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My bleedin' brakes.....

S

spencer

Accelerating Away
So Laughing Boy failed the MOT on the track rod ends and the brakes.
I tried to explain that steering and braking were optional extras but they wouldn't have any of it.
Trouble is that I agreed to let them mess with the brakes. Four days later, it's still in the garage with no brakes!
I have put new drums shoes, 2 out of 4 cylinders and a new CB-type master cylinder on with some new brake pipe. But they still can't sort it.
They said that after bleeding the brakes (traditional method), they get brake pressure and it'll pass on the rolling road but then all of a sudden it's gone again. The master cylinder has been passed as being in perfect working order although they did have a second new one on standby.
I am buggered without LB as he's my work motor too so I'd really appreciate some help here guys. Tidy! or should I say Tdi !
 
Hmmmm

I assume this is an 88"?

OK, if these experts are happy that the mechanicals are in good working order, it only leaves adjustment or air in the lines.

On the series, the snail should be adjusted till the shoes are barely rubbing the drums.
A common fault with mechanics that have not worked on these brakes before, is that they hook the top pull-off spring to both shoes. It is only attached to one, the leading one [from memory] and the other end to the pin on the backing plate. The top of the other shoe floats freely, being pulled off only by the bottom spring which IS connected to both shoes.

I guess they used a pressure bleeder to do the brakes? I made one up using an airtight quart tin with a tyre valve and a tube soldered into the lid. The tube reaches the bottom of the tin and is connected to a screw cap [also with a short length of tube soldered thru it] by a length of plastic pipe. This modified cap screws onto the brake reseviour [sp?] and a couple of lb of air pumped into the tin, which you have filled with your favourite brake fluid. All that is required then, is to open the bleeder, keep a couple of lb of air in the contraption and wait till the bubbles stop coming out!

If you suspect a particular area, you can isolate the front brakes from the back and each front brake, by clamping off each flexible hose with either the proper tool, or needle-nose vice-grips with a length of round metal tube over each jaw. If the pedal firms up after any particular pipe is clamped, you have narrowed down the possibilities.

I would first check the springs though......

Ash
 
Thanks for that mate. Can you imagine what sort of garage takes 5 days to bleed brakes? As you can imagine, I was seriously pissed off as I've done brakes plenty of times myself.
Turned out there was a partially siezed cylinder on the nearside front and the line going to the rear offside was full of air. Next, they managed to pop the rear flexi pipe.
You had me worried about the springs on the shoes bit as I did all the new drums and shoes myself and thought it was gonna be mighty embarassing if they found that that was the cause.
Still, all's well that ends well. Laughing boy is back and that's all that matters to me!
 
Dunno what happened to the post I just sent.....Ah well, Glad you got it sorted.
These guys must be after some sort of record for being the shortest time in business or something!!!

ash
 
I satrted to have my doubts when the 'mechanic' showed me a Sherpa he'd converted to a recovery vehicle and asked me if there was any reason why it was popping and banging.
The sad thing was that they told me that all the local farmers bring their Landy's down there for MOT's and repairs. Stupid of me to believe that as I live in the city. Not too many farms left now.
 
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