Handbrake help please

[psychonaut]

Hi all - I need some handbrake help. I've checked the wiki and done a search but haven't found an answer to my problem.

After replacing the rear wheel bearing and setting up and bleeding the normal brakes, my handbrake wouldn't work on either wheel. Following the Haynes, I pulled the handbrake up two notches and adjusted the nut on the primary cable until the pads on the offside wheel were just binding. Applying the handbrake fully, this wheel locked nicely.

However, the nearside (the one on which I've recently replaced the wheel bearing) is still spinning quite happily. So, I replaced the cable as that was looking tired (with a new one from Brickwerks), and it is still spinning freely. With Mrs P in the seat pulling on the handbrake, I can see that the cable is pulling on the bottom of the lever in the drum nicely, with plenty of movement, but for some reason the lever is not acting on the brake shoe and applying it to the inside of the hub.

I am all out of ideas now, can anyone offer any advice or help please? Thanks in advance.

[Oldiebut goodie]

You shouldn't need to adjust the cable unless you have replaced it and it has stretched. Did you adjust the brake shoes with the adjusters first?

[psychonaut]

I did, yes. I turned the adjuster wheel in the drum until the shoes were not rubbing the inside of the drum. I think I'll take the castle nut off again and recheck everything....

[jamesc76]

dont need to take the nut off the drum should come off with that in place!

[psychonaut]

Sorry James - I wasn't very clear there. I meant take the castle nut off to get the hub plate off to get to all the brake gubbins behind to recheck I'd out everything back together again properly. Except that castle nut I did up last week with the scaffold pole? I can't get it off now..... Castle Nut 2, torque wrenches and scaffold pole 0. Ever get the feeling you're having a really really bad day?

[kevtherev]

but for some reason the lever is not acting on the brake shoe and applying it to the inside of the hub.

.

Does the lever move?
if it does the lever should operate the adjuster that sits between the shoes.
if it doesn't then the adjuster is fitted wrongly or it's not properly engaged



the park brake lever (E) should push the strut with the adjuster wheel spanning the shoes, opening the shoes so they contact the drums

[psychonaut]

Thanks Kev. The adjuster bar was fitted back to front, with the long prong (at the handbrake lever side) to the front of the shoe rather than behind it. Divot of the week award to the fat Taff......

Thanks Kev, I reckon that's another sharpener I owe you

[Hacksawbob]

you only do it once!, got your upper return springs the right way around to? Thats the other gotcha, they wont self adjust if not.

see pictures at the bottom of the page
https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Br ... _servicing" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[psychonaut]

I did Bob, but only after I'd put it all together with them the wrong way round to begin with!! Thanks for all your help guys