ikinder

I've had a problem with an occasional noise from the rear of the car, which went when the handbrake was put on lightly. I've just stripped down the rear drum and now understand why! I took 3 hours to persuade the disc/drum assembly to come off. Both shoes have a pin that passes through the backplate, through a web in the shoe, through a spring and finally into a clever slotted washer. This pin has a flat end (at the backplate) and an arrow like point. On the drivers side rear drum both of these pins were free and the springs and washers were loose in the bottom of the drum. Hence the problem in removing the drum. The passenger side has only one pin free. I haven't a clue why these pins can work loose. When the pins are loose the shoes can move about.

It's worth checking to see if they are loose on your vehicle too. Mine is a 42,000 mile MY97 UK Turbo. The rear drums have never been off before and hence it's not 'operator error'. I'm yet to remove the passenger side drum any one got any bright ideas on how to remove it without spending 2-3 hours tapping it off with a hammer !

Has anyone else seen/suffered the above problem. What causes it ?

Thanks,

Ian

TURBO7379

Try loosening off the toothed adjuster wheel at the bottom of the drum . It can be accessed if you remove the rubber grommet at the bottom of the backplate . There is an arrow marked on the backplate for tightening the shoes . Turn it the opposite way . It is a very awkard job - I just adjusted my handbrake today this way . As far as I remember there should be 2 threaded holes in the centre of the disc and if you screw 2 M8 bolts into these it should push the disc off .

Derek

ikinder

I had a pig of a job removing the other drum yesterday too. I managed to undo the adjuster from the top through the drum which then helped. Is there a special tool required to adjust the handbrake through the backplate access hole? I used a bent piece of steel to painfully and slowly adjust mine.

It seems to be click down on the driver's side to tighten and click up on the passenger side (RHD car) to tighten.

On both side both of the holding back pins, springs and spring cups had worked loose. Is this due to wear on the pins/spring cups ?

What's the correct procedure to adjust the shoes once the drums been refitted ?

Once the shoes have been adjusted I presume you adjust the nut on the handbrake cable at the lever to give the require number of clicks to full on. The handbook states 6-8 as normal, though mine has normally been 3-4.

Regards,

Ian

Paul_H

Ian

You should release the parking brake shoes by using the adjuster before removing the brake disc. This is to give some clearance for the shoes to get over the wear ridge. If you don't do this the parking brake shoes will foul the wear ridge, and if you continue pulling you will rip the clip off the holding down pin....this is probably why you found the holding down pins loose.

When rebuilding, with new holding down pins etc, adjust the shoes until they contact the disc, then back off the adjuster 2 to 3 turns. Brake drag should be equal at both wheels. After removing axle stands etc lower the car to the ground and pump the brake pedal to seat the shoes before driving.

Paul