Knock Knock

[Oldiebut goodie]

I would make the brakes my first priority - when I bought my Merc I was horrified to find that the front pads were not attached to the backs! The guy that I bought it from was a marine engineer and hadn't touched the brakes although he had been all the way down to Spain in it. That and wires just twisted together (even mains) made me look very carefully at everything.Handbrake was seized one side also, how that all got through the MoT at all was beyond me.

[BertieWells]

Thats horrific!

Regarding the handbrake, mine will barely hold me when on any kind of slope. Always leave it in first now. Is that normal or can i expect it to get a little better?

[Smosh]

Thats horrific!

Regarding the handbrake, mine will barely hold me when on any kind of slope. Always leave it in first now. Is that normal or can i expect it to get a little better?

I dont think this is supposed to be normal and a well serviced handbrake will hold your van adequately; I would still park in gear. That said, mine is the same as yours and I live on a hill!!!

[CovKid]

In full working order it would have to be a VERY steep slope (45 degrees) for your handbrake not to hold you. I always adjust my rear shoes up prior to an MOT but sounds like you need a rear brake overhaul.

[BertieWells]

Fair enough, I'll replace the shoes and adjust the hand brake and see how it is then. It only just passed on brakes last mot so definitely needs doing

[CovKid]

Its not often its the handbrake needs adjusting. You just need to turn the star wheels (accessible through holes on brake backplate) until shoes bite on the hubs then back them off slightly. I generally wind them back so hub tuns more or less free again but just touching here and there. Pressing the brake pedal in between adjustments helps settle them. Handbrake adjustment is covered in the WIKI I think.

Its not uncommon to have to chisel star wheels to get them to move. If you do strip hubs, put copper slip on star wheel threads. Its not foolproof but it does help with future adjustments. In my experience the self adjusters don't work that well. A minimum of an annual adjustment seems the best policy.

[BertieWells]

Thankyou

[CovKid]

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Br ... _servicing" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Take your time doing it. You can wire bruysh backplates and give them a coat of Vactan if you like. Doesn't stop the rust on backplates but does slow it down. Copperslip is your friend for threads.