svenedin wrote: ↑Sat Nov 08, 2025 11:54 amGood luck. I find the rears considerably more difficult than the front. The pull-off springs are very strong and the beehive springs are an absolute pain to fit. Allow more time than on the front.
I found that after replacing the cylinders (but not the shoes as well) that the handbrake needed adjusting. See workshop manual for how to adjust the handbrake correctly if required.
Stephen
Fitting new brakes and cylinders
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
Fitted both rears, and what a pain, anyway, do they look correct, ? I'm unable to get either drum back on, I loosen the handbrake inside but still not having it
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
The handbrake cable should be disconnected from the lever on the cylinder. It is very important that the handbrake has no influence whatsoever over the correct adjustment of the shoes.
The rear brakes differ from the front not only in that there is only one cylinder but the front has two leading shoes whereas the rear has a leading and a trailing shoe. This is so that you have some braking when travelling in reverse.
You need to make sure that the spindle of the adjuster has gone fully into the notch in the brake shoe, that the piston is fully retracted and that the shoe is sitting centrally.
For a diagram of the correct fitting see the workshop manual AKD 530 figure M22
I think your upper shoe is correct and the bottom shoe is incorrect (in a set of 4 shoes, 2 of the shoes have a notch for the adjuster spindle ).
Stephen
The rear brakes differ from the front not only in that there is only one cylinder but the front has two leading shoes whereas the rear has a leading and a trailing shoe. This is so that you have some braking when travelling in reverse.
You need to make sure that the spindle of the adjuster has gone fully into the notch in the brake shoe, that the piston is fully retracted and that the shoe is sitting centrally.
For a diagram of the correct fitting see the workshop manual AKD 530 figure M22
I think your upper shoe is correct and the bottom shoe is incorrect (in a set of 4 shoes, 2 of the shoes have a notch for the adjuster spindle ).
Stephen
Last edited by svenedin on Tue Nov 11, 2025 3:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Stephen
Stephen
Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
The rear shoes had no notch at all, just one end is thinner, I got it all from ESM.
I got Lockheed fronts and Delphi rears and told them I want shoes to go with it, fronts had a notch but not the rears ?
I got Lockheed fronts and Delphi rears and told them I want shoes to go with it, fronts had a notch but not the rears ?
svenedin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 11, 2025 3:09 pm The handbrake cable should be disconnected from the lever on the cylinder. It is very important that the handbrake has no influence whatsoever over the correct adjustment of the shoes.
The rear brakes differ from the front not only in that there is only one cylinder but the front has two leading shoes whereas the rear has a leading and a trailing shoe. This is so that you have some braking when travelling in reverse.
You need to make sure that the spindle of the adjuster has gone fully into the notch in the brake shoe, that the piston is fully retracted and that the shoe is sitting centrally.
For a diagram of the correct fitting see the workshop manual AKD 530 figure M22
I think your upper shoe is correct and the bottom shoe is incorrect (in a set of 4 shoes, the shoes with a notch for the adjuster are handed) but I admit this always confuses me and I have to triple check.
Stephen
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
This is the same side as your pictures. Can you see the leading shoe and the trailing shoe? Yours are both leading. You have the wrong bottom shoe fitted. Keep the top shoe as is.
Last edited by svenedin on Tue Nov 11, 2025 3:36 pm, edited 4 times in total.
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Stephen
Stephen
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
As Stephen explained, the shoes look the same until you look closely.
The Lower one each side has the notch for the adjuster. The Upper does not.
This image is from the ESM website....
If you haven't made a mistake and there is truly no notch in 2 of the shoes, then contact ESM as they are faulty.
. https://youtu.be/5XvsiSskLg0?t=112
The Lower one each side has the notch for the adjuster. The Upper does not.
This image is from the ESM website....
If you haven't made a mistake and there is truly no notch in 2 of the shoes, then contact ESM as they are faulty.
. https://youtu.be/5XvsiSskLg0?t=112
Basil the 1955 series II


Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
I'm going to remove the shoes as I'm positive there's no notch In any of them.
I'll post a picture of them.
I'll post a picture of them.
geoberni wrote: ↑Tue Nov 11, 2025 3:28 pm As Stephen explained, the shoes look the same until you look closely.
The Lower one each side has the notch for the adjuster. The Upper does not.
This image is from the ESM website....
If you haven't made a mistake and there is truly no notch in 2 of the shoes, then contact ESM as they are faulty.
.
B Shoes.JPG
https://youtu.be/5XvsiSskLg0?t=112
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
Ok. If no notches the parts you were supplied are incorrect!
Stephen
Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Stephen
Stephen
Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
This is how both rears are
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
Easy mistake to make, that's why I put the image up to illustrate the point.
Basil the 1955 series II


Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
I'll put them on properly tomorrow, thank you Steven and Bernie.
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
Not to worry. Mistake spotted!
Stephen
Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Stephen
Stephen
Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
Now done correctly I hope 
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
From what I can see, that is now correct.
The shoe with a notch (bottom shoe) can only go one way due to the notch. The top shoe can be fitted incorrectly but look at the ends of the top shoe. They are not the same. One end is flat and the other end has more of a curve to it. The more curvy end goes against the cylinder, the flatter end goes on the fixed abutment pad on the backplate. When correct the anti-brake squeal notches in the shoes line up.
The correct fitting of the top shoes is important for the assembly to have a leading and a trailing shoe. If incorrect you'll have next to no braking when travelling in reverse!
Workshop manual figure M22
Do download the workshop manual AKD 530. It is a free download and you can print off pages for whatever job you happen to be doing.
Stephen
The shoe with a notch (bottom shoe) can only go one way due to the notch. The top shoe can be fitted incorrectly but look at the ends of the top shoe. They are not the same. One end is flat and the other end has more of a curve to it. The more curvy end goes against the cylinder, the flatter end goes on the fixed abutment pad on the backplate. When correct the anti-brake squeal notches in the shoes line up.
The correct fitting of the top shoes is important for the assembly to have a leading and a trailing shoe. If incorrect you'll have next to no braking when travelling in reverse!
Workshop manual figure M22
Do download the workshop manual AKD 530. It is a free download and you can print off pages for whatever job you happen to be doing.
Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Stephen
Stephen
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
If you are replacing the beehive springs, the hooks on replacements are too long. Put them in vice or vive grips and use a hacksaw to shorten the hook, it makes fitting much easier, more like originals.
Regards Bill
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
Good tip Bill.
If you have a Dremel tool with a cutting disc you can modify these very easily.
Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Stephen
Stephen
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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
I brought a set from Andrew Eggleton last year, via his ebay account.
Here's a still from a video I took of fitting them but I've yet to edit it together for youtube.
Comparison of an old one that was flopping around loose, and the new one. The hook part looks slightly 'long' but I found no problem fitting them as the spring compresses well.
I agree the white painted ones look really over the top for hook length.
Basil the 1955 series II


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Re: Fitting new brakes and cylinders
Yes Berni yours looked good, mine from a different supplier were impossible to fit as the open end of the hook was longer than the gap on backplate. I initially left them off as it had none fitted when i took it apart, so had no OE spring to compare with. Once I figured out the issue and shortened them they went on easily just using pliers.
It gets annoying how many of the pattern parts sold are either not to spec or poor quality. The problem with mail order is you can't see the item in the flesh and it's often is not what is shown in the description.
Regards Bill