Hi
my next job (I had to skip the rear foglights) is to get the handbrake working----the adjustment appears OK but the brake is VERY weak-----Is there any point in taking the drum (inside the disc) apart----I can't imagine the shoes are worn out-----but wonder if its worth scuffing them??? (or the drum????) Yank motors never seem to have handbrakes that work, but we have to do something with them to get MOT ------any better ideas to get them working good enough for MOT ???
Nigel & Pamala

 

You made me smile when you said "Yank motors never seem to have handbrakes that work". This reminded me of english motors from the 1970s with exactly the same feature.
All you can do is rough up the drum with coarse emery cloth and take off any shine in the same way with the brake shoes. Fitting "soft" high-friction brake shoes will work -- if you can get them that is. Also, check for any worn swivel pins anywhere in the handbrake lever-to-drum pathway. Worn swivels in the old A40 used to fail at MOT.

Anyhow, do the "roughing" work just before you take it to MOT....

Leedsman.

 

Does the lever adjust or move the pads or disks ? Sorry I'm not familiar with Your vehicle. The cable is also normally adjustable. Shorten it. You don't scuff or rough up the breaking surface. It will wear off in no time. Good luck !

 

Hi
Everything outside the drum is working fine-----I shall remove the drums today and see what it looks like inside-----I only need the brake because the MOT demands it !!!!!---------Maybe seized inside through lack of use ??
If all appears good----just have to 'rough it up a bit'

The parking brake is a drum inside the disc (rotor)----operated by a hand lever (not a foot pedal)
Nigel & Pamala

 

If you can't get a quick adjustment on the cables, 9/10 its seized mechanical parts in the small drum-in-hat style brake [shoes are marked indicating which side they belong on] shoes / disk. Lubrication & maintenance over the years is usually between zero & poor. Busy fitters will change shoes and parts but never clean out the build up of brake dust / rust / salt that over the years often leads to seized small parts, particularly the articulating cam [lever through the backplate].

I did mine recently and had to use 'heat' to free the lever and a good helping of copperslip to try to keep it free. I 'borrowed' a fully equipped 'test station' with a 4 wheel rolling brake tester and full size hydraulic ramp and still struggled to get the left & right balanced with each other by %. It's the small parts as much as the hat & shoes, that are the cause of poor efficiency. The backplate a you will see when you get under is totally unprotected [no grommet] so the snow, ice and salt gets inside unrestricted quietly rrusts up the small parts & articulating cam.

Even when they are in perfect condition the parking brake is barely fit for purpose in terms of a UK MOT. The disk [stopping] brakes are not much better, for a vehicle of this weight they should be much much bigger. It would have been cheaper and much more accessible if Chrysler had fitted 'inboard disks' rather than this 1940's drum arrangement - however we have what we have.

- still we all love our GV's, best of luck !

NOTE : On the subject of proper [front and or rear] 'stopping' brakes, depending on year, you can get a bolt straight on brake conversion kit [expensive] in the states with decent sized disks and a dual piston calliper, only works with 17" rims though. On the subject of 'parking' brakes I'll never understand why they didn't fit inboard disks, at least you could get at them when they went wrong and they had 76 less less parts per pair to go wrong. On the subject of brakes and copperslip the aerosol version works well and in an 'everything sticks to it' environment provides a better fix than the solid form - you'll be amazed how many years a £5 can lasts.

 

Currently fitting new discs/pads/shoes but looks like the cables are needed too (last done 2 years ago).

Needed a dust shield too as it had rotted away.

Moving parts being smeared in copper grease, also planning to silicone over the hole for adjustments to try and slow the ingress of crud. Heres hoping it lasts this time.

 

I removed the disc/drum from one side today and everything seemed to work ok-----the drum had a bit of 'glazed rust' inside---I cleaned that out the best I could and wire brushed the shoes-----cleaned out loads of dust--lubed the moving parts, put it back, it is better than it was--but not much-------I did try to adjust the other side but the adjuster wheel seems seized----I will try to have that drum/disc off tomorrow and clean/free it.
Nigel & Pamala

 

I removed the second disc/drum today and found the disc in a very poor state and the return spring/adjuster 'lock' was MISSING-------------------
SO-----I have decided to replace all the brake bits across the rear
Nigel & Pamala

 

My car is out of adjustment again not long after renewing discs, shoes, caliphers and pads. I adjusted after and it held good.
The proper workshop way to adjust the shoes to the drums is with outside Caliphers.
Both outside dimension of shoes in position on both sides should be same size and this size should just under inside size of the drum for clearance.
Now the way I do it is to jack up back end and apply axle stands.
Next with handbrake off turn wheels by hand and they should turn freely.
Next, apply handbrake say 2 clicks and check if they both bind the same.
Try 3 or 4 clicks and both should either need heavy hand action the same to turn or lock on.
If any discrepancies are found under these checks adjust up the slacker shoes till both bind same or lock up.
Test here will be known to many but may help others who wonder why there handbrake is useless.
I'm going to see if I can get a set of Caliphers for next time very soon.

 

I admit that I have thought of or seen this system before---but I will adjust the new ones like this when fitted------BUT-----isn't the 'balance mechanism' supposed to equalize the brakes ????? allowing for any slight difference in adjustment
Nigel & Pamala