Hot rear brake drum

[bob hughes]

Just got the car back on the road following a layup from November last year, whilst I sorted out some slight damage to the rear fender over the winter. I noticed that there was a bit of a smell from the rear right hand drum and it was also very hot, so I checked out the brakes and it appeared that the brakes were binding on this side. Slacked off the adjuster and squeezed the piston in the brake cylinder home with one of those large sliding adjustable wrenches, and this freed up the wheel. Took it out for a quick spin this morning and the same result has occured. Not sure how free the wheel is yet but I could easily push the car. Earlier last year I had to replace the seals in that hub and had no problems untill now so I do not think the bearing is at fault. Question - should the brake springs be strong enough to compress the piston in the cylinder, I could have a sticky cylinder after the lay off. :crazy:

Bob

 

[Donny_L]

Hi Bob, you might want to check the wheel cylinders. I'm in the process of rebuilding both of mine right now.They were both seeping fluid. I'm glad I took them off. The piston seals needed replacing and it turns out that the left side isn't a match of the right,so now I'm ordering a new one so I have a match set.They were easy enough to get off and take apart. You might want to take a close look at yours.

 

[zblu]

Did you park it up with the handbrake on?

 

[Keoke]

, I could have a sticky cylinder after the lay off.

Yep and the adjusters may need taking apart ,cleaning and relubricating.

 

[elrey]

Maybe you are pushing too hard on the right side of the pedal. --elrey

 

[Randy Forbes]

Hi Bob, you might want to check the wheel cylinders. I'm in the process of rebuilding both of mine right now.They were both seeping fluid. I'm glad I took them off. The piston seals needed replacing and it <span style="font-weight: bold">turns out that the left side isn't a match of the right</span>,so now I'm ordering a new one so I have a match set.They were easy enough to get off and take apart. You might want to take a close look at yours.

I can't tell you how many times I've come across that; it's almost as though there's a whole subset of mechanics that are determined to fit non-matching RWCs to Healeys!

 

[RAC68]

HI Bob,

What type of brake fluid are you using? If not Synthetic, I would agree with Donny and think that moisture and sediment may have collected over the winter and is causing the wheel cylinder to bind. Since you have not had this issue shortly after you installed the new wheel cylinders, I don’t think you are being hampered by a lack of wheel cylinder symmetry.

Good Hunting,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[TimK]

I had this problem. After my annual six month winter storage, my left rear wheel brake would drag. I fixed it by taking wheel cylinder boot off and removing piston and removing corrosion from piston. Old brake fluid (with moisture) contributed to this.

 

[bob hughes]

Guys

Thanks for the input, you have reinforced my conclusion, as Keoke says, it may not only be the piston but the cylinder slides to self centre so all the mechanism may need a looking at. I will strip out the cylinder today and check it. Don't you just hate those little clips at the rear though!

 

[bob hughes]

Ok, all stripped out, cleaned, greased put back together and brakes bled. A quick spin up the A3(M) test track and all is well.

Could not understand why my Eazee Bleed was not working, that is until I checked the pressure in the spare tyre. 8lbs Doh!

Note to self, when checking the running tyre pressures check the darn spare as well.

Found the knack of getting those clips off the back to release the brake cylinder, tap the cylinder up and down after using to WD40 to get it to slide, then get the screw driver tapped in at the back of the cylinder ( working behind the back plate ) to prize the clip nearest the back plate down so that the two tangs of the outer clip break loose. The back clip can then be tapped out. The outer clip is some what held by the hand brake lever arm, so the trick is to ease back the clip so far then ease the cylinder out off the back plate so that the lever arm can be released from the housing in the cylinder casting. Putting it back is the reverse. Piece of cake, and that is me lying on the floor under the car. You guys with car lifts are dead lucky.! :banana: