[Healeys] Sticking brakes resolved

[pennell at cox.net]

Hello Listers,

Thanks to the many who replied on my initial sticking brakes issue.  All your suggestions had merit and I carefully considered each one.

Today i got back to the sticking problem.  I placed a bar clamp loosely on the exposed shoes and then began to use the brake pedal.  No motion in the shoes.  I could not get them to retract either.  So I thought I should do something.  The lining surface looked a bit glazed so I roughed them up with sandpaper.  Next I bled an ounce or two of fluid out of the wheel cylinder.  Finally, a bit of pounding on the shoes and wheel cylinder with my hand provided movement in everything.  Voila!  No more sticking brakes!

Still not sure of what the prob was.  It appears that the wheel cylinder was not free to move in the backplate.

The test drive this evening was wonderful.  She ran just fine and the brakes were as new.

Thanks again for the input.  This list is such a huge resource.

Keith

---- pennell at cox.net wrote: 
> Listers,
> 
> Had an interesting happeniing on a recent drive.  It felt like the brakes were sticking and I could also feel it as I slowed just before a stop.  I cut my drive short and went home.
> 
> Several days later I jacked up the rear and found the left rear would stick solid after applying the brakes.  The right rear remained free.  The only way I could free it was to remove the wheel to get enough effort on the adjuster to turn it.  One click released it fully.  Since then several times I have applied the brakes, waited 24 or more hours, and checked again.  Still stuck.
> 
> I know this symptom could be a sign of the rear flex hose swelling but wouldn't that also cause the right rear to hang up?  Any thoughts please?
> 
> Keith