Any tips on replacing handbrake shoes

[Mangizmo]

My 54 plate Tourer has passed another MOT with just an advisory on handbrake efficiency (done the cable compensator long ago), I suspect the shoes need changing, any tips before I embark on the task of changing them ? Thanks Vaughan

[Mike Noc]

Probably just need a good clean out - corrosion builds up over time on the inside of the drum. With the discs off you can check for any cracks in the shoe lining, and if you find any then replace them.

Worth checking for corrosion of the back plates, if left unchecked the magnetic reluctors can get damaged and the ABS light will come on.

[macafee2]

Also worth checking corrosion of the surface of the brake drum, if to bad no amount of adjusting will get you a good handbrake.
When you have the handbrake apart pull the cable from the back plate, grease where it goes into the back plate and refit.

macafee2

[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.

[patrolman pete]

Only fit the manufacturer’s specified handbrake shoes which were TRW. I struggled for years with a stainless steel compensator and other makes of shoes including Pagid and I was constantly adjusting the shoes to get some slight grip to just scrape through the MOT. A recommendation from Jules about the TRW shoes having the correct coefficient of friction and my handbrake can almost put my face through the windscreen now and the handbrake lever has a bit of ‘spring’ to it and proves how good the compensator mod is.

[Mangizmo]

Thanks to all for these great tips :-)

[Mangizmo]

Originally Posted by patrolman pete

Only fit the manufacturer’s specified handbrake shoes which were TRW. I struggled for years with a stainless steel compensator and other makes of shoes including Pagid and I was constantly adjusting the shoes to get some slight grip to just scrape through the MOT. A recommendation from Jules about the TRW shoes having the correct coefficient of friction and my handbrake can almost put my face through the windscreen now and the handbrake lever has a bit of ‘spring’ to it and proves how good the compensator mod is.

I had previously long ago bought these, but after your comments I will order some TRW ? at least I can use the fitting kit maybe
[IMG]B2 by Mangizmo Brean, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]B1 by Mangizmo Brean, on Flickr[/IMG]

[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 ?

[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.


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