Front brakes don't work!

[jvsimmons]

Thanks vlad_d. Thought about buying a complete brake line kit from the UK. RN doesn't stock the kit for my 83. Then the issue of fitting sizes and thread came up and with the new MC and shuttle valve ( and not knowing the size and thread) I may just use the old fittings and flare new pipes. I did check the wheel bearings and they looked good.

Saturday morning I went for a short drive - after correcting the plumbing from the MC to the direct-to-wheels line fittings ( shuttle valve has been removed for the time being). Still had a fairly decent pedal. When I got home I checked the temperature at each wheel. Three were warm as one would expect. The 4th ( right rear ) was hot. Jacked it up - checked adjustment of the shoes - pulled the drum ( came off easily) - inspected the shoes and was surprised by what I found. The rear shoe had horizontal ribbing - see photo. They ridges are not high but one can still feel them when rubbing finger across the shoe. The front shoe was smooth. I cannot come up with a plausible cause and cure for this finding. Anyone got any ideas?

[charles1943]

My sense of what I see is that the best way to address what you mention would B 2 use some 80-grit sandpaper and using circular strokes, dress the surface until the ridges disappear. What would concern me more than the ridges would B that the shoe might B a mismatch to its counterpart on the opposite side of that axle, causing the brakes to pull to 1 side.

[charles1943]

1 ?: have U mike'd your drums, and what sizes are they? This wants 2 B done with a vernier caliper 4 accuracy!

[charles1943]

AND I'd B concerned if Rimmer shipped U 3 sets of shoes of type "A" and 1 of type "B". Maybe they didn't but it looks that way. Is that the case?

[vlad_d]

I would get some new components an/or get some machining at the local brake shop or machine shop.

* Get a brake kit for about $50 that includes new pads, cylinders, and springs. Link below.
* Take your drums to a local shop and ask if they can turn them. My local PepBoys or smaller shop would charge $8 to turn them…and you’d get a perfect surface to mate with those new pads. Yes, you can just get by with some sand paper, if they aren’t gouged or out-of-round. But, $8 is cheap insurance. It will rule out any wonky drums.
* In fact, you could get these parts to a local brake shop that isn’t a major chain(they hire 25 year olds who’ve never seen drum brakes and won’t touch them)…and have the shop wrestle with them. You can find the parts, since the shops have no idea where to get Series parts.

I hate to send links from someone other than our hosts, but here’s the $50 kit:
https://www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/da...d-springs.html

The photo you sent looks pretty rusty. I wouldn’t bother trying to make all that work. You’re looking at $50 of “consumable” parts. Nothing precious there to save for future generations…just get some new pads, springs and cylinders.

New drums are about $50 each. I have an extra one that I put a slight ridge in when I bent a shoe trying to leverage it on and it scratched a bit. DM me if you want it. I would give it for free, just send shipping or trade for something and you can have it turned for $8 locallly.

In the end, it’s your brakes. I’d hate to drive on rusted brakes when it’s only $50 of parts. I know people like their “patina” on these old Rovers…but…you know…you wouldn’t be doing yourself any favors driving on crap brakes. Let the fenders be rusty for the Instagram photos…but the brakes should be solid, right?