I realize this is dependant on driving patterns etc...Since I've had my vehicle ('97 Ltd.), I've never touched the rear brakes and am wondering if this is normal. I've changed pads/rotors on the front, nothing for the back.

 

Never touched mine either (1993) but I think I'm getting close to needing to.

 

I thought my rears were about due to be changed too, but when i took it in a few months back they said I had a "very long" time to go and that Toyota rears last forever.

It's a good idea to keep an eye on em though.

 

I changed both my fronts and rears for the first time at 175,000 miles. I bet the rears could have gone another 100k. the fronts probably had another 30k left. I had some braking vibes so I just did all of the brakes (pads, shoes, turning, bleed). If you do them yourself they are cheap. I hate the last thin brake material when it starts braking off and quickly disintegrates causing more damage /cost.

Keep the rears adjusted. While backing up in a parking lot apply/pump the brakes.

 

at 150k my rears were fine on half the shoe, nearly to the metal on the other half.

 

Isn't that's what the bolt outside the drum on the emerg brake is for? To adjust the bottom portion of the shoe?

 

No the bolt on the outside is to adjust the e-brake cable for that side,To equalize the pull from the e-brake cable,left/right side...But you should never need to do that..

Rear brakes last a long time,probably 120k or so if they stayed adjusted properly or longer if not...That and axle seal leaking...Whichever happens sooner..

 

Same here, at 91k the shoes still got plenty friction material when I compared them to the new ones. Kind of disappointing because the replacement parts for the drums came in first before the parts for the front rotors could arrive and those are the ones that need changing now, hearing that disc squeal. If those drums really last THAT long, I guess these new ones will have to sit on display for a time

 

got to 173K on mine ('02) w/ life left, but a blown axle seal is causing them to be replaced prematurely.

 

well in my old chevy, before we did the disc brake conversion in the front, the 4 wheel drum brakes lasted about 140,000 miles. had a hard time stopping, but they lasted.