Rear Brake Shoes Position and Return Springs

[Esteban]

Today I finished reassembling the rear brakes as part of the differential bearings change, and subsequent adjustment. I decided to take a couple of pictures of the brakes for future reference.

The later Service Manual doesn't mention the sequence of placing the shoes or how it's done. The earlier manual has a little bit of information.

The brake cylinders are installed with the piston (rubber dust shield) facing the front of the car.

For the brake shoes, you install the return springs on the rear of the shoes. Then place the front shoe over the slots at the cylinder, and at the adjuster (you can do this by hand only). Then with the aid of a screwdriver install the rear shoe in place. Previously coat the contact surfaces of the shoes at the cylinder and adjuster, as well as the contact point behind each shoe. Note: the only reason I decided to install the front shoe first, is because you avoid damaging the rubber dust seal at the cylinder.

Edit: position of shoes in the following picture are not correct. Take a look at the picture posted by BJA down below and the diagram from the parts manual that follows

Rear brake shoes assembly.jpg

I also took a picture of the return springs next to a tape, to get an idea of the length of each one.

Rear Spring Lengths.jpg

[bosque]

Great post Mr. International with the metric/standard tape, thanks!

[RiverPatrol]

Bravo!

[moore_rb]

Very handy... This will save several minutes of "hmmm, Do I remember how those springs went? "

[Esteban]

When I was reassembling my rear brakes recently, I managed to trash one of the good cylinders that I had . The bleeder was seized and finally broke. Chinese bolt extractors from Craftsman showed some solidarity with the bleeder, and broke as well.

I decided to use the piston of this good pump, and rebuild an old one that I had. After the fact, one of my brothers said that why bother trashing the cylinder, since I could install it, and bleed by the brake line connector. That in fact, many cylinders don’t have bleeders. I haven’t done it yet, but I’m going to try. But in the mean time I want you to take a look at this picture.

Note the position of the bleeder hole, and next to it, the inlet. When mounted, these two holes end up horizontally. If some air is trapped inside, how can it move outside? This is open to discussion.

Rear Brake Cylinder.jpg

I’ve seen many pictures of wheel cylinders on the internet, and all of them have the bleeder at the top. But I was able to find one that is in the same position as the Patrol’s. It’s for a Triumph TR-4 or TR-6 (some British inspired design in the Patrol after all…) But wait, it is almost a carbon copy of the Patrol cylinders. See this picture size by size. Only difference is that the diameter is 7/8” instead of 1”. Would be great to have one of these at hand and do further measurements, like the position where the shoe will end up.

Possible spare.jpg

[miller]

Esteban, your descriptions, knowledge and perfect pictures continue to amaze me. Such a valuble asset to this forum (but we all knew that anyway right )

Chinese bolt extractors from Craftsman showed some solidarity with the bleeder, and broke as well.

Oh no! I thought ? Craftsman was built in the good ol US of A?? Bosque is probably ropeable!

[Coyote Patrol]

Just gravity bleeding these probably would not purge all of the air out. Pressure bleeding, bleeding by pumping the pedal, or vacuum bleeding would get the air out. This produces a fast moving large volume of fluid that flushes (purges) the air out of the cylinders. Now gravity bleeding would help flush some air out, but the slow moving small volume would not flush (purge) the cylinders.

[bosque]

I think Ron has it....large volume pumped in will fill oil head to toe.

[sleepyzzz]

you guys and girls may already know this trick but it was new to me. I was over at my buddy's helping with a roadster that we bought together for resale, and one of the brake piston was seized in the cylinder and not moving at all. propane torch tip comes out, and while heating the cylinder he turns the piston with a flat blade screwdriver to free it up. takes everything apart and inspects the seal and cylinder, and all is good. we clean it up with sandpaper and steel wool, piston and inside the cylinder, and reassemble the cylinder and have a good brake now on that wheel. i tried this at home and didn't mess anything up so if i can do it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[BJA]

I am in the process of replacing my rear wheel cylinders and brake shoes with new stock and want to double check to make sure I have the shoes in the proper place. The previous owner had the springs in the wrong position on both rear wheels (longer spring near the cylinder) which makes me wonder about the position of the shoes. Below is how the shoes are oriented which is different then what is shown above. Just want clarity before I have to perform the mod to the aftermarket wheel cylinder in order to get the drum back in place. Having never performed any brake jobs before this may be a dumb question, sorry in advance. Thank you for the help.