Our neighbour came round this morning all of a panic as her car was stuck half on half off her drive and it wouldn't move anywhere, so I went round to help.
The car started but the rear dropped when I tried to go in reverse and she had dug one of the front wheels into the gravel drive. I thought the handbrake had seized on as the lever felt a bit loose when you let it off.
The car is a 05 ford focus and has drums on the rear which can be a pain at the best of times.
Jacked the right side up and the rear wheel span easily enough but the left side was solid but the cable seemed loose so thought the lever on the shoe had seized on. Some heavy blows with Nylon hammer didn't free things off so prised off the backplate which is a pretty tough bit of metal but the drum was just springing on the shoes.
Put the wheel back on and drove forward and the car moved about a foot and then stopped dead so rolled back a bit and tried the drum again and eventually after a few wedges and hammering and pry bars the drum was off.
Here is the culprit after 90 mins cursing getting one drum off.
The leading edge of the friction is about 0.5mm so well past their sell by date. Got the new shoes this afternoon so will fit them tomorrow as long as it doesn't rain.
Another good deed for the week.
The car started but the rear dropped when I tried to go in reverse and she had dug one of the front wheels into the gravel drive. I thought the handbrake had seized on as the lever felt a bit loose when you let it off.
The car is a 05 ford focus and has drums on the rear which can be a pain at the best of times.
Jacked the right side up and the rear wheel span easily enough but the left side was solid but the cable seemed loose so thought the lever on the shoe had seized on. Some heavy blows with Nylon hammer didn't free things off so prised off the backplate which is a pretty tough bit of metal but the drum was just springing on the shoes.
Put the wheel back on and drove forward and the car moved about a foot and then stopped dead so rolled back a bit and tried the drum again and eventually after a few wedges and hammering and pry bars the drum was off.
Here is the culprit after 90 mins cursing getting one drum off.
The leading edge of the friction is about 0.5mm so well past their sell by date. Got the new shoes this afternoon so will fit them tomorrow as long as it doesn't rain.
Another good deed for the week.
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