What's the minimum thickness for the friction material on rear brake shoes?

I can find it for the favorit but not for the Felicia.

To be honest never measured this, seeing the brake performance and the clicks of the hand brake to get (much) higher in number i was ready for change.

I don't think must be a lower limit to alarm you, all are in the road performance and not in the caliper.

Edited 25 August, 20241 yr by D.FYLAKTOS

Never skimp on your brakes I see you are in the UK the brake shoes are not expensive that's if you do the job yourself and they last a long time.

You also need to consider if the drums are worn, if you can adjust the shoes so they lock up the drums [ ETA: within reasonable adjustment] then the drums [TEA: probably ] aren't worn out (though they could be worn in other ways).  I don't know on Felicas but on other drums the wear figures were cast into the drum.  As put rear shoes and drums generally last a very long time but as, the shoes at least, are such an inexpensive part for the most important component system on the car renewing them is a good consideration.

 

You don't want cheap crap brake shoes though.  I found on my 1973 MG (similar brakes as Minis, Minors) that I could get the drums very cheap but the quality wasn't great, I wish I'd had my original drums machined for the new wider shoes even though It' would have been less expense to buy a few spare sets of the cheap drums.  There used to be places that would reline the shoes and places that have original stock, whether either applies to where you are I don't know but as its VAG I'd have thought (don't know) the shoes (and drums) might have been fitted to other VAAG marque and models so still available widely.

 

You could ring a brake manufacturer (or good supplier) and get details of minimum thickness if you wanted.  Good luck.

 

Edited 25 August, 20241 yr by nta16
ETA: for good points made

1 hour ago, nta16 said:

if you can adjust the shoes so they lock up the drums then the drums aren't worn out

 

Not true, new or even completely worn brake shoes would still lock up the adjuster using a drum that is worn outside of its service limit. Measurement is the only sure way.

Yes I'll give you both, if you are turning beyond or well beyond what you would normal have to lock up its a good indication of wear or lots of wear of shoes and/or drums depending on state of each, but measuring is by far the best but, if you don't know the start and worn thickness of the shoes and the drums and can't find out it's a good indicator if you've previously done rear brake adjustment at servicing or when required.

 

If you know the measurements for the drums then post it or if you can find it find it.

 

We don't know the car or it's history of use so best to check drums and shoes.

 

 

8 hours ago, nta16 said:

You also need to consider if the drums are worn, if you can adjust the shoes so they lock up the drums [ ETA: within reasonable adjustment] then the drums [TEA: probably ] aren't worn out (though they could be worn in other ways).  I don't know on Felicas but on other drums the wear figures were cast into the drum.  As put rear shoes and drums generally last a very long time but as, the shoes at least, are such an inexpensive part for the most important component system on the car renewing them is a good consideration.

 

You don't want cheap crap brake shoes though.  I found on my 1973 MG (similar brakes as Minis, Minors) that I could get the drums very cheap but the quality wasn't great, I wish I'd had my original drums machined for the new wider shoes even though It' would have been less expense to buy a few spare sets of the cheap drums.  There used to be places that would reline the shoes and places that have original stock, whether either applies to where you are I don't know but as its VAG I'd have thought (don't know) the shoes (and drums) might have been fitted to other VAAG marque and models so still available widely.

Totally not helpful to the op but oh well
Felicia's mechanism is self-adjusting and works properly if clean and well lubed so you never mess with the adjustment (until you lock the drums and stuff), let the mechanism do its thing and be done with it. 

The following info is useful if you so with to check the drum...

Fun fact by doing some rough calculations Felicia's front axle is capable of at least 1kNm of braking torque per wheel.
Impressive
With some more math, we seem to be able to get around 0.7-0.75g of deceleration from the front axle alone.
Having a brake pressure ratio of 56.25/43.75 F/R
 

Edited 25 August, 20241 yr by Thefeliciahacker

2 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

Totally not helpful to the op but oh well

-What to consider if the brake drums might be worn and there are crap old car parts around.  Don't start a pile on.

 

Yeap that table answers R_U_AFA's question which I didn't know and couldn't find on a quick search so asked for, and you have provided it.

 

All's well that ends well.

 

Usually the parking brake is in the sky before the shoes fail, the wedge adjuster maxes out and you can't get any more.

9 hours ago, Blue8793841 said:

Usually the parking brake is in the sky before the shoes fail, the wedge adjuster maxes out and you can't get any more.

 

That was my first thought.

 

On 25/08/2024 at 10:39, D.FYLAKTOS said:

seeing the brake performance and the clicks of the hand brake to get (much) higher in number i was ready for change.