Vitesse rear wheel cylinder

[Robin]

I've just been checking the rear brake shoes on my Vitesse for wear (all seem OK) but I've realised that the driver side rear brakes aren't working at all!

 

I've checked the pipes and the handbrake cable (all OK) but when I press the brake pedal nothing happens - no movement of the shoes or any other part.

 

Can I assume that the wheel cylinder is seized? If so a couple of questions;

 

1. Where is the best place to get a new one?

2. What problems am I likely to encounter when fitting?

3. Do I need to bleed all four brakes or only the one I'm replacing the cylinder on?

 

Also, If I decide to replace the shoes I'm assuming I should do both sides?

 

Thanks

 

Robin

[Darren Groves]

Could also be collapsed flexi-hose.

 

I would change everything in pairs, so both hoses,cylinders, shoes etc. none of those items are that expensive and brakes are quite important 

 

Canley Classics & Paddocks are most peoples favourites, but do check prices at the TSSC Club Shop,normal quite competitive.

 

Darren

[Robin]

I've just been checking the rear brake shoes on my Vitesse for wear (all seem OK) but I've realised that the driver side rear brakes aren't working at all!

 

I've checked the pipes and the handbrake cable (all OK) but when I press the brake pedal nothing happens - no movement of the shoes or any other part.

 

Can I assume that the wheel cylinder is seized? If so a couple of questions;

 

1. Where is the best place to get a new one?

2. What problems am I likely to encounter when fitting?

3. Do I need to bleed all four brakes or only the one I'm replacing the cylinder on?

 

Also, If I decide to replace the shoes I'm assuming I should do both sides?

 

Thanks

 

Robin

 

Also - the drum was quite difficult to get off (and back on) as the shoes were pressing against the inside

[Robin]

Could also be collapsed flexi-hose.

 

I would change everything in pairs, so both hoses,cylinders, shoes etc. none of those items are that expensive and brakes are quite important 

 

Canley Classics & Paddocks are most peoples favourites, but do check prices at the TSSC Club Shop,normal quite competitive.

 

Darren

 

Thanks Darren

 

So do I only need to bleed the rear brakes if I replace both sides?

[Pete Lewis]

Yes, but fluid if Dot4 should be changed on a regular 2 yearly service as this absorbs moisture from the vent hole in the resevoir.

 

the drum is hard to remove because the piston is seized out wards and not returned by the shoe springs so the shoes stay appplied to the drum.

 

the hardest job is getting the horse shoe clips that hold the cyl in the back plate back on

 

new ones can be trash , old ones are best reused if possible, they should be a nice flat tempered

clip, some aftermarket are badly formed and the overlap dimples do not locate

 

the clips only fit one way round , the curved clip is fitted against the backplate and fed in from front to rear

the larger flat clip fits over the curved one and is fed in from the rear

the dimples should lock on and stop the pair seperating

 

this may not make written sense but when youre under you will see how it works

 

shoes ,,,,,the trailing shoe is fitted with its square hole at the bottom

the leading shoe is more obvious as the handbrake lever determines the shoe orientation

[Robin]

Yes, but fluid if Dot4 should be changed on a regular 2 yearly service as this absorbs moisture from the vent hole in the resevoir.

the drum is hard to remove because the piston is seized out wards and not returned by the shoe springs so the shoes stay appplied to the drum.

the hardest job is getting the horse shoe clips that hold the cyl in the back plate back on

new ones can be trash , old ones are best reused if possible, they should be a nice flat tempered

clip, some aftermarket are badly formed and the overlap dimples do not locate

the clips only fit one way round , the curved clip is fitted against the backplate and fed in from front to rear

the larger flat clip fits over the curved one and is fed in from the rear

the dimples should lock on and stop the pair seperating

this may not make written sense but when youre under you will see how it works

shoes ,,,,,the trailing shoe is fitted with its square hole at the bottom

the leading shoe is more obvious as the handbrake lever determines the shoe orientation

. Thanks Pete

[Paul H]

Buy your brake cylinders from known source eg canleys etc . I made the mistake of eBay and they were metric and ruined the unions making them fit , and couldn't understand why the brakes wouldn't bleed

Regards

Paul

[Robin]

Thanks for all the tips

 

I looked at the club shop but can't find wheel cylinders so maybe Paddocks or Canley's.

 

Also, do I need to lubricate the rear plate where the shoes rub? If so what type of lubricant do I use and where can I get it from?

 

Looks like a busy weekend!

[dougbgt6]

I had a problem with the brakes binding and not letting go, turned out to be a servo problem however, before I new that I tried a lot of things and one was replacing the springs in the drum brakes. This actually improved the situation. I would advise anyone duffing up their brakes to change their springs, 40 year old springs do get limp!

[Pete Lewis]

No lube , it attracts and traps the brake dust it can also migrate onto the linnings.

 

Some coppa slip on the backplate where the cylinder slides and the handbrake lever pivots

 

Coat the unions and bleed screw with some thick grease to prevent seizure later in life

pete