20 replies to this topic

[samsfern]

hi, i just replaced the rear brake shoes on me 98 ford fiesta, now have excessive pedal travel, i presume they need adjusting, but how do i do that?? thanks guys.

[BoboGib]

hi, i just replaced the rear brake shoes on me 98 ford fiesta, now have excessive pedal travel, i presume they need adjusting, but how do i do that?? thanks guys.

If I remember right they should be self adjusting (read never works). there should be an adjusting bar which goes between the shoes which will have a ratchet on it. Easiest way to adjust is to put 2 screwdrivers on the inside of the shoes, either side of the wheel cylinder and gently ease apart. If you go to far then just click the ratchet back. If i'm wrong then completely ignore me as its been a long time since I did fiesta back brakes.

[samsfern]

thanks, ive just had the drums off again, got someone to put their foot on the brake while i checked to see if the adjusters work, they do work, then again with the drum on, to see if the brakes worked, they do, ive still got excessive pedal movement, would it be worth a go at bleeding them? but it may be me being paranoid, or simply that im used to un-servoed mini brakes?

[BoboGib]

You will still need to adjust them to suit the drums.

[kez_19]

from what i can remember you have to adjust them in to the shoes as said to do this you put a flat blade screw driver in-between the right hand shoe as you look at them and the wheel cylinder and move the show out until the adjuster moved (it should click) but if not then only a little at a time every time you do this you will need to put the drum back on again until it get really tight to get on but can still turn when fully pushed in then do the same on the other side

good luck

michael

[cambiker71]

Override the self adjusters and set them to be just about touching the drum, the pedal will feel long for the first few days of use until the shoes have run in properly, sometimes feels very much like the brakes will need bleeding. Obviously make sure you've assembled everything correctly, if so and theres no leaks then a little use will bring it back to normal feel. Take it easy for the first couple of hundred miles to allow everything to bed in nicely.

[samsfern]

lol, take it easy, ermmmmm.....

when i refitted the drum, it was almost impossible to get on, so i knocked the adjuster back a few clicks, until i could just about get the drum back on, i think ill give it a few days and see what happens.... thanks

[cambiker71]

lol, take it easy, ermmmmm.....

when i refitted the drum, it was almost impossible to get on, so i knocked the adjuster back a few clicks, until i could just about get the drum back on, i think ill give it a few days and see what happens.... thanks

If you don't treat them gently at first then they'll glaze up and not bed in properly, but it sounds like you've done it right so far so let them run in, often it only takes a few miles of use to start getting better.

[davidv]

I would adjust them with drum off to a point where you can just get the drum back on by hand.

[Yoda]

Morning Sam.

When you had the drums off, was there a bit of a lip around the edge? this is normal due to general wear and can make the drum tight to go on, but then needing adjustment for use. One trick is to carefully grind off the lipped edge without touching the braking surface with the grinder, then adjust the brakes to make a nice snug fit and you should be sorted. If the lip is huge, then the drums need replacing. as no amount of adjustment will give you back the right pedal travel without the cylinders popping and giving you no brakes at all.

On a car that age, it will be well worth bleeding the brakes through with nice fresh fluid anyway! at least you will know the hydraulic system has no air or muck in it and the problem is likely to be mechanical.

[davidv]

Sounds good to me above.Even a round file on the lip.You can also file the outer edge of the shoes not the surface just to help the drums on.On some a few good hard tugs on the hand brake help with rears.

[Boycie]

If it's not adjustment or trapped air in the system, it's probably a master cylinder fault.

[The Matt]

Slacken handbrake cable adjusment right off
Put shoes to minimum adjustment on the ratchet and pawl
Put drums on
Get mate to press pedal (put your head near the back of the car, you should hear the adjuster clicking)
Adjust handbrake cable back up
Try car

Simples.

Yes, you could have a ridge on your drums. If that's the case, buy new drums, they're cheap. The reason there's a ridge is that the drum is worn. It ain't worth the hassle of grinding the lip off.

[Jordie]

Got one of these in our household.

Way I do them is

Slacken handbrake fully off
Adjust shoes so drum just fits over, using 2 screw drivers.

The adjusters are crap, so either fit new ones or do my little trick. A dab of weld on the adjuster mechanism so it wont else adjust backwards. This stops the rachet mechanism slipping back and loosing adjustment as the blob of weld stops it.

Refit drums, press brakes afew times and adjust handbrake.

Works for me!
Jordie

[samsfern]

thanks guys, how do i adjust/slacken the handbrake though?