After going outside to see someone had stolen both numberplates from our car last night, the day has gone downhill.
My rear brakes were fine with the lugless big seven drums on. (Obviously, apart from the wheel falling off)
I have now put tony's new pair of Girling drums on the front and moved the fronts to the back. Had to do some chamfering and clean out the back of the inner drum edge, which i do not think has ever been skimmed.

However, with snail adjuster on minimum, i get good rotation.. Nice and close.. with drum on, and then some slight sticking with the three screws nipped up.

When i tighten the nuts on the three wheel bolts, it sticks pretty, unacceptably, fast!

The drums are cast so cant be warped. Do I just assume that with the tolerances of an 80 year old car, i have to further back off the shoes (I am thinking of taking a mm off the shoe pivot surface) to make up for the brakes not being absolutely perpendicular to the axle? I am scratching my head and wishing it would all go away at the moment.

Any cunning plans for me to implement?

(It is M. Minor kit)

Hi Jon, just a thought, are the 'beehive' springs holding the shoes tight back to the brake plate?

I had this exact problem a few years back John.

I solved it by putting a washer on each of the studs of the hub which spaced the drum away from the backplate slightly.

I've successfully solved a similar problem the same way in the past Ruairidh.

Steve

Location: North Yorkshire

yay! its not just me!

The beehives and snails are all fine, Dave. (Other than the fact I removed one to investigate - and now can't get the blighter back in)

R and Steve - I will seek 6 washers and do both sides in case I start turning in circles. Are longer retainer set screws available easily? Anyone know the thread spec?

A glimmer of light is that technically I will have wider track, if it works, I suppose....

You really need to find out what's wrong. I'd start by fitting the drums without the brake shoes. Is it ok then? If not I'd look for a foul between the drum and the backplate. This often happens if you have aluminium back plates as they are thicker than the steel ones. If all is ok there, then I'd check the position of the shoes. You need a setting device shown in the picture in a thread about brakes about 3 weeks ago. This will allow ou to set the shoes both square to and concentric with the drum. This is harder than you would imagine. Note that on the last several hydraulic systems I've worked on, I've had to file the cylinders to get the shoes to line up properly. If you do all that the real problem will be found and solved.

Have you checked to see if the inner part of the drum isn't rubbing on the outer edge of the lining? The drum may not be worn as much in the "corner" at the point where they might meet. A smear of marker on the outer edge of the lining might confirm this. A judicious bit of filing of the outer edge of the lining may then solve the problem.
Ron

Ron - already done both chamfering and grinding! Alan - I will look as you suggest for correct seating. I think the mismatch is one of those things of bitsa cars where parts get mixed around... I think this might be a big 7 back axle, perhaps, as the drums were so.

Any idea on the thread spec. of the set screws for retaining the drums, anyone? I need slightly longer ones than are in there at present.

Hi jonE,

1/4 BSF. If you need some longer ones. Let me know.

Thanks tony

Location: Leics

thanks - that's v.handy to know. will locate some here.