Siezed Rear Brake

[Ambriel]

The wife's Aygo has one rear brake that won't disengage when the handbrake is released.

She says it's been a bit 'funny' for a couple of weeks and that a few times it has jammed but released with a loud bang when she started to move.

Is this likely to be a fault with the cable or with the brake mechanism itself?

Are there any diagrams available on-line?

[mombosapan]

Hi Ambriel, going off your description, i would think the problem lies inside the brake drum, but don't despair, it shouldn't be a serious one.

Very often a buld-up of brake dust residue can cause it to "stick on", particularly in damp weather, or after traveling through puddles, when the said dust becomes like a paste and temporarily cloggs up mechanisms.

Usually when this occurs, it means the brakes need a minor service, i.e. a clean-up. or at worst it may be getting close to needing replacement brake shoes, which are not expensive to buy, but labour charges can be ugly if you don't D.I.Y.

One thing to try when it occurs, is:- attempt to move the car in reverse, just a foot or two, and if it moves freely, then it is almost deffinately just a dust build-up. as i say this problem will rarely show up in warm weather,as it is mostly caused by dampness.

Hope this has been usefull.

[Ambriel]

Thanks, I did wonder whether it was indicative of the pads approaching the end of their life.

It wouldn't come free no matter of how much for'and'back rocking I did. In the end I dragged it up to the barn with my Landrover and got the wheel off. There was a few mill' of movement so I set to work whacking the drum with my favourite hammer and turning the hub to and fro and eventually it came free.

It's in the barn now but I'll pull the drums tomorrow and check the state of the pads and give it a good clean.

[Ambriel]

OK Managed to get the drum off without too much effort. Brake shoes still have a fair amount of wear on them except at one end where they've worn more and a small piece has broken off - hence the seized brake.

Checked the fronts while I had the thing in the air and they've still got plenty of wear left although the discs themselves are pitted and rusted - a consequence of living beside the sea, presumably.

I've ordered new pads and shoes so hopefully they'll only take a day or two to get here.

Any things to watch for or 'gotchas' when fitting them?

Presumably I need to wind back the adjuster before I fit the new shoes.

[MikeSh]

I'd recommend this anyway but as you live by the sea then it's almost essential that you smear a bit of copperease on all the moving faces of the mechanisms to reduce the chances of it seizing (again?).

[+Steve]

agree with Mikesh

Copper grease on the back of the pads is a must

[Ambriel]

The new pads came with sticky pads to fit to the backs of them to prevent rattle or squeal. Be interesting to see how well they work after a while.

Rear shoes came off and went back on without much in the way of fuss. Just a bit of swearing getting the springs back in place.