[Brakes] Rear brake shoes replaced

[michael_askew@hotmail.co.uk]

Hi

Yesterday I had the rear brake shoes replaced on my 09 plate Berlingo First 1.6HDi. They were replaced by a friend of my son who is a mechanic in a garage, he's trying to earn some extra cash doing home jobs.

I feel fairly sure they have been fitted correctly, as I was in attendance at the latter stage as he was finishing off work on the second drum, and from what I could see the setup looked correct.

However, time was cracking on, it was very dark, below zero and he had to rush off. He did say in a few weeks he will need to re-adjust the brakes after they have had some time to bed in.

I notice 2 things ( see below) which are concerning me and I'm wondering if there is something I can do to resolve, as I don't feel I will be able to get a hold of the mechanic again this side of New Year.

1. When applying the handbrake, it is very near completely vertical before I get any bite.
2. When depressing the brake foot pedal, the pedal goes much further in to the floor before I get a response from the brakes.

As it stands, I feel the brakes are possibly bordering on dangerous, although I do get the car to stop but much later than it normally would.

Can anyone offer me advice, point me to a YouTube video etc to show me what I can do?

Thanks in advance.

Michael

[ffrenchie]

[michael_askew@hotmail.co.uk]

Thank you for replying. Do you know what tool/socket/spanner type I would need to buy in order to unscrew the bleed nipple at the rear of the drum?  Thanks in advance

[ffrenchie]

Thank you for replying. Do you know what tool/socket/spanner type I would need to buy in order to unscrew the bleed nipple at the rear of the drum?  Thanks in advance

Get yourself a 1/4 drive socket set it will always be handy and there will be a socket to fit the nipple (usually8mm) but you probably won't need to do anything with it if adjusting the shoes and cables sorts it out.

[RattyCortina]

It sounds like maybe the mechanic wound the adjusters right in to get the drums on with the new shoes and then didn't adjust them up. They are of course supposed to be 'self-adjusting', but my general experience with self adjusters is they don't...

If you adjust the shoes up it should take care of the handbrake travel as well, assuming it wasn't already excessive before the new shoes were fitted. Bear in mind the the brakes will feel different until the new shoes bed-in.

I just wonder why you ask about the bleed nipple, brakes shouldn't need bleeding unless part of the hydraulic system has been disturbed/replaced.

[Kieron G]

From changing shoes on my M49 the automatic adjusters should take up the free play on shoes when handbrake is repeatedly applied. He shouldn't need to come back and re adjust them. From previous experience of getting confused I started changing one side at a time so can cross reference where all springs and adjuster goes. (both sides but one at a time) Also I didn't slacken cables from handbrake end like in video. . It might have made it harder getting end of cable into new shoe but I managed ok

[michael_askew@hotmail.co.uk]

Hi

Thank you to everyone who responded to my questions.

The mechanic looked at my rear brakes again just before New Year, and he adjusted the cog (or is it called flywheel) on each side a few turns, and now the brakes are a lot more responsive and also the handbrake is no longer near vertical but is at a satisfactory level when the car is parked.

Thank you
Michael