rear brake shoes - the work of the devil

[wemorgan]

Brake shoes, not something I suspect a MB owner has often met, but today I did for the first time. What a absolute sod of a job. Never again will I consider changing them, I'll happily pay the garage the 2-4 hours labour and enjoy a beer in the garden instead.

/vent over

 

[Transalpir]

Fun times with springs???

Yes I too have had the delight of changing these little blighters...
Previous owner had fitted new wheels with the wrong length bolts witch did for all the springs so changed them and the shoes.

I'd an idea they would be a pain so made sure they should not require doing again, well not in my E320cdi anyhow!

 

[Dieselman]

Not on your Vx220?

I haven't had a car since my old LR S3 with shoes. Off roading would see a full set off in an afternoon, so I got pretty adept at changing shoes.

My last road car with shoes on the rear was a Sierra in 1987, and Mrs Dm Fiat, but iirc that only needed one set in 145k miles

Shoes are easy with the right tools.

 

[230K]

Not on your Vx220?

I haven't had a car since my old LR S3 with shoes. Off roading would see a full set off in an afternoon, so I got pretty adept at changing shoes.

My last road car with shoes on the rear was a Sierra in 1987, and Mrs Dm Fiat, but iirc that only needed one set in 145k miles

Shoes are easy with the right tools.

Handbrake shoes surely??

 

[wemorgan]

It was for the A2.

Today I was the tool and most definitely the wrong one at that.

Annoyingly it was my greed that was my undoing. There was an odd noise from the rear wheels. I assumed the shoes were low. So I ordered new drums and shoes for a clean start. When I removed the old drum I saw that it was in fact a failed cylinder at fault. The lip on the end to stop the shoe falling off had sheared off, leaving the shoe hanging down. Popped down the GSF and returned with a new cylinder. I could have replaced that alone and solved the job in a few minutes. But oh dear, I became greedy, I wanted to ft my new shoes. Many many hours later, having realised I ordered the correct drums by wrong shoes I reassembled the old shoes back with the new drums and cylinder.

Tomorrow I'll collect my new shoes, where they will prompty go on the garage shelf for another day.....a long long time away

 

[Dieselman]

Handbrake shoes surely??

Which never wear out.

 

[Dieselman]

It was for the A2.

Today I was the tool and most definitely the wrong one at that.

Annoyingly it was my greed that was my undoing. There was an odd noise from the rear wheels. I assumed the shoes were low. So I ordered new drums and shoes for a clean start. When I removed the old drum I saw that it was in fact a failed cylinder at fault. The lip on the end to stop the shoe falling off had sheared off, leaving the shoe hanging down. Popped down the GSF and returned with a new cylinder. I could have replaced that alone and solved the job in a few minutes. But oh dear, I became greedy, I wanted to ft my new shoes. Many many hours later, having realised I ordered the correct drums by wrong shoes I reassembled the old shoes back with the new drums and cylinder.

Tomorrow I'll collect my new shoes, where they will prompty go on the garage shelf for another day.....a long long time away

One should always diagnose before committing to buy.

 

[wemorgan]

One should always diagnose before committing to buy.

True, though I didn't go in completely blind. I took off the drums about two years ago. The shoes were 1/2 worn then and the drums had a slight lip on too. So 30k later I hoped that was the issue. Live and learn

 

[Bellow]

I can just about match your tale Will - it may (or may not) give you some consolation.
Replaced a rear wheel bearing on my smart and when the drum was removed for access there was some dust released. Finished the job and then decided to do the right thing and remove the drum on the other side to remove its dust - in the interest of 'balance'. But while removing the drum (only moderate force) the friction material broke requiring replacement. £100 later... Linings with over half their life remaining replaced - because of dust.
Live and learn you say....