You don't need chocks, a block of wood under each front tire should be sufficient. All you really need is to lift the car on flat ground and put a jack stand under each side, then put the trans into N. If you're working on a hill, then you need to establish a means to keep the car in place, but it will not fall off of jack stands in your garage.

You are not taking the tires off, you are only taking out a lug bolt on each side. If you need to service the brakes -- replace the shoes, for example -- then you need to take the tires off. But if the shoes are in good shape and the only problem is that the handle moves to the top of its travel and the brakes do not hold, then an adjustment is needed.

Parking brakes should last the life of the car since all they are intended to do is hold a stationary load stationary.