Any tips on replacing handbrake shoes

[COLVERT]

A few more pics. Had to replace a disc for the MOT.

The old drum surface was good due to now and then applying the hand brake on the move. Drum surface with this method remains perfect.

One of the pics shows where a dab of high melting point grease is handy to make things move easily. ( Just outboard of the bolt heads. )

I reused the old shoes in spite of a fine crack on one.

Handbrake can now lock the wheels even on the move.--

[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by Lovel

Undo the adjusters before attempting to remove the disc housing otherwise you will rip open the back plate holes where the shoe retainers engage.

Excellent advice in the days when the main brakes were drum brakes. The shoes at the end of their lives were running in a groove in the drum.

However the R75 brakes, even after many years, will show virtually no wear.-- A gentle pull will usually remove the drums/discs easily.---

My 17 year old bits were easy to remove.

[chris75]

Originally Posted by COLVERT

However the R75 brakes, even after many years, will show virtually no wear.--

Very true . I eventually replaced mine as part of a set with new backplates , but after 115k miles the shoes were showing no apparent wear ! You only apply them when you have stopped so unless badly adjusted why would they wear ?

[patrolman pete]

I replaced my original factory fitted handbrake shoes due to the lining starting to split. The last thing I wanted was for the lining to detach and lock up the brakes !

[rrobson]

I found this to be the case on my last zt, very poor handbrake on one side and not so good on the other side.



There were also pins and springs missing and it was all in poor condition. It went back together with the addition of a couple of fixings to hold the pads back but needed a complete rebuild. A month or so later it was scrapped so no big deal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Odd Job]

I'm having a few issues myself with my handbrake,
I read somewhere, and I've been trying to find it, about a modification on a pivot point using BMW MINI items?
Could someone help me find the link please? Just in case!

Many thanks

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by Odd Job

I'm having a few issues myself with my handbrake,
I read somewhere, and I've been trying to find it, about a modification on a pivot point using BMW MINI items?
Could someone help me find the link please? Just in case!

Many thanks

It uses a BMW mini compensator, but there are two versions of the part and it requires the correct version.

A poor handbrake, assuming the compensator stretch issue has been dealt with - is usually due to a coating of rust inside the drum, due to lack of use.

To keep the handbrake's efficiency high, it needs to be used regularly with the car in motion to clean up the drum and shoes. The simple way is to occasionally apply the brake to stop the car, when coming to a gentle traffic stop - BUT KEEP THE FOOTBRAKE COVERED, JUST IN CASE.

Just applying the brake once stopped is not enough. MG/Rover's own fix for a poor handbrake, was to lightly apply the handbrake and drive the car round the car park. In fact part of the cause of the stretched compensator, was probably owners applying far too much force on the handbrake lever, in their attempts to hold the car with a rust coated drum.

[Odd Job]

Righteo!
I'll try a few handbrake turns to see if it improves things a bit!

[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by Odd Job

Righteo!
I'll try a few handbrake turns to see if it improves things a bit!

Look at the pics in my post number 11. A perfect example of how to keep the drums clean by the light application of the hand brake, now and then, when on the move.

You can't beat it. If you tried pushing my car with the hand brake on, the wheels would just skid along the ground.--

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by COLVERT

Look at the pics in my post number 11. A perfect example of how to keep the drums clean by the light application of the hand brake, now and then, when on the move.

You can't beat it. If you tried pushing my car with the hand brake on, the wheels would just skid along the ground.--

The rust inside the drum forms a surprisingly good lubricant. If the handbrake just gets a little bit of use on the move, it will be kept clean, rust free and providing lots of friction. The more friction the drum provides, the less the effort needed to effectively apply the handbrake.