Brakes seized?!

[ronsrecord]

Well - managed to rev it out of seizure without too much damage to surrounding property!! First one side, then eventually the other. However - one side still seems to have some drag, is getting hot and still smelling after a run!! Might just have to get it off this weekend. Any tips good people?

[CovKid]

You really need to jack up each wheel in turn, and see which one/s are causing a problem so you know where to focus on. Its not unusual given the damp conditions recently but a short run normally sorts them. Rear hubs are held on with just two small bolts although trying to back off adjusters enough to wiggle off hub can be hard going and usually needs some clouts with a lump hammer to convince it to come off. Could one handbrake cable be stuck in its sheath I wonder?

If front, could be a stuck caliper. You need a meaty G-cramp to force piston to move with caliper unbolted. Tis possible I might be able to assist Sunday if you need the help. Long as I'm covered on petrol I don't mind.

[ronsrecord]

Hi Ralph - it's the offside rear which is still catching I think - all others are fine. Had a good drive around yesterday but it was still smelling and getting a bit hot - and the handbrake would get tighter as I was driving around. I'll have another drive around today and see how it is.

[CovKid]

Might be that one of the shoe retaining springs have broken. The problem you'll have is that with brakes, once you start, you may find you have extra issues along the chain - not so much expensive as time consuming and knuckle-grating. Certainly if I go near rear hubs and they've not seen the light of day for some time, I make sure I have a spare wheel cylinder and brake shoes if its a complete unknown.

[1664]

Long as I'm covered in petrol I don't mind.

Can tell you've packed the fags in....

[California Dreamin]

Once the initial binding is sorted the shoes 'self clean' the drum. The heavy return springs pull the shoes back to their resting position with the necessary clearance from the drums. Usually, the only two things preventing this are:
A seizing wheel cylinder, split dust boot allowing water ingress and rusting (actually not that common)
Or
The handbrake cable to the O/S is rusted internally not allowing the cable to extend back after release (again, the sealing boots on the cable ends allowing water ingress). To add to this, water can also enter the cable causing the cable to freeze solid when the temperature drops.

Martin

[CovKid]

Aye, they'd all crossed my mind too Martin. It may even just sort itself. I have a rear shoe that gives all the signs of being down to the bare metal but I'm inclined to just hang on until I have new rear drums and do a complete brake refit on the rear of mine. Its just too cold at the mo.

[ronsrecord]

Been working all day and didn't get a chance to drive the van around. Will do it tomorrow morning.

Drums are new (fitted a couple of years ago) so has been opened up, checked and cleaned fairly recently.

Could well be the handbrake cable!