hi guys

 

i have been having to top up my brake fluid, at a guess once every couple months. could anyone tell me what i should check please? 

there are no puddles where i park if that helps.

 

many thanks guys

If it has drum rear brakes then check to see if the inside of the rear wheels are wet with brake fluid.

It will only leak when you apply the brakes.

 

Thanks AG Falco

1 minute ago, AGFalco said:

If it has drum rear brakes then check to see if the inside of the rear wheels are wet with brake fluid.

It will only leak when you apply the brakes.

 

Thanks AG Falco

thank you.

 

im guessing i will need to take the wheel off and take the drum out to see inside?

If it is leaking from the rear brake wheel cylinders then it leaks out of the bottom of the drum on to the inside of the wheel.

You can normally see this from underneath the rear of the car, looking at the inside of the wheel/drum.

 

Thanks AG Falco

 

 

My money is on the rear cylinders. If they are leaking, renew the shoes too.

ok lets say its the rear drums, do i just need to replace a pipe or is it something else?

?

How old is the car, how many miles covered?

 

Has it had servicing of the brakes ever, wheels off, rear drums off, cleaned out.

Brake fluid changed at 3 years then each 2 years since?

 

First find the leak then see if it is the rear wheel cylinders, connection / pipes or whatever.

Or have someone do that.

Edited 11 May, 20197 yr by Skoffski

1 hour ago, froggy8 said:

ok lets say its the rear drums, do i just need to replace a pipe or is it something else?

 

As below :-

 

15 hours ago, spartacus68 said:

My money is on the rear cylinders. If they are leaking, renew the shoes too.

 

 

18 hours ago, AGFalco said:

rear brake wheel cylinders

 

And then bleed the brakes.

 

Thanks AG Falco

A clue of brake fluid leaking onto the rear shoes is that they are inclined to stick to the drum when the hand brake is applied for a period, for example, overnight. If there is reluctance for the shoes to release when you start off, more than likely that is the cause.

thank you guys, when i park my car, i never use the handbrake. i just leave it in gear.

 

i have just been to try take the rear wheel off and they are stuck on the drums. tried hammering it to loosen the wheel but nothing seems to help. it looks like the wheels are welded onto the drums.

@edbostan

Strangely or not Fabia / Roomster rear drum brakes tend to stick when the car is washed or parked after it rains even when the brakes are fine.

With fluid in them i find they fail to work very well as a parking brake and do not stick.

 

@froggy8

So you found out why there are regularly posts in the Fabia & Roomster section on removing wheels before or after each winter or both.

Be careful getting the wheels off, 

i am not a fan of the loosening the wheel nuts off a bit and moving the car.

I loosen them have the car safely set and then use wood, lump hammer or whatever is required.

Edited 11 May, 20197 yr by Skoffski

thank you again guys.

 

just made another attepmt to get the wheel off by loosening the bolts and rocking the car and lowering the car method but still no luck.

 

might have to contact my mechanic and see if he can sort out the problem.

BIG Rubber mallet from behind is worth a try.  Just don't damage the rims.

 

So when was the car given any servicing that might have included checking the rear brakes, even without the wheels off?

Edited 11 May, 20197 yr by Skoffski

1 hour ago, Skoffski said:

BIG Rubber mallet from behind is worth a try.  Just don't damage the rims.

 

So when was the car given any servicing that might have included checking the rear brakes, even without the wheels off?

i dont have a mallet.

 

it was serviced about a year ago. last time i took the wheel off was about a year and a half ago when ti was making a sqeeky noise so used air compressor to blow out any debris inside the drums.

19 hours ago, froggy8 said:

thank you guys, when i park my car, i never use the handbrake. i just leave it in gear.

 

i have just been to try take the rear wheel off and they are stuck on the drums. tried hammering it to loosen the wheel but nothing seems to help. it looks like the wheels are welded onto the drums.

It is the lip on the drum which catches the shoes. Mechanics show no mechanical sympathy and use a large mallet to release the drums.

@edbostan

He is not at the 'getting the drums off stage', 

not past the getting the wheels off from being frozen to the drums. (corroded / dissimilar metals with no barrier / grease...) 

im going to have another go at getting the wheels off after my cuppa. i might just need to put more force onto it when i have loosened the bolts.

im going to loosen all the bolts then go for a drive.

just 1 question, how come it doesnt effect the front wheels?

just an update, i have manged to take both rear wheels off but the torq screw which holds the drum on has been rounded off but on the passenger rear side there are quite abit of oil residue on the inside of the wheel and all over the drum hub but on the other wheel, it is dry.

 

im guessing you all are right about the rear cylinder so all i need to order is the rear cylinder and put it on as soon as i find a way to get the torq screw off.

 

is it as simple as taking the rear cylinder off and putting the new one on?

just about to buy the shoes and rear cylinder. 

 

i wont need to buy the springs will i?

 

Springs not normally required.

 

If you are doing one brake wheel cylinder then do both.

They are as old as each other and if one is leaking then the other will be not far behind.

 

If you don't, then when the other side leaks you will need to replace all the shoes again.

 

You need to stop the brake fluid leaking out when you disconnect/remove the wheel cylinders.

 

The handbrake adjusters will need loosening off and re adjusting up later.

Clean the whole area up with brake cleaner and grease up the landing areas of the shoes when fitting the new ones.

 

You then need to bleed the brake fluid after to remove and air/old brake fluid from the system.

Don't forget to topup the brake fluid reservoir.

 

Otherwise you will have no brakes! 😮 

 

Only do one side at a time so you can look at the other side for reference.

Don't forget that the bits are/can be sided, mirror image of the other side.

 

Thanks AG Falco

3 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

 

Springs not normally required.

 

If you are doing one brake wheel cylinder then do both.

They are as old as each other and if one is leaking then the other will be not far behind.

 

If you don't, then when the other side leaks you will need to replace all the shoes again.

 

You need to stop the brake fluid leaking out when you disconnect/remove the wheel cylinders.

 

The handbrake adjusters will need loosening off and re adjusting up later.

Clean the whole area up with brake cleaner and grease up the landing areas of the shoes when fitting the new ones.

 

You then need to bleed the brake fluid after to remove and air/old brake fluid from the system.

Don't forget to topup the brake fluid reservoir.

 

Otherwise you will have no brakes! 😮 

 

Only do one side at a time so you can look at the other side for reference.

Don't forget that the bits are/can be sided, mirror image of the other side.

 

Thanks AG Falco

just been watching a video, think i can do it but no idea how to adjust the handbrake cable though.

28 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

 

Springs not normally required.

 

If you are doing one brake wheel cylinder then do both.

They are as old as each other and if one is leaking then the other will be not far behind.

 

If you don't, then when the other side leaks you will need to replace all the shoes again.

 

You need to stop the brake fluid leaking out when you disconnect/remove the wheel cylinders.

 

The handbrake adjusters will need loosening off and re adjusting up later.

Clean the whole area up with brake cleaner and grease up the landing areas of the shoes when fitting the new ones.

 

You then need to bleed the brake fluid after to remove and air/old brake fluid from the system.

Don't forget to topup the brake fluid reservoir.

 

Otherwise you will have no brakes! 😮 

 

Only do one side at a time so you can look at the other side for reference.

Don't forget that the bits are/can be sided, mirror image of the other side.

 

Thanks AG Falco

once i have put everything in then spray everywhere with brake cleaner? but what is the landing area? which grease would you recommend?

 

many thanks again

21 minutes ago, froggy8 said:

no idea how to adjust the handbrake cable though.

 

You will need to adjust this to finish the job.

The bar between the shoes in the top half has a ratchet wheel?

 

Look here:- note this is for the Fabia mk1 

https://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/fabia-mk1/chassis/brake_brake_mechanics/repairing_rear_brake/removing_and_installing_brake_shoe_drum_brake/

 

Thanks AG Falco