92 Civic brakes

My 92 Civic DX 4dr developed a click or clunk in the rear brakes at each
wheel rotation, and I would have got a brake job but (1) car still stops
very well (2) sometimes the clunk would not be there at all but might
come back again next time I drove it. Now I have discovered something:
When I put on the hand brake hard to hold on a sloped driveway, clunk
was worse. Then when I was driving along I pulled the handbrake handle
up and down gently a few times, clunk was eliminated. After 3 or 4 trips
using this precaution I seem to be clunkless.

Has anyone experienced this type of thing before?

Dail

 

Pull the drums off ASAP and have a look at the shoes. Sounds like you may
be almost down to the metal. Don't wait until your drums are wrecked.

 

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Your adjuster wheels are not working right, probably because the lube on
them dried out. Using the park brake has helped them 'notch up' and your
brake pedal probably has less travel now too, right? Rear brakes on your
Honda have something like 13 points per side (same as my CR-V) that are
supposed to be lubed properly, even if the shoes aren't worn out. You
should find a good independant mechanic and have them serviced.

Owner's manual suggests you should be using the park brake all the time
anyhow. Funny how it helped, eh?

'Curly'

 

Using the parking brake is what adjust the rear brake shoes. If you dont
they will not expand for wear.

-SP

 

do you work on civics much? the self-adjust lever is not connected to
the parking brake lever in any way - it works entirely by operation of
the service pistons.