How the price estimate was built
What it shows: Our default range is $254 to $398; 3 of 3 published ranges overlap it.
What does this cost in your state?
California is the costliest state and Arkansas the cheapest; each square shows that state's midpoint of the estimate.
Lower-cost states ($283)MiddleHigher-cost states ($361)
What it shows: CA is the highest at $361 and AR the lowest at $283, across 51 states.
Counts below are complaints filed with NHTSA, not failure rates: a longer bar means more owners reported it.
Is your car affected?
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is under 50,000 (97%), against 60% for all complaints: the biggest difference between the two.
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is under 3 years old (77%), against 40% for all complaints: the biggest difference between the two.
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
76 owner complaints name this part.
Owners say the dealer could not fix or repeat the problem. If it comes back after a repair, ask what was tested before you pay again.
How fast were owners driving when it happened?
55 mph or faster leads at 53%.
Owners reported it most often at highway speed. Tell the shop what speed it happens at, because that narrows the diagnosis.
How serious did it get for owners?
Among the 76 owner complaints naming this part, fire is the outcome owners report most often.
What it shows: Fire reported is the largest at 3, followed by Towed at 2; the smallest shown is Injury reported at 1.
Which model years show up most in the complaints?
Among the 76 owner complaints naming this part that state a model year, complaints cluster in a few model years instead of spreading evenly.
What it shows: 2016 is the largest at 16 (21%); the smallest shown is 2023 at 2 (3%).
What do state inspectors fail cars for?
Among 8,738,476 initial safety inspections in North Carolina in 2017, brake components caused 1.9 failed items per 1,000 inspections, the fewest of the four components the state reports.
What it shows: Tires is the largest at 8.5, followed by Lights at 5.2; the smallest shown is Brake components at 1.9.
Are the parts for this repair getting more expensive, or only the labor?
The federal producer price index for new brake systems rose 36.2% from December 2019 to August 2026, while the consumer price index for motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together, rose 55.2% (BLS, national).
Prices of new brake systems, as shops buy them from makers, since December 2019, against consumer prices for motor vehicle repair. New brake systems: +36.2%; All motor vehicle parts: +17.4%; Motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together: +55.2%.
Has this part been recalled abroad on cars that may share it?
Manufacturers filed 2 foreign recall campaigns that name brake drum with NHTSA since 2015 (matched by the filing text); the latest, from Ford Motor Company in 2023-05.
| Filed | Manufacturer | Foreign recall no. | What the filing says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-05 | Ford Motor Company | 092 | Vehicles affected: 14 docusign envelope id: 2a672966-2a19-464c-b06c-bd6d3cde2e07 market: south africa estimated percentage of the affected vehicles 100% reason for this field action an incorrect drum containing pfinder 65-3 (cleaner used for robotic. |
| 2019-09 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 189 | If this were to occur, the differential oil may leak between the oil seal and the retainer into the rear brake drum assembly. |
How many lives have brake improvements saved?
NHTSA estimates dual master cylinders and front disc brakes (FMVSS 105 and 135) saved 217 car occupants and 201 light-truck occupants in 2012 alone, and 15,560 occupants from 1960 to 2012.
| Technology | Car occupants saved in 2012 | Light truck occupants saved in 2012 | Car occupants saved 1960 to 2012 | Light truck occupants saved 1960 to 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dual master cylinders and front disc brakes (FMVSS 105 and 135) | 217 | 201 | 10,559 | 5,001 |
| electronic stability control (FMVSS 126), the system brake work keeps working | 500 | 824 | 2,420 | 3,604 |
Which metro areas have the most stop-and-go freeway traffic?
FHWA's 2022 urbanized-area table shows the most crowded freeway lanes in Riverside-San Bernardino, CA (22,026 vehicles per lane a day), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Las Vegas-Henderson, NV, against a median of 10,257 across 493 urbanized areas.
| Urbanized area | Vehicles per freeway lane per day | Freeway lane-miles |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | 22,026 | 1,292 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 21,245 | 5,780 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | 19,820 | 650 |
| Chicago, IL-IN | 19,246 | 3,005 |
| Miami, FL | 19,023 | 2,579 |
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | 18,674 | 1,903 |
| Concord, CA | 18,541 | 497 |
| San Diego, CA | 18,437 | 2,016 |
| New Orleans, LA | 18,409 | 390 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 18,398 | 342 |
| Median of all 493 urbanized areas | 10,257 |
How much traffic do New York state roads carry in each county?
New York State DOT's 2019 traffic counts average 12,562 vehicles a day per station in Bronx County, 12,095 in New York and 12,074 in Queens, against 2,542 in the median county; this is one state, not a national figure.
What it shows: Bronx is the largest at 12,562, followed by New York at 12,095; the smallest shown is Richmond at 7,924.
How many miles does a car of my age really drive in a year?
In the 2022 National Household Travel Survey, US vehicles aged 10-14 years are driven an average 15,415 miles a year against 12,170 for vehicles aged 0-2 years, so 50,000 miles of brake wear comes up in about 3.2 years at the faster pace and 4.1 years at the slower one (reported mileage, survey-weighted).
What it shows: 10-14 is the largest at 15,415, followed by 0-2 at 12,170; the smallest shown is 0-2 at 12,170.
How often does this part fail a real inspection, by car age?
In 181,256 New Jersey initial inspections in 2025 of vehicles sent through the safety lane, 6.4% of cars aged 16+ years failed the brake test against 0.5% of cars under 3 years, about 13 times as often (record counts, not a sample).
What it shows: 16+ is the largest at 6.4%, followed by <3 at 0.5%; the smallest shown is <3 at 0.5%.
Check your car
Plan on $254–$398 per axle for brake drum replacement when the shop fits new shoes and drums on a midsize car. That is our estimate at the calculator's default settings, so a quote well outside it deserves a question. Vehicle size, part grade and the shop's hourly rate move it most.
What does a brake drum replacement quote cover?
Our estimate is for one rear axle with new shoes and new drums, so it covers both wheels on that axle. Drums are almost never sold or fitted one side at a time, because a new drum next to a worn one brakes unevenly. A quote that prices a single drum is either missing something or describes a different job.
Here is how the estimate changes with your setup, all for the same scope (rear drum brakes, per axle, shoes and drums):
| Your setup | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Midsize car, default | $254–$398 |
| Economy car | $203–$317 |
| SUV or truck | $304–$490 |
| Luxury or performance car | $375–$621 |
| Budget aftermarket parts | $233–$353 |
| OEM or dealer original parts | $289–$473 |
| Independent shop, about $100 an hour | $223–$357 |
| Dealership, about $175 an hour | $338–$512 |
Does the shop or the part grade change the price more?
The shop does. An independent shop lands at $223–$357 and a dealership at $338–$512, while budget parts land at $233–$353 and OEM parts at $289–$473. The drums are the same part class either way, so most of the shop gap is the hourly rate.
Before you pay: if the dealer's quote is your only one, get a second from an independent shop and compare the same scope, shoes and drums for the same axle.
Should you replace the drums or have them resurfaced?
Resurfacing is cheaper, and it is only possible when the drum is still above its minimum diameter, which is stamped on the drum. A drum that is deeply grooved, cracked or discolored from overheating should be replaced. A shop that says "replace" should be able to show you the measurement or the damage.
Our estimate prices new drums. If a shop quotes machining instead, expect a lower number, and make sure it still includes new shoes and hardware.
How do you tell the drums are the problem?
Rear drum trouble tends to show up as grinding or scraping from the back when you brake, a parking brake lever that travels farther than it used to, or a pedal that sinks. A shudder or a wheel that runs hot can point there too. These symptoms overlap with worn shoes, a leaking wheel cylinder and several front-brake faults, so a noise alone does not prove the drum is bad.
Grinding from the rear or a sinking pedal means have it inspected soon, not next season. Ask the shop to pull the drum and show you the worn surface.
How do you get a fair quote?
Ask for the quote in writing with the scope stated, then compare it to the table above for your vehicle type and shop type. These questions settle most disputes:
- Is this one axle, and are both drums and all four shoes included?
- Are the drums being replaced or machined, and can I see the measurement?
- Are the wheel cylinders and springs included, or is that extra if found?
- Is the parking brake adjustment on the ticket?
Then ask for the old parts back. Items the estimate leaves out, such as taxes, fees and any wheel cylinder or hardware found leaking or seized once the drum is off, are what turn a fair quote into a bigger bill.
What should you do next?
Run the calculator on this page with your vehicle type and shop type, and compare the result to your quote. A quote near the estimate for your setup is normal. A quote above it needs an itemized reason, and a second quote from an independent shop is the quickest check.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace brake drums?
One rear axle with shoes and drums runs from $203–$317 on an economy car to $304–$490 on an SUV or truck in our calculator. These are estimates, not quotes.
Do you replace brake drums in pairs?
Yes, both drums on an axle are done together so the two sides brake evenly. A quote for one drum should make you ask what is missing.
Can you drive with a bad brake drum?
Not for long. Grinding from the rear or a pedal that sinks is a reason to have the brakes inspected right away.
Sources
Data shown on this page
- NHTSA owner complaint file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- CalcScrape calculator model scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities data from 2024
- North Carolina Division of Air Quality, Vehicle Safety and Emissions Inspection Frequency Study data from 2017
- BLS Producer Price Index, commodity data for motor vehicle parts (series WPU14120504); BLS Consumer Price Index item SETD for the repair row file downloaded August 2026
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, Foreign Campaigns (filings under 49 CFR 579.11, public API) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA, Lives Saved by Vehicle Safety Technologies and Associated Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, 1960 to 2012 (DOT HS 812 069) data from 2015
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2022, Table HM-72 (urbanized areas: roadway miles, daily vehicle miles, freeway lane-miles) data from 2022
- New York State DOT, Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) Beginning 1977 (NYS Open Data 6amx-2pbv) data from 2019
- FHWA, 2022 NextGen National Household Travel Survey, vehicle file file downloaded 2026-10
- New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Vehicle Inspection Data file downloaded 2026-10
Terms: US government data, public domain.
Observed: records as filed; owner reports are unverified and are not failure rates. Modeled: our estimate, not a quote. Derived: computed from the records; an association, not a cause. Reported: figures as reported by the publisher, not independently verified.
What is our own estimate
The price range comes from our calculator's formula. Its parts prices, labor hours per job and shop-rate tiers are CalcScrape estimates, not a published price dataset. Checked against 3 established price guides on 2026-10-04: our default's midpoint is 6% below the middle of RepairPal's range ($327–$368). Methodology