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Brake shoe orientation
ironside - 14/2/08 at 12:29 AM

I've just been fitting new rear brake components tonight with the Escort Haynes manual on my lap for guidance.

I only noticed after assembling it all that the friction material is closer to one end of the brake shoes than the other. By happy accident my orientation (one one way and one the other) seems to match the drawings in the Haynes manual but it's not mentioned in the text anywhere - what's the story with this?

Also, the Haynes manual mentions an "abutment stop piece" that goes behind the handbrake lever on the outside of the backplate. My donor car didn't have these on either side (they're 8" drums on a mk2 Escort English axle.) Do I need them? If so where do I get them from?

Here's a picture:

Rear Brakes 13/02/2008
Rear Brakes 13/02/2008

Oh, before anyone points it out I'm aware that the backplates (and subsequently everything else) is upside down as the backplates are on the wrong sides of the axle but it's way too much bother (half shafts out etc) for me to switch these around and it seems my car is not the only one like this.

Cheers,
Simon.

skodaman - 14/2/08 at 12:39 AM

Got same set-up as you though it's all in bits. plus two different makes of pads. It's cold now and so is my beer so u2u me tomorrow if no-one else answers you're question and I'll go and check for you.

JAG - 14/2/08 at 08:43 AM

Yes - the linings are in different positions on each shoe. If yours matches the diagram in the Haynes manual you have it right.

The position of the lining influences the brakes torque output.

Mounting them upside down SHOULD have no real consequences

David Jenkins - 14/2/08 at 08:53 AM

Regarding the back plate: Just make sure that your brake bleeding nipple is higher than the brake pipe, else you'll have great fun bleeding the system.

02GF74 - 14/2/08 at 09:00 AM

quote:
Originally posted by JAG

Mounting them upside down SHOULD have no real consequences


really? I can't see how you can fit the handbrake bar (the bit that joins both drums) since the nose of the diff will get in the way surely? And how will you locate that bar since the rear of the axle has a locating hole?

(unless you do away with the bar altogether).

this is how is should look:
rear brake
rear brake

JAG - 14/2/08 at 09:58 AM

I was referring purely to the function of the brake - I assumed that all connections (cable & hydraulics) could be made

ironside - 14/2/08 at 10:24 AM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
Regarding the back plate: Just make sure that your brake bleeding nipple is higher than the brake pipe, else you'll have great fun bleeding the system.


Thanks, I hadn't thought of that - will do.

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
really? I can't see how you can fit the handbrake bar (the bit that joins both drums) since the nose of the diff will get in the way surely? And how will you locate that bar since the rear of the axle has a locating hole?

(unless you do away with the bar altogether).


I'll be doing away with the bar altogether and just using 2 cables. It's not that the backplate is rotated 180deg, as this would be dead easy to fix, they are on the wrong sides of the axle. Ie the handbrake lever is still at the back of the axle but with the wheel cylinders at the bottom. You can see it in my picture.

Thanks a lot for all the replies.
Simon.

02GF74 - 14/2/08 at 12:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ironside

I'll be doing away with the bar altogether and just using 2 cables. It's not that the backplate is rotated 180deg, as this would be dead easy to fix, they are on the wrong sides of the axle. Ie the handbrake lever is still at the back of the axle but with the wheel cylinders at the bottom. You can see it in my picture.



Fair enough by why not fit is like it is supposed to be? Pulling a half haft takes 5 minues with practice - use 2 stud connectors and bolts to push the shaft out.

ironside - 14/2/08 at 01:03 PM

In short, I can't be bothered mainly because I don't have enough room to be able to remove the halfshafts with the axle on the car. I do have a slide hammer etc as they've already been out once to change the bearings and the diff.

That's how I managed to get the backplates on the wrong way round! I also didn't think it would be great for the bearings to pull them out and push them in again unnecessarily.