Rear Drums Sticking ..... Badly

[seboni121]

So the secret is: always ensure you are carrying a couple builders bricks for incline parking?? LOL (only kidding)

No just don't yank handbrake to much

[Rooted]

Actually there is a thread in the forum on towns and villages with very steep roads where owners often use Bricks or Chocks when parking,

and even still leave the Bricks sitting at the curb side for when they park in their usual space.

The Hilltown in Dundee is one road you almost certainly want your wheel of a manual car turned into the pavement, in Gear & with a good working hand brake, or a couple of Bricks in your boot.

 

As to Electronic operated Hand Brakes, what a PITA in my opinion.

Lets see how these perform as the cars get older.

[Fab Estate]

I have suffered a lot from this over winter but a sharp tap on the drums with a copper or brass hammer will soon release the drums. Surely drums on a 1.6CR is penny pinching on behalf of Skoda.

[rum4mo]

Plan ahead, always buy a car with 5 spoke alloys if it has rear drums!?  I think that it is time to clean daughter's rear brakes on her 59 plate Ibiza, they have become a bit noisy/grabby and the drums need treated to some more grey paint. Interesting or not fact, when dealer (Seat) carries out the annual service, at a very low cost, you can end up with comments like " rear drums almost seizing, book car in for this workshop task" - ah, that is why the cost of annual servicing is become quite cheap. Never mind, in my case I can clean them up, but as said already, an annual brake clean up is not a bad idea.

[xman]

The problem is getting those drums off the hub due the corrosion that welds them on. I gave up on the mk1 and let the garage do it, they charged almost £200!! for the job, that included new slave cylinders and shoes.

Need to do our mk2 fabia now it 6 years old. This time I'll invest in a big rubber faced mallett.

Remind me never to buy a car with drums again....

Edited 7 April, 2015 by xman

[xman]

Just a quick note, took our fabia estate for its 20k service and asked if they took the drums off to inspect. They said no, they just inspect, no idea what that means as I'm pretty sure there arent any inspection bungs. It would be £45 to strip and clean.

I remember being flamed (maybe on another forum) when I stated that afaik dealers never remove drums at any service. Just a way to ensure future income I suspect.

[fabiamk2SE]

Just a quick note, took our fabia estate for its 20k service and asked if they took the drums off to inspect. They said no, they just inspect, no idea what that means as I'm pretty sure there arent any inspection bungs. It would be £45 to strip and clean.

I remember being flamed (maybe on another forum) when I stated that afaik dealers never remove drums at any service. Just a way to ensure future income I suspect.

Main dealers might not, but the skoda specialist i use ensures me the drums are removed and cleaned at every major service.

[Fab Estate]

Took my Fabia in for a service today to a VAG specialist and mentioned the sticking drums particularly now that the winter season will soon be upon us and he said the brake dust when it gets wet dries to form a cement.

He said either tap the brakes with a hammer or put the car into reverse and give it plenty of revs. To me tapping with a hammer is the best option.

[Rooted]

The correct action was as they did until a couple of years ago, 

at the Major Inspection service, 2 years / 20,000 miles, remove the rear drums and clean them out, check the shoes. 

put a little 'white grease' on the back plate, make sure the adjustment was correct and working.

 

A little like too much work now, 

after all they want £250 or so for Fluids, Filters, and a look see and report back to the Owner to tell them the car needs Servicing and maintenance or hit the rear Drums with a hammer.

(£65+ plus VAT an hour, but there is that courtesy Car Wash and Vacuum, & no Drums removed)

 

Vorsprung Durch Technik.  

Let them DIY as long as the Service Schedule / Guidelines are followed and the Dealerships earn well.

[Fab Estate]

The correct action was as they did until a couple of years ago, 

at the Major Inspection service, 2 years / 20,000 miles, remove the rear drums and clean them out, check the shoes. 

put a little 'white grease' on the back plate, make sure the adjustment was correct and working.

 

A little like too much work now, 

after all they want £250 or so for Fluids, Filters, and a look see and report back to the Owner to tell them the car needs Servicing and maintenance or hit the rear Drums with a hammer.

(£65+ plus VAT an hour, but there is that courtesy Car Wash and Vacuum, & no Drums removed)

 

Vorsprung Durch Technik.  

Let them DIY as long as the Service Schedule / Guidelines are followed and the Dealerships earn well.

He did remove the drums and clean them and also replaced wiper blades and pollen filter which had only been fitted in January  which to me seems excessive to change them at every service.

[Rooted]

More like ridiculous and rather a waste of money unless required, and an easy mark up on parts supplied.

 

Wipers need changed as they need changed, a winter can tear blades.

Pollen filter is every Major Service, but then location location etc etc.   If its needing changed do it, not because you can though and charge.

 

?

Is there a reason you are Servicing January and August / September, is it on fixed Servicing 9,600 miles you are doing it?

[Fab Estate]

Yes, it was just a 10,000 mile service. At the moment I am doing over 300 miles a week. I seem to think it is easy money for changing blades and filters. I might try another specialist next time but I would imagine they are all doing the same thing.

[Rooted]

It is normal when doing high miles to have a Oil/Filter Service, but you do not do Annual / Bi Annual item replacements twice a year.

 

A decent Specialist / Independent should talk with the customer over what the requirements are.

Wiper Blades and Pollen Filter changed without the need to is ripping the customer off.

[Fab Estate]

Next time I think I will try another "specialist" VAG garage.

[rum4mo]

My only known "waste" while using a VAG indie was replacing the auxiliary belt myself as it looked like it was time, then handing the car in for a cambelt change 3 months later - and as a matter of course, that work turned out to include replacing the auxiliary belt.  I do agree about the very fashionable "change the pollen filter" bit as most people know where they are and can remove and maybe hoover clean them for another year - should be an option when booking the car in as some people don't do that job themselves, but menu servicing seems to be here to stay. Also as said that job can be "location dependant" - I keep trying to get the message across to folk that park their cars under trees to take time and remove any bits form the plenum area or some electronic modules could get flooded. I'm currently looking after and using my daughter's late 2009 Ibiza SC while she is abroad and I was more than annoyed when it came back from service with the quote to clean out the rear drums, I'm just getting it serviced so that she still has a book full of dealer stamps if that ever means anything now that it nearly 6 years old!

[lozparry]

Hi, my daughter had to call out breakdown yesterday as the car was stuck on our drive, with the rear brake (s) seized. It had been left for a day after been washed! Given the car is only 2 years old after a few attempts to drive off and free, I was not willing to try much more myself.

 

Friendly AA bloke (actually ex-colleague of mine from the Army) had to strip one side that was stuck on and clean up, luckily it was not the near side as that was up against a wall.

 

I will get her to call the dealers to see if they will look at this as my daughter claims this happened even when its not been washed but just wet conditions?

 

I have the same issue with my own car (discs) after its been washed, however I always do drive around after its washed to dry out, maybe a bit harder with drums to do I guess?

[fabiamk2SE]

Hi, my daughter had to call out breakdown yesterday as the car was stuck on our drive, with the rear brake (s) seized. It had been left for a day after been washed! Given the car is only 2 years old after a few attempts to drive off and free, I was not willing to try much more myself.

Friendly AA bloke (actually ex-colleague of mine from the Army) had to strip one side that was stuck on and clean up, luckily it was not the near side as that was up against a wall.

I will get her to call the dealers to see if they will look at this as my daughter calms this happened even when its not been washed but just wet conditions?

I have the same issue with my own car (discs) after its been washed, however I always do drive around after its washed to dry out, maybe a bit harder with drums to do I guess?

Yeah if its rained heavy or after its been washed it can do it.

I dont put the handbrake on overtight, just enough to hold the car, and sometimes not that much. I always leave it in gear anyway.

As ivr said before, sometimes after i was it, ill just leave it with the handbrake off and leave it in gear. My drives flat anyway

[2ndskoda]

May I permitted to have another of my brake rants.

Over the years the biggest cause of hand brake problems were caused by people pulling up the brake cables WITHOUT FIRST ensuring that the drums and mechanisms were freely operating, and the self adjustment has taken place. Pulling up the cables destroys the geometry of the rear brake system. The consequence is that the full travel and return of the drum mechanism is shortened/ impaired.

 

Can I also say that many people use an aerosol propelled 'brake cleaner' - I have never rated this. It produces a glue like substance, and does not remove the dust, and can add to the problem.

It's too risky to blow away with an airline these days, BUT the use of a small vacuum cleaner does the trick admirably.

Rant over!

Edited 14 September, 2015 by 2ndskoda