Been fitting new shoes today on the rear. All came apart easy enough, following the haynes guide. Held the slave cylinder back, took it all off, cleaned the handbrake linkage, greased.

Fitted the handbrake adjuster back, put the shoes on, fitted the top spring (easy) and fitted the bottom spring (OMFG, such a PITA it's not even funny )

Went to put the drum back on and it won't fit over the shoes friction material.

I have undone the handbrake linkage so that isn't causing any problems and is not tight against the shoes. I can't get the drum on though and haven't got a clue why or what to do . Haynes says just put the drum on, lol, not much use to me.

Any idea, hints, tips etc to get my car back together? I'd imagine if i put the old shoes on with less material on them they would fit again, but they aren't legal any more.

Are there any adjusters to allow the shoes to move in? couldn't see any, and lightly tapping the shoes in doesn't do anything either.

Haven't started the other one yet, knackered and fed up now hehe

Help

Kristian

i think theres a ratchet type auto adjuster, iirc you need to flick the spring loaded catch down and it will reset the adjuster

i had the same problem on my punto, so i'm assuming the shoes are similar.

The adjusters are the disks on the shoe, its a friction fit, piece of wood and a hammer and tap the shoes inwards so the adjusters are on their initial setting.

Another cause can be the handbrake elbows being partially seized. See if undoing the linkeages at the drum end helps. Sometimes they'll need a whack to get them over the inevitable corrosion where the pads don't contact the drum, but it shouldn't be that difficult.

low tech,have you pushed both shoes in by hand to make sure the pistons are pushed fully home?

custard said:

low tech,have you pushed both shoes in by hand to make sure the pistons are pushed fully home?

Click to expand...

The pictures look like the shoes aren't in far enough.

Cheers

D

The pistons on one side haven't even moved out to contact the shoe. I took the mc cap off so there would be no residual pressure for them to move out too far.

There is no ratchet system in there.

If the adjusters are in the mounting point, that would make sense, i can't see any other adjusting system.

The handbrake levers were removed, weren't seized anyway, but a nice bit of High Melting and copper grease, and they move like butter, the handbrake linkage has bee disconnected, and they are not tight up to the disc, there is a gap just like with the piston.

Obviously the shoes need to be moved in slightly, I tried by hand, didn't budge, i tapped them with a rubber mallet, but they didn't re-adjust. I then tried on the other side with the old shoes, and before they moved, i broke the friction material from the edge of the shoe....not what i want to do to the new ones.

Arrgh, its a pain.

I'll give the other side a go tomorrow and see if I face the same problem. ITs has me baffled lol.

Cheers for all help so far but keep them ideas coming

Kristian

The problem is the adjusters. These are friction adjusters, the round things that locate on the pins. Lever both shoes at the same time inwards a bit at a time until the drum just fits.

If you are using your old drums make sure you grind off the lip on the inside edge, this is not required if using new drums.

Cheers

D

Cheers D,

I'll try levering both tomorrow, and hope all goes well I presume there is no way to pre-adjust before fitting to combat this situation?

There is a very fine lip on the old drums but otherwise they are still looking good. I will clean it up before I refit the drum.

Fingers crossed and cheers for all your help people. I'll update on how it goes, just hope i don't mess a shoe up as they are EBC ones, and I'll have to order another set if I bust it.

Thanks again

Kristian

Where would be best to lever as well, the bottom mounts against solid plate, if I lever the top of the shoe inwards, it will just pull the shoe away from the bottom. I guess the middle will be best, but if you know more from experience.....

Cheers,

Kristian

I usualy tap softly them with a rubber mallet until they sort of line up enough to get drums on, not ideal but a dman site easier

In your picture, the shoe to the rear (right of photo) is not fitted correctly. I don't know if it isn't on the raised pads on the back-plate or not in the slot in the handbrake lever. It might just need pushing to the center, and the friction adjuster will need to be overcome to get the shoe to move.

There should be a lot less piston sticking out of the slave cylinder.

Once they are in right, you may need to tap the shoes up or down to get the drum to fit. The shoes are not held up or down except by the drum and if they are in the wrong place they will get in the way and stop the drum going on.

kritip said:

Where would be best to lever as well, the bottom mounts against solid plate, if I lever the top of the shoe inwards, it will just pull the shoe away from the bottom. I guess the middle will be best, but if you know more from experience.....

Cheers,

Kristian

Click to expand...

Correct, the middle, as close to the adjuster as possible. Put the point of the lever into the groove on the back plate and rest the shaft of the lever, possibly with a small peice of wood in between it and the shoe, and apply steady pressure.

Cheers

D

It looks like the shoes aren't butting up to the adjuster. (pic on right side).

As D says, grind off the lip on the drum first.
Second, remove the cap of the fulid resevoir and press the slave cylinders back in as far as they will go.
third, make sure the shoes sit tight up to the adjuster, if they don't then level them into place.

If no joy, then you may be forced to use some gentle tapping on the drum to "Slide" it onto the shoes, once on, after you have been driving a while they should bed in.

Cheers



p.s. Drum rear brakes are a pain in the butt!

Horray, they are on

Thanks to rallycinq and his levering idea! The hubs are now back on, wheels on, just need to adjust the handbrake up tight again, gonna pop out and grab a ratchet spanner for that though as its far to time consuming with a standard spanner because its so restrictive in movement thanks to the exhaust shield.

I have put a pic on for reference for other people and the tool for the sring i made, Got the other sides spring on 2nd try, was really easy with the right technique

Kristian

Not such a celebration after all lol.

5 mile drive home, felt a bit sluggish after a bit, and once i got home both wheels were warm and it stank of burning shoe.

Now its cooled off its free again, but I'm sure once it warms it'll bind again.

Hopefully the handbrake just needs loosening slightly, 3 clicks at mo, maybe try 4 clicks. I hope thats the cause as both are warm. Otherwise I'll have to take them off again. Fingers crossed i don't though

Kristian

handbrake too tight sounds about right.

Let us know how you get on.

Cheers

D

Just took it off a bit, and now it seems ok, took it for a 5 min drive round the block and the wheels and back plate were still cool. Gonna give it a longer drive in a mo and see how it goes.

Had to borrow my dads car to take my g/f back to nottingham tonight though, grande 1.9 TD, so mine feels slow even though the brake are not binding.


Will give a final update soon, and thanks for all the help

Recon the shoes will have survived the drive? seem to work ok still.

Kristian

i think so, at least they'd have bedded in nicely, mine did the similar, but a quick adjustment on the handbrake cable and a short drive sorted that out