Rear drum brakes binding - possible causes?
Rear drum brakes binding - possible causes?
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DJames93

Original Poster:

33 posts

96 months

Thursday 28th February 2019
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Noticed around a week ago that the back drum brakes on my gen 7 civic were binding. Loud clunk when I moved off and they seemed to release which happened for a few days until they decided not to release fully on my way to work leaving me having to drive very slowly there.

Took it into an independant garage local to work I sumise to be reputable based on many good reviews and that they have been trading for a long time and when picking it a few days later up they told me that they stripped the brakes, cleaned them, reassembled with new clips and freed off adjusters. Brake fluid level is ok. Handed over £109.

All seemed ok for a couple of days, until last night when I went to pick some friends up and I heard the same clunk as I moved off after taking the handbrake off. Did not notice any resistance as if the brake had remained stuck on this time.

This morning I jacked the car and took the handbrake off and the OS wheel seems to grab the tiniest amount at a certain point. I am aware of this as there was an mot advisory 2 years back for 'rear o/s brake fluctating but not excessively', but when I tried to turn the NS wheel is was very, very tight. With a great deal of force I could get it to budge slightly so I believe this to be the culprit. Weirdly though after I dropped the car and went to drive it down the road to get a feel for moving off I did not notice any resistance, it seems to move off on even just the clutch just fine.

I plan to return it to the garage as I guess this is not normal. Can anyone give any idea what it may be based on what has already been done? And I guess they cannot charge me any more considering that this would surely be considered a failed repair?


Weekendrebuild

1,059 posts

79 months

Thursday 28th February 2019
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Sound more like your handbrakes sticking on don’t use handbrake an try in morning probably frayed brake cable !! In my opinion

DJames93

Original Poster:

33 posts

96 months

Thursday 28th February 2019
quotequote all
Weekendrebuild said:
Sound more like your handbrakes sticking on don’t use handbrake an try in morning probably frayed brake cable !! In my opinion
Cheers, just trying get a few ideas for the time being until it goes back in with the garage for them to sort. I might head down there in a moment. I've left it with the handbrake off for now and in gear though the nearside rear seems to have a decent amount of resistance. It did loosen up after I drove it for a bit but still didn't turn completely freely as it should.

996TT02

3,336 posts

156 months

Thursday 28th February 2019
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Simple enough to test for tension in handbrake cable in most cars by just feeling behind the rear brake backplate for it.

grumpy52

5,834 posts

182 months

Friday 15th March 2019
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Could be a number of things , partially seized hand brake cable or mechanism, distorted brake drum or disc , collapsed flexi pipe or even a blocked master cylinder breather or a failing seal .
Sometimes brake shoes are reluctant to center as many forget to lube or clean mounting points or pivot points or fit return springs correctly.
I have even seen poorly fitted handbrake cables with crimped or pinch points causing binding or one very strange one with a kinked inner cable that caused binding . Look for grommets and cable boots to be intact and correctly fitted also plastic locators to be seated properly .
Brakes can be fun if the faults aren't obvious !