28 replies to this topic

[sonscar]

When you fit and adjust the shoes periodically press the foot take hard and readjust as this helps center the shoes.Be careful with the brake pipe removing it from the old cylinder as you do not want to renew it if avoidable.Do not let the brake fluid reservoir run low.Enjoy and do not rush the job.
PS do not press the brakes with the drums off.Steve..

[coopertaz]

another vote for using correct tool for clip. makes fitting alot easier.

[john2502]

Cheers guys, got the proper tool as wasn't too pricey anyway so will give it a go with this.

[GraemeC]

Don’t bleed brakes until you’ve done both sides.

I would personally completely strip the adjuster mechanism out and re-apply anti-seize to threads and tappets.

[john2502]

Thanks Graeme. Will make sure yes.

Yeah seems like that would be a good idea. Hoping both the adjusters and springs are in ok condition. Fingers crossed.

Oh and i noted using mole grips to hold the cylinder in place. I have the specific tool now but will try with screwdriver how was shown on the video/thread

Edited by john2502, 02 July 2024 - 07:59 PM.

[john2502]

Afternoon chaps, well I finally got a little bit of time amongst the rest of "life" to take a look at this (in between the rain this afternoon) and just in time before the kids finish school etc. I took lots of pictures along the way that might be useful for future reference for people so will upload the whole process at some point start to finish for any idiot "drum brake first timers" like me.

 

Two questions I have, the bottom spring on the shoes seems to touch the handbrake lever, I've installed it as the instructions say with the connecting piece downwards (so as to not rub on the hub) but this just doesn't look quite 100% to me, have attached pictures which hopefully show this. Have i done something wrong/silly? and is the handbrake level suppose to touch the top of the rubber seals on the cylinder, seems it would rub to me.

 

thanks

 

John

 

Ps, those clips are a bugger to get on, but i did manage ok without the specialist tool (mostly because i didnt want to take the hard brake line off the radius arm). Not going to lie I was expecting a brake hose to be the final connection into the cylinder but it was a hose until the radius arm thena  bit of solid line, hence why it was kind of in the way of using the tool (didnt want to bend it away too much)

 

Hope those rambles make some sense.

Attached Files

•  drum bottom spring fouling 2.jpg   74.29K   0 downloads
•  drum bottom spring fouling 3.jpg   44.94K   1 downloads
•  drum top spring.jpg   40.84K   1 downloads
•  drum bottom spring fouling.jpg   35.99K   2 downloads

Edited by john2502, 03 July 2024 - 03:37 PM.

[Cooperman]

It's easy to put the shoes in the wrong way around.

[john2502]

Yeah i think ive got them right? No? leading edge which has the metal showing more should be where the direction of the wheel goes.

Do they look wrong way around?

[GraemeC]

Look correct to me

[john2502]

So, fingers crossed I think all I now need to do is bleed the brakes and possibly adjust handbrake. Other side was much faster now that i (very loosely) know what i'm doing. The other cylinder didn't come with a gasket which i didnt realise until fitting, which isn't ideal but hopefully not a major issue. Those clips to hold the cylinder in are a bugger but then when you do get them slotted in it's very satisfying. There must be a better design than that!

 

So i've tightened the adjusters so that there is some resistance when spinning the drum but can still be turned by hand (saw on youtube video to do this). So bleed the brakes now and then test drive i guess (maaaaybe not around the time the schools let out round here, just in case). Guessing to do passenger rear wheel first and work towards the master cylinder wheel by wheel.

 

I had a look at the current setup on the other side before taking it apart and the handbrake lever does seem to touch the top of the cylinder and the spring seems to also be very close to the top of this lever, would think you'd want decent clearance between each but ah well. Also the bottom spring there had definitely been fitted wrong way up at some point as had a little wear from the hub on it, in an ideal world i would have replaced the springs too  to be honest but will do that next time.

Edited by john2502, 04 July 2024 - 12:52 PM.

[john2502]

Just wanted to say thanks again for the helpful replies chaps. Road tested the car today and all good. This forum proving again what a useful resource it is.

Ps the trick with the molegrips and cylinder was a lifesaver, would never have been able to do this without this.

Fingers crossed for MOT next week.

Attached Files

•  20240703_141034.jpg   35.12K   2 downloads

Edited by john2502, 05 July 2024 - 07:07 PM.

[john2502]

Hi guys, sorry just a quick one, would you expect to have to re-adjust the....adjusters on the rear after a little bit of driving with the new shoes now on?

 

Can't tell if it's my imagination or not but brakes seem a little bit softer than when I first drove it. hard to tell definitively of course and MOT tomorrow will show if it's all in my head.

 

My other thinking is may just need to bleed again, as the front's do most of the braking I'd expect not to hugely notice if the rear's weren't perfect but that's just me thinking.

[KTS]

i'd say that's not unusual; there's a bit of scope for the brake shoes to move around a little and settle into their working positions after a bit of use

 

if you find you are constantly having to adjust them, then a bit more investigation would be sensible

[john2502]

Well, must have been in my imagination as flew threw MOT today without any advisories. Thanks again for all the helpful replies chaps.