Rear Brake Adjuster Rebuilding

[Brosky]

I decided to finally do something with the parts that I've been cleaning and here is the first item done.

Brosky Rear Adjuster Rebuild

 

[karls59tr]

Very timely item on the adjusters as I'm doing the ones on the 4A soon. I didn't know about the CLR. Well done.

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

Very nice Paul. I had a hard time with the adjusters on the TR3 -which are very much like those. I never thought of using CLR, but a few weeks of PBlaster got them freed. I greased them well, but didn't use anti-seize and think you made a better choice. If I have to mess with them in the next 50 years, I'll try to remember that.

Thanks for the write-up.

 

[Brosky]

Tex, I'm hoping that you get another 50 years on your too!

 

[Andrew Mace]

Nice work, Paul. Just a few observations (NOT criticisms):

1. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've always been able to free these up with no more than a propane torch, after which some time with the wire wheel, etc., gets the bits pretty clean. On reassembly, I've long used white lithium grease, mostly because I've been nursing a can of Lubriplate for almost 40 years now (it's finally about spent), and it's worked quite well. It does make sense to use a good anti-seize compound, though, and I'll probably try that next time. I will note that, in nearly 40 years of wrenching on these, I've never yet failed to rescue and restore an otherwise undamaged adjuster!

2. My memory tells me that these usually were retained with star washers under the nuts rather than lock washers, but then 98% of my experience is with the Heralds, Spitfires and such (although it's the same adjuster used on later TR3 through TR6). Did all yours have lock ("spring") washers originally?

3. From your previous experience with "repro" adjusters, I'm glad that I've been stubborn (frugal? outright stingy?) about cleaning my originals up as needed! :wink:

 

[mrv8q]

Nicely done, Paul, as usual. I, too like the use Joe Alexander's combo tool. It's close by in my tool box.

 

[Brosky]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]My memory tells me that these usually were retained with star washers under the nuts rather than lock washers[/QUOTE]

Andy, you are correct and they did come with the internal star washers. I felt that there were enough threads remaining after the nuts were secured, so I went with the SS lock washers.

These lock washers are on my TR6 now and have about 2,800 miles on them. Before I put away it for the winter I had it on a lift to check everything and I did check the adjuster nuts to make sure they were tight. I've been paranoid since the stud pulled out and I happily found that they were as snug as when I installed them in three and a half years ago.