Hi all - heard a loud clonk from the driver's side rear wheel when braking when almost home. Jacked up and removed drum and found that the lining material had become totally detached from both the metal shoes. Not heard of this before! Ordered and replaced shoes on both sides, released the little wedge adjuster etc. but cannot get the drum back on over the new shoes on either side. As far as I can see I've loosened off all adjustments so the drum should be able to go over the new shoes. The only possible cause I can think of is a possible wheel cylinder seized, stopping the pistons from retracting fully...

Does anyone have any tips on how to reinstall the drums or any clue as to what I may have missed? This is my only vehicle and I live in the middle of a forest with no bus service etc. so I'm basically housebound until I can get the drums back on.....

All suggestions very welcome, thanks....

The adjuster should be all the way up with the thinnest part of the wedge in between the shoe and the arm.

 

Handbrake all the way off and free.

 

Alignment of the shoes OK

 

Its easy enough to check the wheel cylinder, just move it left to right with a screwdriver.

 

 

Thanks for that - yes, the wedge is all the way up, handbrake off but maybe I need to slacken off the cable further as there seems to be very little free movement on the handbrake lever. Just checked the wheel cylinder and it looks very much as though the piston is stuck on the left rear wheel. Started to remove it, but noticed that the copper brake pipe also moves when I try to undo the connector so didn't want to attempt to move it any further for fear of shearing the brake pipe - any hints on releasing that too? Seems the more I look, the more problems I'm finding! I'll try slackening off the handbrake cable - I presume the adjuster is behind the lever inside the car?

Thanks again for the quick response....

Sounds like you need rear wheel cylinders too.

Thanks, just looking online for replacements. Any tips for removing the brake line connector without stuffing up the brake pipe? Looking at replacing the rear wheel bearings at the same time - may as well while everything is apart and they were mentioned as possibly needing attention at the last rego check.....

Plenty of penitrating lube and working back and forward.

 

But id be expecting to make new pipes up on a Felicia.

Thanks - I've put some WD40 on the union and I'll leave it overnight before attacking it gently tomorrow. Just ordered a new pair of cyclinders.....

 

@Sympol - What makes you think that "Water Displacement 40th Formula" is a penetrating or dismantling lubricant? I don't know about availability in Sweden, but I would recommend PlusGas as a dismantling lubricant, and getting a correct size brake pipe spanner.

10 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

@Sympol - What makes you think that "Water Displacement 40th Formula" is a penetrating or dismantling lubricant? I don't know about availability in Sweden, but I would recommend PlusGas as a dismantling lubricant, and getting a correct size brake pipe spanner.

 

Because it says loosens rusted parts on the tin?

Thanks guys - it's all I have at the moment without a 30km round trip by bike to the nearest service station, Ken!

Plus it does say it's good for freeing up seized and corroded parts as well as displacing water......

Yes, I have a set of 'proper' brake spanners - there's no problem loosening the nut on the cyclinder, the problem is that the pipe is seized in the union, so if I continue to turn the nut I'll shear off the pipe. I'll try it again after an overnight soaking in WD40, with a bit of a loosen/tighten motion to try to release the pipe.....