Club 80-90 Forums

jamesc76 wrote:

AdrianC wrote:

California Dreamin wrote:Also: even though these are 'CALLED' automatic adjusters, you initially MANUALLY adjust them after refitting (adjust until tight, un-adjust until free with two further clicks for expansion clearance) handbrake cable slack to start with.

You don't need to.

When we sorted our rear brakes out in Sarran last year, we did no pre-adjustment. At first, they were a bag of carp. But they quickly sorted 'emselves out, and were bob-on quickly.

The thing to remember is that they only "self-adjust" when the handbrake's on AND you press the brake pedal, as with most other self-adjusters. Have a look, and visualise everything in motion, and it'll become clear how and why they work. The real key is to make sure that nothing's fouling, and that the thread and ratchet are clean and well copaslipped.

That third hole is for backing the adjuster off, if there's a lip on the drum that it can't/won't get past.

As both Martin and Me are timed served Mechanics we must have been getting it wrong then for years!!! Oh and Martin was a fully qualified VW tech!

<shrug> I only know what actually worked for me. Thinking about it, it worked twice - I had the rear drums off in Sicily, and left 'em adjusted slack then, too.

Well I can't say you are wrong but this way of doing things is not ideal. For one thing, letting the brakes adjust themselves means you would have to leave the handbrake cable slack and this would give loads of lever travel. The footbrake would also travel excessively as the rear cylinder pistons would have to move much further to push the shoes on. That excessive foobrake travel may create issues with the master cylinder seals working over the wear ridge.
As I say...not ideal and for the sake of 2 - 3 minutes a side getting the clearance manually correct....
Whilst I'm not going to say your suggestion is wrong we are trying to recommend best practice....aren't we?

Martin

California Dreamin wrote:The footbrake would also travel excessively as the rear cylinder pistons would have to move much further to push the shoes on. That excessive foobrake travel may create issues with the master cylinder seals working over the wear ridge.

That's very true - and it's something that's given me big problems in the past (bleeding a hydraulic clutch whilst change the fluid was enough to cause the clutch master to turn it's toes up. On a Sunday, nowhere near home...).

On the other hand, better to find out your rear cylinders are fubar under semi-controlled conditions, right...?

All good advice.....but as James pointed out, as mechanics we are expected to hand the vehicle back to a customer finished. I'm not sure someone who has just forked out a couple of hundred quid having his brakes done is going to be very happy being told...'you're brake pedal and hand brake might be a crappy for a couple of days whilst they self adjust'.......lol.

Martin

Kline, if you still have no joy i will come down and adjust them up for you mate , the adjustment is easy but as its all new the handbrake cables will stretch a little thro use

Most self adjusters dont work as they should, thats why we have to adjust them every service, not a big job at all

phil miller wrote:Kline, if you still have no joy i will come down and adjust them up for you mate , the adjustment is easy but as its all new the handbrake cables will stretch a little thro use

Most self adjusters dont work as they should, thats why we have to adjust them every service, not a big job at all

Phil did you receive my PM from this week?
dave

knine wrote:

phil miller wrote:Kline, if you still have no joy i will come down and adjust them up for you mate , the adjustment is easy but as its all new the handbrake cables will stretch a little thro use

Most self adjusters dont work as they should, thats why we have to adjust them every service, not a big job at all

Phil did you receive my PM from this week?
dave

Hi Dave yeah i did, i meant to reply but had a bucket load on, yes i will have them off you will arrange to call in later in the week

hah, thought I recognised that fencecrete tin