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Thread: Emergency brake adjustment help...?

  1. #1
    Senior Member wizrod's Avatar
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    Emergency brake adjustment help...?

    Hi All,

    I wonder if anyone can suggest a solution to this...?

    One of the things that stopped my Nova getting its MOT on Saturday was a sticking rear brake. I'd initially thought this would be a simple fix of twiddling the star-wheel adjusters a little, but there seems to be more of a problem. I think something is sticking somewhere....

    The issue is that I can't seem to adjust the brake off enough to turn freely while at the same time getting it to lock up when the foot or hand brake are applied. I can get close (indeed, probably close enough for the MOT) but the real problem is that as soon as I apply the handbrake, it stiffens up again and needs re-adjusting - something is clearly sticking....

    I know that the correct solution, is to take the drum off & strip & clean everything - maybe even re-grease the hand-brake cable, too. However, I don't have a breaker-bar suitable for getting the hub nut off...

    So, does anyone know any quick dodges to get this sorted?

    It may be that I can book it into the the garage that is doing the MOT a little early and get them to undo the hub nut for me with their air-gun, but I don't think I can rely on that.

    Thanks in advance for any magic suggestions!!

    cheers

    Paul
    cheers

    Paul

  2. #2
    Well the time-honoured soloution to hub nuts is an adequate length of pipe slipped over a tommy bar.... 6 foot usually brooks no arguments! Drum brakes can be a real pain when they don't want to cooperate and it does sound like the internals of yours need to see some daylight....
    It's a 52 year old car and everything works, just not always at the same time.......and it's probably about to get jealous!
    *Donate to Euro-Nova today!*

  3. #3
    Senior Member MicksRedNova's Avatar
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    Wizrod
    Download the Nova Modifications Manual and check out page 18 or so where brake adjustment is detailed. You may already have tried it but the sequence of adjustment is useful.
    I found my left brake had an oval drum that gave similar symptoms until i replaced the drum and rebuilt the slave cylinder.
    Hope this helps and isnt too depressing.

    Mick
    Club Nova Member

    MicksRedNova2 may take longer than the original!!

  4. #4
    hi Paul. not had this problem personally so can`t help with an explanation as to what this could be so i guess a quick strip down is the only way to go. word of caution though, if your gona remove the drum retaining nut use 3/4" drive on that 6ft extention pole. had too meany 1/2" break and you`ll end up doin some damage to your car, yourself or gear in your garage. hope you get sorted.

  5. #5
    ***Euro-Nova Supporter*** Peter's Avatar
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    Sounds like the handbrake cable is the problem as the brake doesn't stick on with the foot brake. The clue is in ,"as soon as I apply the handbrake".

    The Primary "star wheel" adjustment is done with the handbrake cable slacked right off so only the hydraulics function, I assume that works? Then adjust the cable to remove slack so you have about 3 clicks to 'on'.

    Never had a sticky, gungy, rusty cable work well or for very long after being 'rescued' by lubing, the bottom 6" to 10" is usually full of frayed cable stands, crud and rust and is hard to eliminate. Best buy a pair of new ones and have done with it but of course you would need to get those hubs off, as said, a 36mm socket and 6 foot tube on the breaker bar, (I wouldn't suggest using a ratchet unless you want to strip the ratchet pawls) or a spanner and a club hammer works well in the 'tool abuse' class too. A rear hub nut spanner is an essential tool for a VW owner, unless you go rear disc conversion of course, then once they are fitted it's an option, I have a single ended ring spanner with a 'clout pad' on the other end ("slogging spanner") just for that job Should cost less than £20 and saves so much time and knackered tools.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Draper-36m...-/380966129722

    or

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Slugging-R...item2c7bd29022.

    OR
    http://www.deltec.net/open-ended-slo...nner-36mm.html
    Last edited by Peter; 29-04-2015 at 09:05 AM.
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  6. #6
    Senior Member wizrod's Avatar
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    Thanks all for your replies.. all very useful!. There is definitely a full strip & rebuild on the cards for the brakes, but I won't be able to get the parts in time for Stoneleigh - hence the need fro a 'quick fix' .

    However, in a moment of clarity, I remembered that I had upgraded to Type 3 rear drums, which, as well as having 50% more braking area, are also 2-piece, so I should be able to get the drum off, with the resulting access to the innards, without having to address the problem of the hub nut.

    The plan is to attempt that this evening and to introduce a generous amount of WD-40 in an attempt to free off anything that is sticking - the handbrake cable/lever, springs, etc. If that works, so much the better and the MOT should be straightforward .

    Either way, I'll order up a full set of re-build parts for both sides (even though the driver side is functioning fine.), which will arrive probably in time for the following weekend...

    cheers

    Paul

    Paul
    cheers

    Paul

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