Every time I get in the car to drive it, I have to make one push on the
brake pedal to firm the brakes. Not a pump, just one push, as if the shoes
are too far from the drum surface. (I've adjusted the brake shoes properly).
Is this a symptom of oval drums?

"Gordon" <gordon (AT) lgbpcomputing (DOT) co.uk.invalid> wrote

I doubt it, and if you've adjusted the shoes, any drum ovality should have
been obvious.
Are you sure you adjusted them correctly?
Mike.

"Mike G" <metier (AT) lycos (DOT) co.uk> wrote


Absolutely. You can't really not adjust them correctly. Turn the adjuster
(two on each front drum, one on the rear) click by click until the drums
lock, then undo one click. That's all there is to it.....

"Gordon" <gordon (AT) lgbpcomputing (DOT) co.uk.invalid> wrote

In that case, if they still revolve freely, they can't have any significant
ovality.
Any ovality would also be very obvious through the brake pedal under
braking.
I think you'll have to look for the answer around the master cylinder.
Either with the cylinder seals or the linkage from the pedal to it, which
can get very sloppy on MM's
Mike.

Mike G <metier (AT) lycos (DOT) co.uk> wrote

I would also check for too much play in the front wheel bearings. If the
inner surface of the linings are not exactly parallel with the inside face
of the drum because of bearing slack, then the "too tight and loosen a set
amount" type of adjustment may not leave the right clearance. It is a long
shot, but easier to get to than the MM master cylinder!

Also, have you tested to see if there is any difference if you leave the car
overnight without the handbrake on? If you only have to pump the brakes if
you have used the handbrake, something isn't right in the rear drums.

Jim

"Jim Warren" <jimwarren (AT) OMITblueyonder (DOT) co.uk> wrote

Wheel bearings are OK - they were checked as part of another fault
diagnosis!

I'll try that one.......

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Gordon"
<gordon (AT) lgbpcomputing (DOT) co.uk.invalid> saying something like:

Relatedly; if you press the brake pedal and pull the handbrake up just
enough to take up the slake in the rears then leave it on that notch
without the rears dragging - if you then find you don't have to press
the pedal twice as you were doing, the problem's in the rear.
--

Dave
SE6a

"Gordon" <gordon (AT) lgbpcomputing (DOT) co.uk.invalid> wrote

Try clamping off all three flexible hoses, then see if the effect is
still there (if you're leaving the car to "settle" with all hoses
clamped, put a big note on the steering wheel or pocket the rotor arm).
If not, release each clamp in turn, to see if you can narrow down where
the problem lies.

If the problem's there with clamped hoses, it's time to hope that the
person who last did the master cylinder put the bolts in the right way
round, because it's probably time for master cylinder fun.




--
Kevin Poole
**Use current month and year to reply (e.g. sep2006 (AT) mainbeam (DOT) co.uk)***