. Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack. Remove the wheel.
  3. If the brake is a drum type, remove the drum. It may be held by screws or may simply sit on the wheel studs. If the drum is seized or is catching on worn shoes, back off the adjuster through the access hole in the backing plate by prying the adjuster star wheel (ratchet) with a screwdriver. Break the drum loose with light blows from a soft-faced mallet.
  4. Before disassembling, photograph the position of the springs, adjuster links, strut (spreader bar) and parking brake lever. Do not breathe brake dust and do not blow it off with compressed air. Wash it off with brake cleaner.
  5. Remove the return springs and the hold-down springs with cups (push in and turn the cup 90°). Remove the shoes and disconnect the parking brake cable or lever from the shoe, if equipped. Replace the shoes as a complete set. It is easier to work on one side at a time so the other side serves as a reference for assembly.
  6. Inspect the wheel cylinder. If there are signs of brake fluid leakage (moisture under the dust boots), it must be replaced, otherwise the new shoes will quickly become contaminated. Check the dust boots and the backing plate.
  7. Measure the inside diameter of the drum: it must not exceed the maximum limit stamped on the drum. If it is deeply worn, scored or out of round, replace the drums as a pair.
  8. Clean the backing plate and the shoe seating pads with a brush, and apply a thin layer of high-temperature grease to the contact points on the backing plate. No grease may get on the linings or the drum.
  9. Install the new shoes, the strut (spreader bar) and the adjuster mechanism, then the springs in the same positions as in your photo. Connect the parking brake cable to the shoe lever.
  10. If the brake is a disc type, do this instead: push back the caliper piston with a special tool or a clamp, remove the caliper and bracket, replace the pads and anti-squeal shims, lubricate the guide pins, and check the boots and the rotor. Take the tightening torques for the bracket and caliper bolts from the manufacturer's specifications; I can't give figures here at my own discretion.
  11. Set the drum clearance. Fit the drum, and turn the adjuster wheel through the access hole until the wheel just starts to drag slightly, then back it off a few clicks so that it turns freely. The linings must bed in to the drum.
  12. Install the wheel, tighten the lug nuts by hand, lower the vehicle, and tighten the nuts in a crisscross pattern to the torque specified for your version. Retighten the nuts again after 50-100 km.
  13. Before driving, press the brake pedal several times until it feels firm. Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir and top it up to the correct level. Check that the parking brake works and adjust the cable if necessary.
  14. Perform a test drive on an empty road at low speed. Bed in the pads/shoes with moderate braking for the first 200-300 km, avoiding hard braking from high speed.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • The brake system is critical to safety, especially on a truck under load. If you have no experience working on brakes, have a repair shop do the job. Never work under the vehicle without jack stands. Brake linings and dust may contain harmful substances, so wear gloves and a mask. Brake shoes/pads must be replaced as a set on both sides of the axle, otherwise braking will be uneven and the vehicle will pull to one side. After assembly, be sure to check the pedal and the brakes before driving on the road.
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