Ns Rear Drum Locking On

[GLPoomobile 958]

Moved the 205 to a new spot in the underground carpark today and found I've got a wee problem with the rear NS drum brake.

 

About a month or so back I'd gone down to just move it about to stop the tyres getting flat spots. Anyway, tried to push it and the rear brakes were seized on. So I jump started it off the Alfa, drove it forward and the brakes cracked off fairly easily. I left the handbrake off when I parked it afterwards.

 

When I got in it today, I eased it forward slowly and after a few feet a noticed a bit of resistance and the back end started to lift up. Long story short, as I gently moved it across the carpark I found that it would go about 15-20 feet and then the NS rear brake would suddenly lock on. I found that if I then pulled the handbrake on and then released it, there was a slight crack sound/feeling as the lever was almost back at it's resting position, and the brakes would release. It did this a few times in a short distance but then seemed to cure itself as I got about 1/4 way across the crapark and then I was able to gently crawl along to the other side with no drama.

 

So I'm going to have to get the drum off and have a play around, but the question is, what should I be looking for? The problem is not the brakes seizing, it's that the brake suddenly applies itself and locks on Could a fault with the auto adjustment cause something like this?

 

I'm not looking forward to getting the drum off, as I've no experience with drums and I've just read about all the fun and games that people have getting them off. The only saving grace is that it's not covered much mileage since Dan Taylor replaced the drum on that side, so hopefully it won't put up too much of a fight.

[welshpug 1,655]

sounds likely to be the handbrake lever on the shoes seizing up, easy enough to sort.

[Baz 421]

Yep, very common just needs removing & the lever itself probably & the pivot cleaning up, bit of lube perhaps & a work 'til it moves freely again, then re-fitting, did 2 last week for Mot!

 

Don't be scared of it either, they're easy once you know how. Given as you say it's fairly new it should be ok, but most problems come from a lack of maintenance or knowledge of how they actually work. If the drum's being a pain to come off, get a little torch and find the adjuster through a wheel bolt hole and turn it until it loosens the shoes away from the drum, which'll then be easier to remove, or at least should be!

Edited March 29, 2011 by Baz

[GLPoomobile 958]

Okey-dokey.

 

But I don't understand why it snaps on of it's own accord. I was rolling the 205 along with the engine off, and the brakes were free, then all of a sudden the rear NS would just lock up on it's own.

[welshpug 1,655]

may be an ovalled drum, or a spot of corrosion grabbing at the shoes.