billyray911

iTrader: (4)

Am at my wits end with this one.Ive a bugeye wagon and have recently had Brembos front and rear fitted.
The conversion meant that the installer bought some new brake shoes.
However,since they were changed,the handbrake constantly needs readjusting and just wont hold the car.
The installer has changed all of the springs and has checked everything else possible.But the problem comes back after about a day, ie the handbrake gradually works looser and looser,until its just not holding the car at all.
My main question is,could this problem be due to faulty brake shoes or does anyone have ANY ideas what the problem could be.
Cheers for your help
(Also posted in the brakes section)

danog

I looked into doing this on my wrx and after a bit of research I found that If you just fit the sti brembo rear dics they have larger diameter handbrake drum so the shoes wont reach the drum. I suspect that is why you had to have new shoes. But all of the conversion kits I looked at had a modified rear disc with the same daimeter drum but bigger disc to fit the brembo caliper. sounded a bit too much hassle so I put the idaer on the backburner.

al02uk

iTrader: (1)

If you look on godspeed brakes, they sell the thicker handbrake shoes that are needed for the rear upgrade without the need for buying STI hubs

Andy

addison

yes shoes are bigger!! you need STI shoes!
i fitted them to my WRX

billyray911

iTrader: (4)

Got the shoes-from Godspeed too.Wonder if they werent the thicker ones needed-do you think this would result in the handbrake not working properly

danog

if you take it back apart and lay the shoes inside the drum you will see if they have the same curve. ie all parts of the shoe should be touching the drum and you will also be able to measure the gaps between the end of the shoes and compare that measurment with the actuator. but if youve paid someone to install the conversion I would just take it back and get them to sort it or get your money back. letting a car leave a garage in this condition is dangerous.

al02uk

iTrader: (1)

Billyray,

If it helps the thicker shoes cost about £125 from Godspeed. I'm not sure what you paid for yours.

I've never taken mine apart so its a bit of a grey area for me mate

billyray911

iTrader: (4)

Have spoken to the garage and the ones supplied and fitted from Godspeed are the thicker ones,so back to the drawing board.

Splitpin

Have a look at Danog's post above. Take the discs off and examine the shoes. Are they fully worn in so that they are in contact with the drum at all points? If not, they will need incremental adjustment as the bedding in process continues.

Also, I don't remember whether the Subaru handbrake shoes have any sort of self-adjusting facility on them, I don't think they do but just in case, it'd be worth getting the garage to double-check whether they've refitted the adjuster barrels the right way round. If they've been reversed, you could be into a situation where every application of the handbrake loosens the adjuster a click. As I say, I don't think this is the case, but given what you're experiencing, it doesn't hurt to get the fitter to check.