[Healeys] Rear brake adjustment

Wed Mar 31 09:47:11 MDT 2021

Bob,
Yes agree about the felt bushes. I assume that their only function is to
prevent metal to metal contact ?
So do the fibre tubes protrude slightly beyond the end of the pegs ?
Will try to locate something suitable.

Wonder how you adjust these pegs ?
There seems to be 3 different techniques:

The Moss method with chalk marks on the shoes.

The Salter method by adjusting in/out to each shoe edge then setting to the
mid point.

The usual  method - centering  the shoes (by stomping on the brakes) then
adjusting the peg to just make contact while shoes are clamped.

I tend to favour the last method .... ?

Tkx
rg

On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 9:09 PM Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net> wrote:

> One more thing ...
>
> I've never liked the little felt bushes that go on the end of the shoe
> standoffs; they deteriorate as soon as they're installed (and are usually a
> gooey mess when you replace them). But, I ordered a set from Tom's Import
> Toys, but instead Tom sent some fiber tubing cut into short pieces. These
> fit perfectly and firmly over the standoffs, and you can place a little
> grease on the end and expect it to stay there. I don't know a source, the
> tubing looks like it could be small fuel line, but it's only fiber with no
> rubber or other lining.
>
> Bob
>
> On 3/30/2021 8:40 PM, Roger Grace wrote:
>
> 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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>>
>
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