Brake drums won't go back on.......

[Winchweight]

Hi Martin,

the bleed was open just to rule it out completely as a contributory factor. The reservoir cap was also removed. I know they will need bleeding, but I was having so much difficulty I had to try.

The pads are from Brickwerks and they are usually very good quality items.

The handbrake cables were physically detached from the balance bar and were not exerting any pressure at all. The handbrake lever was free to move.

The drums went back on but had to be knocked into position with the heal of my hand and some damned firm blows, but otherwise it wasnt going on. Both sides were the same. So now they're sealed up and the wheels are on. I have pumped the brakes repeatedly, operated the handbrake several times and will try a short drive next weekend to see if theyre binding or if they've found their own position. If necessary I'll rebleed them.

[California Dreamin]

I did once work on a Bay that had binding brakes, turned out to be the return spring on the brake pedal wasn't fully returning the pedal to 'open port' position, so any heating up of the brake fluid would bring on the brakes.
The pistons in the wheel cylinder do have light springs behind then, not strong enough to push on the brakes but to ensure the pistons are always in contact with the shoes so they don't have to move very much to operate.

Martin

[Oldiebut goodie]

Bizarre why anyone would think slackening off the bleed nipples would do anything! There shouldn't be any pressure in the brake lines and as the ports are open in the master cylinder fluid can expand in to the reservoir if needed (that's why the pistons push back as the fluid is free to go back up the brake lines)
slackening the bleed nipples just gives you a further job of bleeding out air.
Martin

Bizarre it may be but experience has shewn that on the odd time it can help. There is no need for bleeding out of any air whatsoever. ( Think about what you are doing, it enables you to push back the pistons without the assistance of the brake springs, you don't need to leave it open ad infinitum. Pistons are known to stick after they have extended out of their normal range )

I did once work on a Bay that had binding brakes, turned out to be the return spring on the brake pedal wasn't fully returning the pedal to 'open port' position, so any heating up of the brake fluid would bring on the brakes.
Martin

And opening the bleed nipple wouldn't help in allowing the retracting of the pistons in this case?

I am presuming that you can't get oversize linings for our vans unlike my Merc where there are 3 sizes of linings for the drums, maybe manufactured with the wrong linings? (My drums are extra wide, possibly due to being a bus, and impossible to find new ones ) Like these:

[Winchweight]

The new linings were very close to the thickness of the unworn portion of the ones I removed, so in this case I don't think so.

[Oldiebut goodie]

Weird, seems like nothing that you could do would assist. Did you think of a 28lb sledgehammer?

[Winchweight]

Weird, seems like nothing that you could do would assist. Did you think of a 28lb sledgehammer?

Believe me I did! In the end I settled for coaxing it with the heal of my hand....

[paperhouselad]

I had something like this years ago, i filed some metal off both ends off the shoes, where they fit onto the adjuster and cylinder, not on a t25 though.

[what2do]

I had something like this years ago, i filed some metal off both ends off the shoes, where they fit onto the adjuster and cylinder, not on a t25 though.

That's a great solution that I would never have thought of.