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Triumph TR6 - Rear brake drums woes

I recently rebuilt my rear suspension and brakes. I have new rear cylinders, new shoes, new pipes and hoses, new springs, and new links.

Anyway, everything is back together and I can't seem to get the drums on. It's picture perfect like the Buckeye article pictures on braking. I've tried loosening the adjuster all the way and "centralizing" the pads. I don't have to bleed the system since there's no fluid in it yet, but I did open the bleeder.

Anyone ever had this kind of problem? Everything was purchased from TRF and I have a 72 TR6 cc76761. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
MB Mike

I'd take off one of the shoes and put it in the drum to check the radius. Maybe they're too big. You could have a local brake shop radius the shoes (if they are the correct ones) and thin the lining a bit if you're only a smidgen big. Not to insult you, but did you "loosen the adjusters" the right direction? It's easy to get clockwise and counter clockwise mixed up in that orientation. Maybe if you had fluid in there, you could use the pedal to kind of jiggle the shoes into position. Did you loosen the emergency brake cable? All I can think of right now.
Tom

You've more than likely not got the shoes centralised, if you spend a bit of time centralising them by eye you should be able to wiggle the drum on.
Ron
R. Algie

Take a large hammer and beat the living hell out of it.

You will feel much better afterward even if the drum does not actually fit.

Also, check to see that the shoes are properly seated against the brake cylinder piston (top) and the adjuster piston (bottom).

JP

John Parfitt

I'm with Ron and John (other than the BFH part) on this one. Sounds like either the shoes are not well centered or are not well seated at either the cylinder or adjuster. It is a tight fit with new shoes and they do not have to off by much to give you a fight when it comes time to install the drum.
SteveP

Thanks everyone. I'll tell you these things are driving me crazy. I'll keep trying to move them around to centralize them some more. Eyeballing it, it seems it's off just a millimeter! I'm so close. Mabye I'll have to take the drum and shoes to a a shop and they can figure it out. I'll keep you posted.
MB Mike

I agree with Tom..I've been a tech for 30 years check hand brake cable adjustment. Proper adjusting method loosen of cable, adjust shoes then re-adjust cable.
M SIDDALL

This thread was discussed between 20/07/2005 and 22/07/2005

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