A recent Hagerty article titled “How to Care for Drum Brakes” makes some good points. As I’m currently rehabbing my 4-wheel drum brake equipped car, I thought I’d share some highlights. https://www.hagerty.com/.../how-to-care-for-drum-brakes/
Here are a few pictures of my 1959 Austin-Healey "Bugeye" Sprite as she was received.
The Hagerty article states:
“Brakes on classic cars of a certain age can be pretty ropey even when they’re in perfect condition. When they’re out of adjustment, corroding, or just plain worn out from doing their job, they can be positively scary. This is why it can’t be overstated how important it is to go beyond a simple service and treat brakes to a general round of preventative maintenance every now and then.”
The original Bugeye Sprite is fitted with a single leading shoe on the rear drum (one wheel cylinder) and twin leading shoes (two wheel cylinders) on the front. They don’t have automatic adjusters on the shoes which is probably one of the main reasons they get such a bad rap. Vigilant inspection and adjustment will be on my checklist.
The Hagerty article states:
“But if you prefer to keep things the way they were and get the original experience, however flawed it might be, all you can do is make sure the brakes are in perfect condition. That means lavishing more attention on them than an original service schedule would have.”
“While you’re down there, check the adjustment of the brakes if the adjustment is manual only. The adjusters themselves, which screw into the back plates, are notorious for seizing up so an occasional cleaning from the outside is a good idea, as is wiping over a squirt of WD-40 or similar lubricant. “
Comments