Volkswagen Vanagon Brake Drum Replacement Costs

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

Included for free with this service

Online Booking

Mechanic comes to you

12-month / 12k-mile warranty

Free 50 point safety inspection

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

See availability

Customer Ratings

Brake Drum Replacement Service

How much does a Brake Drum Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Volkswagen Vanagon Brake Drum Replacement is $413 with $185 for parts and $228 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
1984 Volkswagen VanagonL4-1.6L Diesel	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$865.15	Shop/Dealer Price$1028.95 - $1457.34
1990 Volkswagen VanagonH4-2.1L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$759.94	Shop/Dealer Price$893.64 - $1202.31
1982 Volkswagen VanagonH4-2.0L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$712.80	Shop/Dealer Price$858.04 - $1239.69
1991 Volkswagen VanagonH4-2.1L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$759.94	Shop/Dealer Price$893.54 - $1202.13
1989 Volkswagen VanagonH4-2.1L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$759.40	Shop/Dealer Price$893.02 - $1201.33
1983 Volkswagen VanagonH4-1.9L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$712.80	Shop/Dealer Price$858.04 - $1239.69
1983 Volkswagen VanagonL4-1.6L Diesel	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$783.16	Shop/Dealer Price$942.67 - $1367.84
1985 Volkswagen VanagonH4-1.9L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$649.91	Shop/Dealer Price$771.11 - $1070.10

Show example Volkswagen Vanagon Brake Drum Replacement prices

What are brake drums and how do they work?

A brake drum is a heavy, cast iron brake system part that looks like a shallow, several inches-high cylinder about 9 to 12 inches in diameter. The brake drum has a precisely machined surface all around the interior circumference, that the brake shoes make contact with when you apply the brakes, transmitting hydraulic pressure through the wheel cylinder. This forces the brake shoes outward against the interior of the brake drum, resulting in the friction that causes the car to slow. The brake drum is mounted over, and fully encloses, all of the rear brake components such as the wheel cylinder, springs and clips, brake shoes, and parking brake mechanism. The drum is commonly held to the wheel hub by the wheel and the lug nuts, but some configurations combine the drum with the wheel hub as one unit. Nowadays, a drum brake type system is only installed on the rear axle, if used at all, as 4 wheel disc type systems have become more common.

When to consider replacing brake drums:

Reduced braking effectiveness. If the brake drum is unevenly worn, scored or cracked, it will increase stopping distances. A cracked drum must be replaced outright but a worn drum can be restored on a brake lathe so long as enough metal material remains.
Pulsating brakes, pulling to one side, vibration or noise. If a brake drum is warped, is unevenly worn, or perhaps the brake shoes have worn down completely — creating metal-to-metal contact — you might detect pedal pulsation, the vehicle may pull to one side, or you might feel a vibration or hear a noise when you apply the brakes. The brake system will have to be inspected to pinpoint the exact problem.
Brake shoe replacement. Anytime the brake shoes are replaced, the drum must either be resurfaced or replaced outright. Installing new brake shoes on a used, unresurfaced drum will lead to poor results.
Loss of parking brake function. The parking brake locks the brake shoes against the brake drum. If the brake drum is cracked, the parking brake lever will pull up excessively and the car may still be able to roll. However, a more common circumstance is parking brake maladjustment or seizure of parking brake components. Repair of those problems will often require removal of the brake drum.

How do mechanics replace brake drums?

There are two options when it comes to brake drum service: outright replacement or resurfacing. In some cases, it is cheaper to replace the drum rather than refurbish it. In both cases though, the removal and installation procedure for the drum is the same.

Raise the vehicle and safely support it using steel jack stands.
Remove tire and wheel assembly.
Remove brake drum. Sometimes the brake drum has rusted to the wheel hub and removal of the drum will require a brake drum puller. In some cases, the wheel hub is integral to the brake drum, in which case the hub-bearing retaining bolt and the wheel bearing must be removed to replace the drum.
Measure the interior diameter of the machined surface in the drum with a brake drum micrometer or similar measuring tool. If sufficient metal exists to resurface the drum on a brake lathe, the mechanic will compare the cost of such restoration to the alternative: buying a new drum.
Prior to installing the resurfaced or new drum, the brake shoes, springs, wheel cylinder, parking brake mechanism, and backing plate are all inspected. All worn parts should be replaced. Generally, if drums have been replaced or resurfaced, new brake shoes should be installed. The worn shoes will cause irregular wear in the brake drum and reduce braking effectiveness.
The shoes are adjusted and the drum is installed. The wheel and tire assembly are installed and torqued in the proper sequence and the car is road tested to check the operation of the brakes.

Is it safe to drive with a brake drum problem?

No. Should there be a deficiency with the brake drums, stopping distances will not be as short as possible. In a panic stop, stopping just five or ten feet shorter could be the difference between no collision and a collision. Any deficiency in a vehicle’s braking system is a cause for concern and a potential safety issue. Have the brake drums inspected at your earliest convenience to determine if a problem exists and find out what must be done to fix it.

When replacing brake drums keep in mind:

With few exceptions, brake work on one end of an axle should be performed on both ends of the axle. Should a brake drum on one end of a front or rear axle be serviced, or brake shoes on one end are serviced, both sides of the axle should receive the same service. This helps to avoid problems, such as pulling, vibration, and so forth, once the vehicle is returned for use.
Brake drum systems use very powerful springs to keep the brake shoes in position. These springs are exposed to extreme heat. It is best practice to replace all springs whenever new shoes are installed. Should a spring unexpectedly break in the brake drum assembly, a mispositioned brake shoe could cause the brakes to grab and lock, which would pose a safety issue.
If the wheel hub and bearing are integral to the brake drum on your car, the mechanic may recommend replacement of the grease in the wheel bearings and inspection of the wheel bearings.
Since the arc of the brake shoes will not perfectly match with the arc of the drum when new, expect a bed-in period before maximum braking efficiency is achieved.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee

Meet some of our expert Volkswagen mechanics

Real customer reviews from Volkswagen owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(15)

Rating Summary

15

0

0

0

0

15

0

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Scott

36 years of experience

909 reviews

Scott

36 years of experience

by Jim

Volkswagen Vanagon H4-2.1L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Phoenix, Arizona

Very thorough, took his time to go over his findings- very pleased!

Gregory

15 years of experience

21 reviews

Request Gregory

Gregory

15 years of experience

Request Gregory

by Ron

Volkswagen Vanagon H4-2.1L - Alternator Belt - Rio Vista, California

Thank you Gregory! He was on time and very personable and trustworthy. My first My Mechanic job and it was very well done. I will be back. Thanks. Ron

Leo

18 years of experience

127 reviews

Leo

18 years of experience

by Tibor

Volkswagen Vanagon H4-2.1L - Car is not starting - Summerfield, North Carolina

Very dedicated and detail oriented. His experience is also remarkable.

Kenneth

20 years of experience

792 reviews

Request Kenneth

Kenneth

20 years of experience

Request Kenneth

by Theo

Volkswagen Vanagon H4-1.9L - Smoke from engine or exhaust - Los Angeles, California

I am so impressed with the knowledge that Kenneth has and explained the problems with my 1983 VW Westfalia Camper in such a way that I learnt a lot about this Van's engine. He spent enough time to check, detect the problems and made suggestions how to fix the issues. I will surely call him back in a week for a re-check. He is courteous, professional and a good teacher.

Excellent Rating

(15)

Rating Summary

15

0

0

0

0

15

0

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

How Long Does a Water Pump Pulley Last?

The The pulleys and drive belts on a car help to ensure that everything is getting the power it needs. Without these components working properly, a car will usually not be able to run at all. The water pump pulley...

P0158 OBD-II Trouble Code: 02 Sensor Circuit High Voltage (Bank 2, Sensor 2)

P0158 P0158 trouble code definition Oxygen Sensor Circuit High Voltage (Bank 2 Sensor 2) What the P0158 code means The P0158 trouble code appears when the sensor has remained at a high voltage for too long. This oxygen sensor is...

P2135 OBD-II Trouble Code: Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch A / B Voltage Correlation

P2135 code definition Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch A / B Voltage Correlation What the P2135 code means This particular trouble code indicates that...

Check Hybrid System light on

Hi, there is a recall for Prius' of that year. Typically when this happens the car is not able to be driven so it sounds like your issue is different. A certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, would be...

Audi A4 engine not running smooth

The first thing would be to check the throttle body to see if it is really black from oil? If it is then you may have leaking oil seals in the turbo causing you to burn oil. This may also...

After replacing instrument cluster a/c clutch will not engage

You may have pulled loose the connector to the a/c controls or if you did not have the battery disconnected blown a fuse. Since the cluster is on the computer network and the a/c is also you should have the...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com