Skoda Octavia 2002 rear brake troubles

[BigStevie]

Wow, just found this thread as I'm about to replace rear shoes and a leaking wheel cylinder, was looking for guidance re shoe adjustment... Simple enough, but there again I was a mechanic back in the seventies. You really shouldn't be messing with the brakes Mooseketeer, without being rude, you haven't a clue as to how all these parts work together and these are your brakes! Don't attempt to drive the car, big chance your re-assembled rear brake cylinder will give out and then you've a lot of work, hopefully not repairing collision damage!!!!! Get it sorted out by a professional!!!!!

[Jux]

Post is a few years old, but entertaining reading. Frightening but entertaining. 

[BigStevie]

I bought a mini Cooper S (old shape real mini) way back when, a lovely non rotted car with all the extras, twin tanks, big rev counter, rear wiper etc etc. The old boy who'd owned it was really picky and the car was well sorted. I came to take the rear brakes apart and the adjusters had been extended by welding tabs on them, this was so he could get his, as he said when I asked the old lad, 'monies worth' out of the shoes!!! So, even what appear to be fastidious owners will mess with things and make them dangerous..... Maybe just getting too old and cranky...

[mac11irl]

Mmm... he joined on 4/4/15

 

Last activity 22/4/15....

 

Edit - this is his only thread posted in too... last visit a week after his post.

I really hope he and his girlfriend didnt end up climbing a tree :(

 

 

I consider myself reasonable mechanically minded and capable, but theres a big step between changing an arb bush/ drop link to stripping drum brakes on your driveway..

Even if everything is 99% perfect after youve finished experience is where the 1% comes in.. especially with brakes.. to spot that tiny error that could be very important when that kid runs out in front of you..

OP admits to not being very mechanically minded, ploughs on regardless because he thinks he understands it, but doesnt even really know if he bled the system properly after the first attempt. Good god.

Edited 9 May, 2017 by mac11irl
Extra paragraph re activity

[Mooseketeer]

Such a lovely group of lads. I appreciate all the concern and really appreciate the tips.

 

As expected, it wasn’t terribly complicated to repair/replace/bleed. Never said I wasn’t mechanically minded, just had little experience working mechanically on cars because this was the first used car I’ve had that’s needed this kind of work.

 

Skipped taking it to a shop, because frankly it was too expensive for something that can be sorted out in the driveway with 6-7 hours work.

 

A quick study of the brake system suggested it’s a fairly straightforward mechanism.

 

all good. Skoda is running and stopping like she should. I just didn’t receive further notifications that posts were made to this thread.

 

good god to the guy connecting dots about when an account was opened, post made, and last active. True detective.

Edited 11 September, 2017 by Mooseketeer
Good god...

[mac11irl]

Concern for a fellow brisky is all...

Noone wants anyone to get hurt while working on their cars,

It sounds harsh/ bit of a leap... but i can say with a reasonable degree of certainty someone has ended up doing what i described :(