Rear brake sticking + handbrake keeps losing adjustment

robgee1964

Member
Hi

I have searched the forums but can't find any mention of anyone experiencing this particular problem.

The car is a 1972 2000TC with girling brakes. What keeps happening is every so often one of the rear brakes will stick on - at the same time the handbrake goes slack. After a while the brake will release itself and the handbrake sorts itself out - presumably as the self adjuster takes up the slack.

Its only the one caliper which seems to have the problem - the pads wore down super quick on that side only. I've had the cover off and everything seems free as far as I can see. The mechanical piston isn't stuck as I was able to back it off easy enough to fit new pads, also the caliper pivots freely. I thought also it might be handbrake cable too tight, but with the handbrake released both actuating levers appear to be fully at rest.

I should add the calipers have been rebuilt albeit some time ago and they did work properly post rebuild - the car is dry stored and only used during spring and summer months.

I wondered if anyone else has experienced this problem and if so what did they do to fix it?

Many thanks
Rob
 
How about the pad slipper/sliders on that caliper? Rusty? Fitted the correct way up?
Jim
 
Could be a degrading hose, could be closeing up and keeping pressure and slowing going back to normal and freeing off.....
 
Thanks for both suggestions - the brake hose thing has already been done as it failed an MOT on that a few years ago.

The pad slipper suggestion is interesting. Everything is clean and rust free, but I was a bit confused as to which way up they are meant to go. What I did in the end was look at the outline of where they had been fitted previously - although of course that doesn't mean it was right to start with.
I would need to get under the car to check, but from memory I've go the slippers fitted so the notch sits towards the top, if that makes any sense?

Cheers
Rob
 
If it's the offside caliper then it eliminates a faulty hose as the culprit because it could only be the hose between the body and the OSR caliper doing it, and that would hold both calipers on not just one.
 
The pad slipper suggestion is interesting. Everything is clean and rust free, but I was a bit confused as to which way up they are meant to go. from memory I've go the slippers fitted so the notch sits towards the top, if that makes any sense?

That's the correct way.
You might just be able to make it out below:

mini-Fig-4-remove-Inner-Pad_0.JPG


Make sure you've got the shims and springs fitted correctly on to the sliders too.
 
The one in the pic is being removed, I couldn't find a pic with the bolt fitted without trawling through. If the bolt is fitted then the slipper will be on the peg, even if the slipper is the wrong way up. If it isn't, there's not much hope....
 
Thanks so much for all the replies. I'm sure I've got the pads and slippers all fitted correctly.
I think I will have to bite the bullet and remove both callipers this weekend. I'll report back with the cause of the problem once I've found it.
Cheers
Rob
 
I suspect a rusty cup.

before you strip them off. get under and take out the pads, wind out the cup (thing that pushes against the pad). check the surface if it needs cleaning do that and wind it back in and adjust the pad.
 
Hi, Reading the OP again. Is the handbrake lever sticking in the on position thus making the brakes bind and the handbrake go slack?

Colin
 
UPDATE - PROBLEM SOLVED
First up, I'm guilty of being a dope. I've realised last weekend when I went underneath I got disoriented and had checked the N/S caliper. Which was working anyway.
Having learned left from right this week, I found that on the O/S caliper, the tab on the mechanical piston was not quite pointing vertical. This meant the folder lug was interfering with the pad and causing the piston to be twisted slightly, thus presumably was binding.

So, with piston aligned correctly and pads refitted everything is working perfectly.

Once again many thanks to everyone who replied. Getting to the bottom of problems like this is one of the many things I find rewarding about classic car ownership.
 
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