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I’ve a 2007 Toyota Corolla with 212k miles on it. I bought the car with 95k miles and today I did the rear brakes for the first time. I put on new drums and shoes, and when I put the wheels back on I adjusted the star wheel until I heard just a brush of shoe on drum when turning the wheel, each side. I then got in the car and pulled on the park brake handle several times, as I had read that that would actuate the self adjusters. It didn’t seem to develop any less travel, however. I then pumped the brake pedal a couple times, got a firm pedal and then started the car, only to have it go nearly to the floor with the car running. Would not ‘pump up’ firm.
My question is, do I need to bleed the brakes now? If so, why?? I did not open any brake lines or bleeder valves to do this job. I DID flail around with the shoes trying to get the new springs on (man those Toyota drums are tiny, the last drum brake job I did was on an 18-wheeler 20 years ago!) and at one point I saw a drop or two of brake fluid come from the wheel cylinder. This alarmed me greatly, did I burst a seal when the shoes were flailing back and forth around the cylinder as I tried to attach the springs? However, I pumped the brakes a few times trying to get the pedal to firm up and then looked under the car and did not see any brake fluid leaking.
OR, should I further adjust the self adjusters to try and get a better brake pedal feel? What really actuates the self adjusters on a Toyota? I always thought they actuated when applying the brakes while going in reverse. I’m afraid to drive right now other than in my driveway.
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