The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Hiya,

does anyone have any tips on removing brake drums? I just spent the last 2 hours hammering away on all sides and levering with screwdrivers with next to no effect. My handbrake basically doesn't work and I'm pretty confident I need new shoes, but I can't get in there. Suggestions please?

i assume you have remove the drum retention set screw

I removed 2 screws in the front? I'll be so greatful to have missed something! In the past I've just pulled them off?!

EDIT: Yes, I believe I removed the drum retention screws?

Give them a whack on the outer face of the drum you might find they are rusted onto the hub and will just spring off.

Tony.

Hi Kyle, Good suggestion from Tony above.
Now if that doesn't work, look at the inner face of the back-plate and remove the split pin ( tricky, it may be rusted in ) and then the vertical clevis pin that holds the handbrake lever to the handbrake cable end. Then gently knock the handbrake lever back towards the back-plate. If the handbrake has seized in the "on " position this may be where the problem is.

Now for stage 2... If the above doesn't work then a common 1850 problem has occurred.
The rear shoes on the 1850 are quite narrow and if they do seize in the "ON" position then the brake shoes wear down and the rivets in the shoes cut 2 tram-lines on the inside of the drums and the self-adjusters then lock them in place so removing the brake drum is very difficult.
When I had this on MPD many years ago I had to use a large 3-legged puller to get the n/s drum off.
Budget for a new brake drum, new linings and a steady-spring kit.
Good luck with it,
Tony.

I hit the drum with a hammer in circles for about 2 hours but nothing but rust came out, so I do indeed think there could be the tram lines in the drum as you mentioned. I will give a go at a puller I think and see how I get on.

Fingers crossed!

if you are careful and very lucky you can knock off the heads of the show retaining pins and knock the rest of the pin into the drum, this might allow the shoes to move enough to wiggle (whilst hitting and swearing) the drums off.

Just had another thought when Tony mentioned the hand brake seized, i wonder if the cylinder has seized to the backplate? Loads of wd40 behind the rubber boot and gently tap the cylinder side to side. Sometimes this will even knock the piston back into the bore if it has seized as well, and as Tony say's disconnect the handbrake cable.

Tony.