What went wrong?

[DutchTriumph]

I didn't have to lever the drum off. I could pull it off, after releasing the automatic adjustment. No force needed.

The brake felt a little warm, certainly not hot.

I expect all the steel for brake shoes is soft metal. None would use quality, hard steel.

That leaves only the Gremlin theory. Hope I can scare it with brake cleaner.

And I'll rewrite the brake part in the factory manual. After working on the brakes a short drive with hard braking, to settle the brakes. Then release the adjusters and a second drive to set up the brakes again.

[Hasbeen]

I found 15 years ago that I has to polish, just with a wire wheel on the bench grinder, all the surfaces where the self adjusting components rubbed on the shoes. Until this was done, & some graphite powder used to lubricate them, the self adjusters were very hit or miss in their application.

When an early NZ contributor relined his shoes, the self adjusters were locking one side brake after just 2 or 3 applications of the brakes. He did my polish trick, & found a lump of welding spatter on one of the shoe surfaces required to slide. In his previous assembly the shoe must have been on the other side of the car, where this surface was not in contact with the adjusters.

With that ground off his adjusters worked perfectly. Mine have given no trouble in the 15 years since I rebuilt them.

Hasbeen

[Beans]

... I didn't have to lever the drum off ...

Still trying to narrow it down, as I find the marks on the back plate weird
And they look fresh. Were you present when the car was inspected?

[DutchTriumph]

I was present at the brake test. They do only MOT, and don't fix the cars.

The markings on the backplate are from my screwdriver
I've tried to remove the drum at the roadside. Couldn't get it off, but after releasing the adjustment I could at least turn the wheel, and I tried to get home.
At home I gave the drum a few taps with a plastic hammer and it came off, without forcing it.

Fixed the brake, but couldn't find what went wrong, every part was at the right place. Didn't drive much since the repair, but it seems to be fine now.

Maybe the Gremlin is lurking somewhere, but I hope I've scared it away.

[Jolyon39]

Hi folks

Over 4 years since my last visit and even more since my last post,

I am the guy Hasbeen is referring to. I installed new rears and every time I touched the brake one rear drum stayed locked up. I replaced everything but the shoes and discussed it at length with Hasbeen. Spent 3 weeks on it on and off.

In the end I got out some emery cloth and started to polish the metal parts of the relined brake shows. It was then that little spots of weld splatter became evident and once I polished the weld splatter off the shoes the brakes worked perfectly.

Your problem will be equally weird or could perhaps be the same issue with a different result, the automatic brake adjusters finally caught up with the weld splatter and jammed it on when you were at speed..... ????

Lightly sand the metal of your brake shoes so they are smooth.

regards
Jolyon
Auckland
New Zealand

P.S. Anyone want a brand new Dizzy for a british assembled car? Still in its box. Sitting here somewhere.

[Hasbeen]

Jolyon39, great to hear from you after all these years.

Are you still playing with Triumphs?

Is Peter still a Triumph driver?

Is your lady still horsing around?

Hope you are all well, & having fun.

Hasbeen

[Jolyon39]

Hi Phil,

Good to hear from you.

Playing Triumph occasionally and have all these parts and wrecks lying around but both my work hours and lack of workshop space limits me.

Have not seen Peter for years.... never seen his car for sale so he must be hovering somewhere.

The large 4 legged pets are still more important to she who must be obeyed than I am LOL

How is that v8? Has your son given you the chance to enjoy it for your self?