Drum Brakes Advice?

[milkround]

I've never done them.... Never took them apart. Don't plenty of other stuff.

But my partners car has failed it's MOT because of nearside rear binding.

This does seem odd to me... As it's not binding when driving. I'd know if it was. However sometimes when you go to move off it does have the hold and clunk. So it seems the handbrake isn't releasing straight away. It's worst when it's damp and not something I worried about at all. But a fail is a fail.

So I need to sort this asap. I have become a google certified expert in something I've never done. And I've read taking off the drums and cleaning them should fix it... But I can get a set of prebuilt shoes and new pistons etc for about £40. Would it be an idea to buy this and just fit at the same time? If the drum has a lip I can attack it with a grinder.

So for you guys who have done drum brakes... Would you just fit new shoes and pistons? I know I'll have to bleed them and have no problem with that. I don't want to buy the shoes on their own for £15 as I have never fitted them before and if I mess it up and take the car off road for a couple of days my girl will murder me.

[milkround]

Cheers - the car is sorted sort off. But I wish I'd paid someone else. Total pain in the arse. Had to grind crap of both the inner lip and the outer rust to get the drum back on.

The leaver that engages and releases the handbrake was sticking because it was just dirty and grimey. I worked it back and forth. I doubt it's a permanent fix but I hope it gets through the MOT. It's not binding right now at least... Lets see if it is on MOT retest day.

Tbh the shoes need changing as they were well well low. So that will be done at some point. I'm in no rush to do it anytime soon.

[milkround]

The test is in an hour.

I am NEVER working on any car again. I'm too thick to be trusted to fill up tyres let alone work on brakes.

Had it booked in today for 2 tyres and tracking for the retest. It was cold yesterday and raining so I just nipped up the wheel bolts with an impact. This morning I used the torque wrench to tighten them.

Got to the tyre place... Couldn't find the locking nut. Apologised and explained and went home. It's still missing. Must have left it on and lost it driving! Called the tyre firm and asked if they could get them off. They said they couldn't with this type. Called kwik fit... £90 they wanted and no guarantee it would work. Called VW... We can book you in after xmas... (And NO they wouldn't just take them off with the master set... Not even for cash) Called a VW specialist no luck.

In the end I resorted to a 22mm socket. A lump hammer. And a 1600nm impact gun and got them off myself. Then needed to drive to euro car parts with no MOT, 2 dodgy tyres, and a wheel bolt missing from both the front wheels.

It now is all sorted and I hope it just passes the retest. People should use this as a warning about doing driveway DIY... It's a nightmare.

[milkround]

GreenV8S said:

Huh? I haven't seen a locking nut that couldn't be taken off with a bit of brute force. It must be completely routine for anyone fitting tyres for a living.

Risk/reward.

I got them off using a 12 sides socket, a massive lump hammer and a powerful impact gun.

But if I'd totally messed it up it was on me. If they mess it up they have a duty of care to sort it. Some idiots would moan if an alloy was scratched doing this... Plus getting them off caused me to muller one socket so badly it's basically unusable now. If I'd smashed up the socket and couldn't get it off then VW wouldn't/couldn't have used the master set... Then you are looking at either welding or drilling. Once they start a job they can't abandon it.

Plus I get the feeling that most fast-fit type places want easy standard work.

BUT... The car passed the restest with zero advisories. So all the stress was worth it.