[Healeys] Rear brake adjustment

Wed Mar 31 11:58:45 MDT 2021

Obviously the quality of the felt being used is not satisfactory.  I've got
a pair of BN1 rear brakes here that still have the felts in place and are
still greasy.
I don't believe eliminating metat to metal is the intent ... just to
provide sufficient lubrication to eliminate squeaks.

M

On Wed., Mar. 31, 2021, 11:47 a.m. Roger Grace via Healeys, <
healeys at autox.team.net> wrote:

> 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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