Rear Drum Brakes

[fredsajs]

Can any member shed light on my new problem ?.
I have a mk3 Cortina Berlinetta with 9" rear drum brakes with new shoes fitted.
The problem I have is with the handbrake.
Having readjusted cable to now allow handbrake to hold car in a downwood accent on 3/5 clicks.
The handbrake will not hold car on a upward accent on same clicks (slows it on 5/strained 7 clicks), but cannot hold it even on slight acent.
Have completed 100+ miles since fitting new shoes, Have tried new springs and shoe stays and now as it didnot make any differance have refitted old springs etc without any joy.
Replacement shoes were supplied from Burton Mail order spares.
Have tried several drive fast reverse and hitting brakes to force automatic adjusters to advance and same forward, in case it might be them.
Result still as above stated.
Any comments please.

[CompoSimmonite]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

I had similar problem with my old 740 Volvo that failed MOT on handbrake. New shoes and cables didn't help. Turned out drums (the rear drum and disc is combined on the Volvo) worn and a replacements got them working to MOT standard.

Paul H

[Tony Stott]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

years ago, similar problem with a golf mk 2 rear brakes, turned out it had been driven with the h/brake on and the heat generated had polished and hardened the surface, again new drums solved the prob!

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

I too had this on a capri. It was down to glazed drums as Tony says. I managed to clean them off with glass paper

[Tony Stott]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

had to replace mine, the surfaces had blued - I hasten to add not by me, the car had been recently purchased from back st merchant, says it all really!!

[lil_red_roadster]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

Beginning to regret flogging my spare drums to Ben a couple of years ago...despite good shoes and a new cable my Roadster only just squeaked through its MOT today with a marginal hand-brake.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

congrats on the MOT Jez

[lil_red_roadster]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

Cheers Cameron. Fluffy the demon dog says thanks for the bones & hopes you got what you needed from the cave while he was otherwise occupied.

[danny_nelson]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

Interesting, have a look at your leading and trailing edges of the shoes, and have a look at the drums. Then look for any rotational movement there may be on the shoes, or indeed if there is any kind of movement present. However the first two items are the most probable.

[Dane_Rescueman]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

Hi Danny. In an old Pitstop I noticed an article about the handbrake. The gist is that the handbrake lever pushes a flat steel bar to operate an idler bellcrank which then pulls on the handbrake cables. This steel bar whist being over an inch wide is only about one eighth of an inch thick and also has a bit of a bend in it. When applying the handbrake this steel strip is pushed to operate the bellcrank. The strip can bow and be rather springy to prevent full pressure to be applied to the bellcrank. In the '90s I remember people writing in to say that some MoT inspectors were not too happy with this. I have welded another length of steel along and at right angles to the bottom edge to make it appear like an angle section. This is no longer springy and is very rigid. It is not quite as simple as all that as the new metal has to be filed or ground away in places to allow a good clearance for the prop-shaft UJ but I have found that it is worth the hassle in giving me a very solid handbrake operation. Four to five clicks, uphill or downhill, locks up the rear drums. Good luck with it my friend.

[fredsajs]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

Hi Guys.
Regards hanbrake problem.
Having digested all thoughts given and striped readjusted and checked drums themselves.
The same problem is there.
If you jack up car , with the wheels off and handbrake on, you cannot turn rear wheels anticlockwise., but you can just turn wheels clockwise (just). However if you donot touch handbrake and refit wheels handtight on nuts, then again turn wheels anticlockwise its solid, but clockwise they turn easerly ??.
Reason for exchange shoes was last year mot found one slave starting to leak one side only, too which I replaced both sides and brakes were working fine but shoes noted badly worn down. So thought a winter project. Now I am at a loss !!.
Regards Danny idea of trailing and leading edges, I note all four new shoes do not have any chamfer on like the very old cars used too, but old linnings were same befor I thew them befor trying out new ones fitted. Any more thoughts .

[danny_nelson]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

I do not mind asking stupid questions. This sounds like either the wrong width of shoe or the shoes mounted incorrectly. Without seeing the job I am strugglimg to pin point the problem.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

just for clarity, we are talking about mk3 cortina drums? Arent they prone to the self adjusters siezing? Danny will know. Take a photo of the whole thing and let's 'ave a butchers?

[danny_nelson]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

Thats a good idea Cameron, and yes they will be self adjusting. Dane, and Bob, what do you think of this problem given Freds latest description?

[fredsajs]

Re: Rear Drum Brakes

Need to get some batteries for camara then after Mothers day trip I will post them.
However I did clean out the two self adjusters (one each side)while brakes off and can confirm they are working.
(It is a Mk3 Cortina with 2ltre large brakes)
Beginning to think like Danny that the shoes are mounted incorrectly, but they are per handbook picture, did check at time of change that they were of same width size, but didnot check length of linning on each shoe !..