Update on rear brake binding ???

[John B]

Right, I've change the cylinder and a new set of springs, wheel turns freely with it all adjusted up so then took for a spin and drum is still getting hot. Back home I decided to clamp the flexy brake hose and release the pressure from the bleed nipple on cylinder so basically the hydralic side of the brake is disabled but the drum is still getting hot so am I looking at a bad drum or wheel bearing ??? But what I don't understand is when the car is up in the air it's fine and will a bearing really make the drum too hot to touch after only 3 or 4 mile drive ?

 

[Kishada]

Funny you should mention wheel bearing, I was starting to ponder that.
I would expect you could feel play if it was that bad.
The rear wheels are tough to turn so detecting a roughness or whine in the bearing spinning the wheel by hand would be very difficult. Can you hear any whine on a roadtest?
Have you checked for play with the wheel on the ground without it jacked eg grab the wheel at the top and push/pull?

Have you also run the brake with the handbrake cable disconnected from the shoe lever just to make sure?

Also is there any lip of rust on the edge of the drum that you need to fight to remove/install the drum?

 

[John B]

Hi, I don't thing it's a wheel bearing as it's too much heat at verry little distance and no play at all in wheel so thinking about it that drum got very hot a few months ago due to me over tightening the handbrake cable so I think the drum is to blame. Can I swap them side to side to try that ? Cheers. John :thumb2

 

[Sweety]

You could swap the drums over & see if the the drum is getting hot on the other side if it is then it's prob the drum but if it doesn't & the same side is still getting hot then i'd be looking at the wheel bearing

 

[John B]

You could swap the drums over & see if the the drum is getting hot on the other side if it is then it's prob the drum but if it doesn't & the same side is still getting hot then i'd be looking at the wheel bearing

Is that a big job mate ? :thumbs

 

[Sweety]

Take both rear wheels off then the drums & swap them over:augie no idea on the wheel bearings as never had to do one touch wood

 

[John B]

Lol I ment the bearing haha :doh :thumb2

 

[solarman216]

4 mile drive with bad bearing will not make the drum hot, shoes binding on drum will, so why? you have changed cylinder, HB has been ruled out, never seen a warped drum but possible, so swap it side to side if it moves with the drum then so be it but have my doubts, Rick

 

[John B]

4 mile drive with bad bearing will not make the drum hot, shoes binding on drum will, so why? you have changed cylinder, HB has been ruled out, never seen a warped drum but possible, so swap it side to side if it moves with the drum then so be it but have my doubts, Rick

Shoes are not touching drum when up in the air it only starts binding when the car is driving so I'm thinking the auto adjusters are doing there job and the drum is warped so when the shoes make contact with the warped part of the drum this is causing the heat ??

 

[solarman216]

Shoes are not touching drum when up in the air it only starts binding when the car is driving so I'm thinking the auto adjusters are doing there job and the drum is warped so when the shoes make contact with the warped part of the drum this is causing the heat ??

if you have auto adjusters that work you will be the first, Rick

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Shoes are not touching drum when up in the air it only starts binding when the car is driving so I'm thinking the auto adjusters are doing there job and the drum is warped so when the shoes make contact with the warped part of the drum this is causing the heat ??

If the auto adjusters are working, yours is probably the only T2 ever made where they do...:lol

 

[John B]

If the auto adjusters are working, yours is probably the only T2 ever made where they do...:lol

Oh right, it's like that is it:lol

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Oh right, it's like that is it:lol

They are a terrible design, I think they sort of work sometimes, but they take an age, and I would be surprised if they did it in 3 to 4 miles.

When you took the drum back off, was it tight, as if it had self adjusted to that level, I would have thought you would have had a nightmare getting the drum off.

 

[John B]

I did take the drum off and get a helper to gently push the brake pedal and the shoes came out and I could see the self adjusters work but if it works with the drum on is another matter. When I remove the drum it always comes off easy, and I've also taken the lip of the edge so that helps a lot. I'm going to swap the drums over today and try that. :thumb2

 

[puddle hoppers inc.]

good luck! i know on the old air cooled vws this is a problem, but maybe due to the fact most parts were chinese ? check the metal sides to the shoes for bright,clean metal as this could indicate a rub point(on the sides where it touches back plate and on the drum side.

 

[John B]

Hi again today I swaped the drums over and it's still getting hot and I didn't even adjust the handbrake up so it looks like I'm going to have to torch the dam thing :augie. Could it be the shoes as like I said I did get that side very hot to the point I could smell burning a few weeks back because of the sticking handbrake. :nenau

 

[puddle hoppers inc.]

no, i would have thought burning the surface of the drums would create a glaze which would have the opposite effect ie inefficient braking. scratching me head now bud :nenau your other rear brake is working isnt it? and this hot brake isnt doing all the work/masking trouble that could be whats already suggested?

 

[John B]

The other side is fine, I drove for about 2 miles after I swaped the drums and I didn't even use the brake and the drum is still getting warm. I did use the brake a little to come down my drive. Shoes can most probably warp can they :nenau. :thumb2

 

[rustic]

Since you are desperate, I have been racking my brains... In the old days, they used to chamfer the leading edges of brake shoes, ie file a 45 degree angle across the width on the leading edges. But Wear a mask!

I wonder why?
Was this to prevent the shoe binding and putting the brake on, and so heating up?:nenau:nenau

Just a thought...

Was there another reason...?

Sounds logical to me.

Also check the brake lining is securely attached to the shoe, it has been known for these to become detached.

Also, are you sure you have the right shoes, there are two versions, one slightly wider than the other, so compare each side.

That's my brain overworked for this weekend.:doh


Rustic

 

[puddle hoppers inc.]

over width shoes would surely show up as bright metal tho? its a tough one. last chance from me, have you tried bleeding the brake on that corner? maybe a bit of shite is blocking the return of the fluid? try bleeding that corner but totally remove the nip b4 the down stroke to give a wider bore? i know, sounds outlandish but i reckon youve ckecked the basics now...