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Spitfire SPITFIRE REAR BRAKES

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CaptDon01

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I'm in the process of changing the oils and flushing the hydraulic systems on a 1980 Spitfire 1500 I recently purchased. I found a leaking rear brake cylinder, so I've replaced it. For the life of me I can't figure how the top sping is installed on the back side of the shoes. I was able to install the bottom spring behind the shoes by installing it first, then installing the shoes. It's fairly easy to install the top spring on the outside of the shoes......doe's it matter? Doesn't seem to interfer with anything......is there a special tool? trick? The Haynes manual is typical Haynes junk. Just tells you to remove them, and simply re-install them. My experience with Haynes manuals is that they always leave out critical steps along the way. Some advice or help would be appreciated!

Don
 
Don, I've always put both springs on (back side of shoes), then held the whole assembly and wriggled it into place. Keep tension on the shoes, get the springs behind the hub, get one shoe on and then pull mightily to get one end and then the other end of the other shoe in place. Takes a bit of practice, but you'll get it second or third try.

Note that the "straight" part of the upper spring goes "under" the end of the cylinder with the dust cover on it (i.e., piston end). And yes, both springs should be behind the shoes.

When I first read this, I thought maybe you were referring to the two springy clips that hold the wheel cylinder to the backing plate! Sometimes they're a bear to place as well.

You did use a bit of white grease (or similar) where the cylinder meets the backing plate, so that it can slide freely, right? Same with the bits of the adjuster?
 
Thanks Andy......I'll try your idea. And yes, I lubed the three pad areas for each shoe. I use a high temp silicone grease.

Don
 
The top spring needs to be installed under the shoes, as in the attached jpg. The bottom sprng is also installed behind the shoes, and hooks in from the underside as you can make out in the photo. Sounds like you have that one installed ok.

These are a pain to install for sure. There is no special tool I know of. The standard brake-spring pliers don't work because you can't get them in behind the hub. If you had four hands it would be no problem.

Since the bottom spring is shorter, and tends to fall off easier, I install the top spring first, and then stretch the tops of the shoes around the hub and onto the cylinder slots. Tuck the bottoms of the shoes close together behind the adjuster at first, then wiggle the bottom spring into place and stretch the shoe bottoms out over the adjuster slots. Make sure the adjuster is fully slacked off.

Its a real fiddle.
 

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I got the new rear shoes installed this afternoon. I installed both springs and worked them in place. The springs fell off several times, but I managed to get them installed. The good thing is that it will be years before I'll have to replace them now. One trick I learned while adjusting the manual brake adjuster on the bottom. I used one of my refrigeration service valve tools. It's got a 1/4" square hole and it's on a ratchet. Makes adjusting the brakes a snap!! Test drove the Spitfire this evening and she stops much better with the fluid flushed. I must have had a little air in the line somewhere. So far I'm finding that the Spitfire is easy to work on.
 
When I first got my 80' spit, I replaced brake pads. The upper spring on the left side was off and floating around. I replaced it on the outside and it came off again! Put the springs on the inside.
It is easy if you know how. I do it just the opposite from guzzul. Put on bottom springs. Put bottom of shoes in first. Now the top. Holding top of shoes out from cylinder, with tabs close together. Put in top spring. Now spread top of shoes and slip them in place in slots of cylinder. Sounds harder than it is.
 
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