Brake servicing tools

[Nicola&Tony]

Rob, I'd nearly finished tryping a load of info about how to use the lever (including a piccie) when me laptop crashed . . . again! . . . I'll do the tryping again later, when I have a bit more time.

Ok, this is just a bit of info about using the adjusting lever that Brickwerks sell, based on my recent experience of using it, but it's not meant to be a guide to adjusting the brakes (others on here are more qualified and experienced in that department, and there's a Wiki section about it as well).

The lever is used to turn the toothed wheel (arrowed in the photo) on the brake adjuster, which controls the distance between the brake shoes and the drum. This can be done when the drum is removed, or when the drum is in place. One end of the adjusting lever has more of a bend in it than the other end does.

Use the bent end of the lever to turn the adjuster wheel from behind the backplate i.e. when the drum is in place over the shoes. There's a small access hole in the backplate and if you shine a torch through the hole you'll be able to see the edge of the toothed wheel. Put the bent end of the lever through the hole so that it catches on the toothed wheel and then move the lever backwards or forwards to turn the wheel in the right direction, depending on whether you want to tighten the brakes (more braking, more friction, smaller gap between shoes and drum); or loosen them off (less friction, bigger gap between shoes and drum) e.g. sometimes need to loosen the shoes off a bit in order to be able to remove the drum before servicing the brakes.

Turning the adjuster wheel from the back (via the hole in the backplate):
* downwards tightens the brakes (more friction)
* upwards loosens the brakes (less friction)


Use the straighter end of the lever to turn the adjuster wheel when the drum is off (which means that you've got access to the adjuster wheel from the front and don't have to go in via the backplate):
* downwards loosens the brakes
* upwards tightens the brakes

Easier than using a screwdriver on the adjuster wheel, imho.

Tony

[lhd]

Cheers for that Tony,much appreciated.
Rob....

[Simon Baxter]

There is the all so common mistake on the back drums that even "specialists" get wrong is that the main springs that hold the shoes to the back plate must be put on in a certain way or the spring stops you turning the adjuster.
The springs must be fitted with the bar part down, and the hook facing up where it connects to the back plate, get it wrong and you won't be able to adjust anything.
I have seen this countless times, usually going hand in hand with a torn back plate around the adjuster hole where someone has been over tryijg to get the brakes to adjust.


leading edge on the shoes, always.
Adjust a handbrake cable, never need to, all the adjustment is done on the drums, again something so called "specialists" should be getting right but constantly fail to.

[Nicola&Tony]

There is the all so common mistake on the back drums that even "specialists" get wrong is that the main springs that hold the shoes to the back plate must be put on in a certain way or the spring stops you turning the adjuster.
The springs must be fitted with the bar part down, and the hook facing up where it connects to the back plate, get it wrong and you won't be able to adjust anything.

Like this? (Not my brakes). I "borrowed" this pic from an auction listing, but hadn't noticed the mistake until you mentioned it.




Tony

[Simon Baxter]

Exactly like that, yes!

[oldiguana]

arm with red westie on that one guys n gals.....a good pair of mole grips,or if its a bit tight i use a pair of long nosed pliers with a small groove notched out to sit the spring plate in.............

[weldore]

There is the all so common mistake on the back drums that even "specialists" get wrong is that the main springs that hold the shoes to the back plate must be put on in a certain way or the spring stops you turning the adjuster.
The springs must be fitted with the bar part down, and the hook facing up where it connects to the back plate, get it wrong and you won't be able to adjust anything.

Like this? (Not my brakes). I "borrowed" this pic from an auction listing, but hadn't noticed the mistake until you mentioned it.




Tony

i did mines last week too and they were on upside down like in the photo,put them the right way and my handbrake is now a 2 notcher and its on
oh i just used some long nosed pliers and a bit of faith

[Simon Baxter]

I prefer the proper tool for the hold down spring cap thingies, but horses for corses.
I have used long nose moleys, I prefer the right tool TBH.

[Nicola&Tony]

Also...I was always taught to put a small taper on the brake lining leading edge to prevent the brakes from snatching when applied (the leading shoes is the left on in the picture, this shoes does most of the work (about 70%) as it has self servo action...pulls itself into the drum when operated)

Apologies for my ignorance but I'm trying to work out what this looks like. Our back brakes (or possibly just one of them), have started to go on with a bit of a "clunk" noise once I've been driving for a few miles.

Does the leading edge go on the curved edge that is furthest away from the backplate? Only on the leading shoe? Will an ordinary metalwork file do the job?

Cheers

Tony

[Red Westie]

OK....these aren't from a T25 but I've taken a picture to illustrate what I mean wnen I say 'taper' the leading edge of the shoe.
To show it clearly I've taken the picture upside down so the bottom of the picture is really the top of the shoes.
On a single leading shoe arrangement (as with the T25) you taper the top edge with a course file about 10mm in on the leading shoe (thats the one that HASN'T got the hand brake lever attached) this minimises brake snatch due to the self servo action of the leading shoe.
See the white shaded area on the edge of the shoe, bottom left in the picture. (I do both top edges because the brakes can sometimes snatch when braking in reverse) it doesn't do any harm.



Hope this helps
Martin

[Nicola&Tony]

Very hepful photo and explanation, thanks Martin. The shoes that I fitted came from vw and judging by the photo at the top of this page, they already have some taper on these ends. If the clunking noise doesn't settle down I'll make the taper a bit wider.

Thanks again.

Tony