Club 80-90 Forums

Right have tried to back on it and have yet again failed at the first hurdle.

Have loosened the castle nut and separated brake line and removed the two 11mm bolts but can't for the life of me get the brake drum off. Have hit it untill my ears are ringing and tried prying it from the back plate but no luck.

It moves freely and has the slightest wobble when trying to remove and from reading the wiki this might mean it's stuck on the shoes from being worn?

Do I need to adjust the brake shoes and if so is through the hole at 12 below the bleed nipple or the one at 3 covered with a bung? Click upwards with a bent screwdriver is what previous threads suggest?

E D I T: have since found its the top hole for adjustment so will try bending a screwdriver and see if that sorts it
Thanks again for any help

You could try something like this? https://youtu.be/7-9TTy7on7Y?si=AdnqlpHZg6-nCSDQ  Just be careful with the wheel bolts/ studs as you don’t want to shear them like the bloke did on the video. Yes I know it’s a Karman Ghia, but the principle is the same…..

Actually, probably wouldn’t work due to the hub carrier, sorry…….
thought I’d get that in before anyone else does……

Managed to get it off using a thin bit of bent sheet metal to adjust the brake shoes. Rain has stopped play for today though

Bit more progress today. Found the back plate was pretty much shot and bleeder nipple snapped off when I looked it funny.


That dowel was quite a battle to get out as well, everything takes so much longer when its rusted.

Anyway couple of questions, obviously need a new backplate and might as well replace the springs etc but should I just refit the shoes? Look like they still have decent amount of wear on them. Is it possible to fit a new nipple or easier to just swop out the part?

For the price of a new cylinder swap it out.
If it aint broke don't fix it, save yourself a bit of money and clean up the springs / adjusters etc. Copper grease or the likes to put the adjusters back in so they don't freeze up with rust.

Rebuild them back onto new backplates then just stick em back on the van.

I would check the drums for wear also - especially as you had to back the brakes off meaning there is a lip, (I would replace them myself).

Bryce wrote: ↑22 Feb 2024, 13:25 Bit more progress today. Found the back plate was pretty much shot and bleeder nipple snapped off when I looked it funny.


That dowel was quite a battle to get out as well, everything takes so much longer when its rusted.

Anyway couple of questions, obviously need a new backplate and might as well replace the springs etc but should I just refit the shoes? Look like they still have decent amount of wear on them. Is it possible to fit a new nipple or easier to just swop out the part?

Looks to me like you are missing the bottom spring, it goes between the two shoes. Or did you take that off already?

Goes here:

Yeh I removed it to get at the nuts, but did notice it was the wrong way round when looking at the diagrams and other videos. Not sure if it's a issue as was braking fine before I went digging.

Going to be like triggers broom when I'm finished with this job

Make sure you put the self adjusting mechanisms back to original sides.
I got them mixed up and ended with brakes getting loser

Progress update:

After having to cut through both bolts I've mamaged to remove the trailing arm and the good news is it in OK knick to me. Gave it a quick once over with wire brush and I reckon should be good to go after a spring mount repair piece and clean up and respray?

More sobering is what is left of the mount


Not sure the bar method will work given that I'm missing the outer hole so am I best sorting out the meral work around the mount and cutting out the old to replace with the new hopefully in the exact same position?

That outer mount has been wrecked for a long time, hasn’t it? Jeepers. It sobering to realise what will get through an MOT.

On the plus side, your trailing arm looks in much better nick than mine did. I’d think about plugging the wee holes on the seams just by the bushings, as you’ve access to a welder.

As to the bar method? As you’ll know I used my trailing arm to locate the outer mount, but I had the luxury of a level concrete floor and I was under cover so I had plenty of time to figure out the position of the inner sill (which I was replacing too) and the outer mount.

I don’t envy you… you’ve got more to cut out before you can think about replacing. I’ve pictures in my rustoration thread from April 2018 onwards if you want to see how much I had to get rid of…

Thanks, I've read through your whole thread with great interest including the the first guesses at completion dates!

I've got it sorned now and still has mot until end of Oct so hopefully going to use the better weather to get it going again. Just ordered the new mount so I can try and see what I'm working with. Got my decent mig welder and time although I would prefer to be under shelter.

As it stands I'm going to get as many measurements as possible then remove the jacking point and see we are. Scary to think I could of been driving around on that but I just didn't like the look of it even after the passed mot

Bryce wrote: ↑29 Mar 2024, 22:20 …including the the first guesses at completion dates!

I've got it sorned now and still has mot until end of Oct so hopefully going to use the better weather to get it going again.

Ya bugger!

I’m sure you’ll get finished by end of October, 20xx