Rear Brake Locking Up!!

[benbenukuk]

Hi, I went to go to work this morning only to find that my rear brakes were locked up, i drove forward and backward to see if it woul free them which it sort of did (i dont think they are completely free) the series 3 swb had only been sitting there for 1 day (day off work) what could have caused this? how do I free the brakes fully? and how can I prevent this from happining again? Ben

[benbenukuk]

it drives o.k forward and only locks up in reverse, any ideas?  Ben

[hobbit]

First thing is to pop the drums off and have a look, see if anything is broke or fouling, dont forget you my have to slack off the adjusters before trying to remove the drums

[ian_s]

is it both rear brakes or just one?

[benbenukuk]

hi, it seems to be both, I spote the the mechanic who does most of the work on my landy and he thinks it could be either the handbrake or layshaft in the gearbox he said hes not sure untill he looks at it.  Ben

[Rich_P]

The trailing shoe is self adjusting.  If the edges are not chamfered, then it is entirely possible they will bind and lock the rear drums.  Also make sure that the return springs are in tip top condition and aren't tired or weak.

[S188]

One of ours needs work on the wheel cylinders as the fluid has aged and corosion has set in inside the cylinder forming a sort of black goo inside the pistons.  Hydrolic presure activates the brakes fine but the shoes don't return properly as they are stiff.

The cylinders aren't leeking but by pushing the shoes in and out you can tell theres something wrong and see some muck under the dustcovers.  Some of the wheels turn alright forwards but not backwards, or sometimes if you come to a hult going downhill and relice the brakes it'll sit there untill you rock it in reverse. - quite simply they are screwed up and doing all sorts of things, probubly caused because the fluid hasn't been changed often enough.

They are all 10" by the way.

Springs are important too if they are streched.  Also its not too dificult to fit the leading shoe spring backwards/upsidown so it fowls the snailcam or hub slightly which can reduice its performance just enough to make the shoes slow to desingauge.

[Bob Ajob]

If someone else has had the brakes off in the past, they may have fitted the shoes inthe wrong place, leading to trailing & vice versa. One is shorter than the other, can't remember which is which without looking

[benbenukuk]

hi, found out what the problem was it turned out that I was going  from first to reverse and vice versa to quick and not giving the gears time to release them selfs luckly it released and saved me a lot of money, apparently its caused by a worn gearstick?  Ben

[hobbit]

Good fun these gearboxes, I got into a habit with them (brought about from driving old trucks), select another gear either 2, 3 or 4th, (if a s3 box), or 3 or 4 on a s2 box, then select first or reverse, the syncros will stop the gears spinning enabling you to drop into a none syncro gear