Mercury Tracer Rear Brake Drum Replacement Guide (1987-1999)

Is Your Tracer's Braking Feeling Off?

The Mercury Tracer is a reliable car, but its brake components wear out over time. The rear brake drums are a critical part of your ability to stop safely. Since these cars are now classics, original Ford OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts are nearly impossible to find. Fortunately, the aftermarket offers many quality replacement options that meet or exceed the original specifications and are perfect for keeping your Tracer on the road.

Symptoms of a Worn Brake Drum

Pay attention to these signs. They indicate your rear brake drums or shoes need inspection and likely replacement.

• Scraping or Grinding Noises: A loud scraping sound from the rear when you brake is a serious warning. It usually means the brake shoes have worn completely away, and metal is now grinding against the inside of the drum.
• Spongy or Soft Brake Pedal: If your brake pedal feels soft, goes down further than usual, or feels less responsive, it could be a sign of worn-out drums or other hydraulic issues like air in the lines.
• Reduced Stopping Power: If you notice your car is taking longer to stop, your worn brake drums may not be creating enough friction.
• Vibrations: While more common with warped front rotors, severely out-of-round rear drums can sometimes cause a vibration when braking.
• Parking Brake Issues: A parking brake that doesn't hold the car securely or pulls up much higher than it used to can indicate that the rear brakes (shoes and drums) are worn and out of adjustment.

Choosing the Right Aftermarket Brake Drum

For a vehicle like the 1987-1999 Tracer, a quality aftermarket drum is the best and most practical choice. Here’s a breakdown of available brands, from good daily-driver quality to economy options.

Good & Better Quality Brands

• Centric: A highly regarded aftermarket brand known for making parts that meet or exceed OEM quality. They are praised for precision manufacturing, which helps ensure a good fit and quiet operation. For a daily-driven Tracer, Centric is a reliable and popular choice.
• Bendix: Bendix is a historic brand with a strong reputation for quality and has supplied parts to automakers directly. They are known for using high-quality metals for strong, quiet braking performance. While generally excellent, some users have noted occasional balance issues on new drums, so professional installation is a good idea.
• Dynamic Friction (DFC): This brand focuses on producing drums that are 100% mill-balanced to prevent vibrations. They use quality castings and often feature a corrosion-resistant coating, which is a nice feature to prevent rust. They are considered a solid choice that provides good value.

Standard & Economy Brands

• Raybestos: Raybestos is a well-known name, but recent reviews can be mixed. While they produce parts to OE specifications using G3000-grade iron, some users have reported inconsistent quality on their lower-end lines. Their mid-grade or coated products are generally considered more reliable.
• Pronto: This brand typically falls into the economy or standard replacement category. It offers a cost-effective solution for basic transportation needs, meeting minimum requirements to get your car safely back in service.

Estimated Replacement Costs

The cost to replace brake drums can vary by location and the parts you choose. Since you should always replace shoes and hardware with the drums, those costs are factored in.

Frequently Asked Questions