[Healeys] Rear brake adjustment

Tue Mar 30 21:40:17 MDT 2021

Bob,
Thank you - really appreciated - you are a star !
I have now removed one side and yes I had the hooks facing out and the
plates reversed as you did the first time.
As you say this is not covered in the manual, and surprised that this issue
( tricky) is not given much coverage here - compared to say what oil to use
in your OD !
I tried to to get the cylinder out without removing the hyd. pipe to avoid
bleeding but not possible to get the brake lever dislodged.
I too will save your notes for next time...
Tkx
rg

On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 7:48 PM Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net> wrote:

> Here's a short video of the cylinder moving (complete with 80s soundtrack
> and modern 'shaky cam'). Pic shows the bevel on the dust cover that I think
> proves this is the correct order of installation.
>
> Here's the sequence of installation that caused me the least frustration:
>
> 1) LIGHTLY grease all moving/sliding parts, including the adjuster cam and
> spreaders and the shaft that the handbrake lever pivots on
>
> 2) Insert cylinder into its slot
>
> 3) Slide the spring plate, with hooks pointed toward the diff, into the
> slot on the cylinder from above as manual shows
>
> 4) Insert the handbrake lever through its slot on the backplate from the
> outside
>
> 5) Lift the cylinder a little with a screwdriver and slide the handbrake
> pivot shaft into its notches on the cylinder (the spring plate allows this)
>
> 6) Start working the flat retaining plate with the notches into the slot
> on the cylinder on top of the spring plate. I tapped it in; it would help
> if someone held the handbrake lever out in its actuated state to prevent
> the spring plate from retreating from the flat plate (it might be possible
> to squeeze them together with a large set of channellocks). Make sure the
> little hooks on the spring plate engage the notches on the flat plate.
>
> 7) Work the rubber boot/dust cover over the handbrake lever and around and
> under the retaining plates, with the beveled edge sliding under the plates
> (see vid).
>
> 8) Wipe off any excess grease (it doesn't go well with brake material)
>
> Credit where due: I'm often (always) disappointed with the quality of
> aftermarket rubber products, but the dust covers I got from Moss are not
> only molded and cut perfectly, but seem to be made of a tough rubber that
> should actually hold up (it's almost a soft plastic).
>
> Bob
>
> ps. This is as much for my benefit, as I seem to have to do this job every
> decade or so, and have to start from scratch procedure-wise every time.
>
>
> On 3/30/2021 9:52 AM, Roger Grace wrote:
>
> Yes thank you;  that sounds like a good explanation. As you say it is a
> bear of a job and just working up some stamina to tackle it again !
> rg
>
> On Mon, Mar 29, 2021 at 10:38 PM Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> re: "I note that the slave is tight on the back plate. How tight is
>> normal floating ?"
>>
>> I just spent several hours on my back on a greasy floor working on my
>> BN2's rear drums. I didn't see any text in the shop manual explaining
>> installation; most I found was a pic in the Moss catalog showing that
>> the curved spring, with the 'hooks,' should be installed above the
>> cylinder (between the cylinder and the handbrake lever). First, I
>> installed the flat plate against the backing plate with the spring plate
>> on top of it. Not only would the cylinder not move freely--which enables
>> the self-energizing aspect of the brakes--but the rubber dust boot had
>> nothing to hold it in place. I then reversed the installation; i.e. the
>> spring plate was still above the cylinder, but under the flat plate
>> (hooks up). This way the cylinder would slide smoothly and easily, which
>> makes sense because there is less contact area, but the rubber boot,
>> which is beveled on the inner part fit naturally under the flat plate
>> and would stay in place when vigorously sliding the cylinder
>> back-and-forth. Contact surfaces were lightly greased.
>>
>> Short answer: the cylinder should slide smoothly and easily; otherwise
>> the self-energizing feature could be defeated, and the cylinder could be
>> stuck in the expanded position, which could explain your non-retracting
>> problem.
>>
>> Bob
>>
>>
>> On 3/29/2021 3:07 PM, Roger Grace via Healeys wrote:
>> > BJ8 ph2.
>> > I am Struggling to get consistent results for rear brake shoe
>> adjustment.
>> > All part of a project to get handbrake working properly - currently it
>> > is almost vertical.
>> > Background:
>> > New shoes, slaves and springs etc with less than 4k mi. Almost no sign
>> > of any wear yet.
>> > Handbrake lever clevis pins removed.
>> > Steady post adjusted so the peg just touches when brakes are adjusted
>> > tight.
>> > Then the adjustment set so you can just hear/feel slight brake drag.
>> > All OK so far.
>> >
>> > Here is the problem:
>> > When the handbrake lever is pushed with screwdriver or my hand it
>> > moves with initial free play then clamps the shoes as it should.
>> > However  when released brakes do not fully retract, and shoes bind and
>> > not at  the same setting that started off with.
>> > Same story with using the hydraulics; seems to hang up, in not quite
>> > the off position. Both wheels are the same.
>> > Shoes can be "reset"  to original setting by rattling the adjuster
>> > back and forth in  the freeplay zone.
>> > All looks fine when drum is off and you can see the shoe operation.
>> >
>> > My thoughts :
>> > I observe that the new springs actually touch the inside of the shoes ?
>> > Maybe some grease there ? Is this interference normal ?
>> > Is it possible to incorrectly assemble the shoes/springs ?
>> > See photo of RR.
>> > I note that the slave is tight on the back plate. How tight is normal
>> > floating ?
>> > Maybe I assembled the slave cylinder clips incorrectly ?
>> >
>> > All  suggestions appreciated
>> > rg
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
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