Like brake shoes, is that it?

Yes, it appears that a "brake shoe" is the "shoe" referred to in the passage you supplied.

Here is some online advice instructing do-it-yourselfers to apply grease to particular points [grease zerks] in the brake backing plate once the brake shoes have been removed:

Apply brake-shoe grease on the plate at the locations where the shoes move (figure H).

Figure H is a photo where someone is pointing a finger at a grease zerk on a brake shoe backing plate.

Scroll down to Figure H photo.

This photo could be used as an illustration for the passage your friend is translating.

http://snipurl.com/fz01