FINAL REPORT ON GV. HANDBRAKE.

Road-testing shows that "running-in" the brake shoes doesn't seem to make any difference -- indeed this has been mentioned on other sites, other vehicles.

Currently after the two minor mods., the handbrake will JUST hold on a 1 in 4.5 gradient facing downhill from first application. However applying handbrake on a 1 in 3.5 facing downhill with assistance from the "park" feature in the autobox, shows that the hand brake WILL hold without the park feature applied after being left for half an hour or so. Curious.
With vehicle facing uphill, the brake shoes tend to "grab" giving what seems a better grip. However, I'm not sure this grip would be maintained after a period of time.

So... unless someone has any more contributions, I'll have to leave it at that. Can't say I'm happy with the situation. Oh, does anyone know the friction co-efficient of the OEM brake shoes from Chrysler? It's hardto believe that the Chrysler designers would not have specified the softest, maximum possible friction...but I could be wrong there.

Leedsman.

 

Just wondering if the brake shoes need run-in to provide at least a 100% fit to the drum. As these shoes are not providing a running brake they don't wear to the inner drum profile. Should we perhaps apply the handbrake lightly while driving at intervals.
I've often wondered on this issue as we are in assumption that shoes meet drum face perfectly. Or does the shoe bend to shape, by handbrake cable, I don't think so.

 

I need to pass the MOT test in Holland (we call it APK) and all seems fine but the handbrake isn't strong enough to pass the test, which seems to be a feature in stead of a bug..
I see all nifty ideas here to get it better but I also found this in my documentation (see picture) isn't that little wheel at the bottom in the drum for adjusting the handbrake?

 

Vmaxxer -- yes, this is the "classic" drum-brake adjuster as on many cars that used to use drum brakes, you push a screwdriver through that slot you can see in the back-plate and fiddle it up or down to adjust. There are two things here tickling my grey cells...

1) When we did it, there was no adjuster, so mine could have just relied on the auto-just handbrake lever.
2) I'm almost sure the shoes have to be fitted a particular way round here, leading shoe/trailing shoe. We didn't disturb the shoes as they wouldn't wear in normal operation, and they looked ok anyhow. Probably the original ones.

Leedsman.

 

Today I looked at the situation.
My voyager does have the adjuster (wormwheel) and I managed to adjust both wheels to "near brake" with the lever on 2nd click.
Brake appears a little better, but still not happy about the breaking power I removed the wheel, callipers and rotor to look inside.
The rotor/drum looks ok but the shoes are as good as gone, looking at bare metal with slight hints of brakeshoes.
My conclusions:
Someone has driven many miles on handbrake and the rotor/drum has been replaced after that incident without replacing the shoes.

So now daddy needs a new pair of shoes

 

Of course, never thought of that -- someone driving miles with the handbrake still "on".
Mine will "bong" at me if I do that, but I suppose the sounder could be turned off.

Leedsman.

 

I can't think of another way to completely wear the shoes to bare metal...

My GF managed to travel 15 kilometres in her new second hand Volvo with a plume of smoke behind here en a constant dingdongdingdong from the dashboard. Her excuses was that it was a new car and she didnt know what the dingdong did mean. And she hadnt looked behind her at the smoke..
That resulted in mounting new brake shoes too ..

 

- mine too has the knurled adjuster
- I drove mine for a year before I knew it had a 'bong'
- for seatbelts, indicator on too long, handbrick and other warnings
- then I had my ears syringed and my cataracts done in the same month .. .. its ok now sight & hearing restored !

 

Leedsman is sopt on, garage failed my 2.8crd and changed discs pads and inner shoes and just passed it this was last year,this year same thing they wanted to replace the all lot.
Possibly conveniently forgot they done it,so after checking the shoe pads springs and levers and applying copper grease where needed I found that just by adjusting the distance from the end-stop and the square spring made the handbrake pull the cable much sooner. 4 to 5 clicks now and the and brake is engaged and very hard to get GV to move forward or backward compared to 9-10 clicks before the adjustment
Replay is 4 years late but hey...

Very pleased!!!!