Brake shoe thickness

[Grumpy21]

I wonder if someone could please measure precisely the thickness of the friction material on the front and rear brake shoes.

My car has only recently (2000 miles) had replacement shoes all round and to my eyes still has plenty of material on each shoe - 4mm +/- 0.3mm all round.

But I’m struggling to get the adjusters to lock the wheels, the rear won’t even grab before running out of adjustment.

Brakes are ok for drums (in other words still a bit scary) but as everything is still up in the air I thought I’d check.

Cheers

[oliver90owner]

Have the drums been skimmed? Measure your own at the unworn end of the shoe. That will give you the amount of wear which has already taken place.

Remove the shoes and check if they seat against the drums all the way round?

[myoldjalopy]

Over time, the adjusters and particularly the cam that they sit in can become worn. I had a similar problem and fitting new cams and adjusters cured it.
If the drum has been skimmed, oversize cams are available to compensate: https://www.morrisminorspares.com/brake ... s-p1238194

[Grumpy21]

new drums, cylinders, adjusters and shoes approx 2000 miles ago. Measurements were taken at the ends of the shoes and in the middle. all Measurements were 4mm +/- 0.3 mm, usually less mid shoe, ie approx 3.8mm compared to 4.2 at the ends

[paul 300358]

IIRC the manual states that the handbrake cables should not need adjustment. If someone has tightened them up in the last 50 years to remove play, you will never be able to adjust the rear correctly as the cylinders will not be able to push the shoes against the drums. It may be worth slackening off both cables by a number of turns of the nuts, then retry to adjust the rear brakes.

[Grumpy21]

hand brake cable new as well (2000 miles anyway)

but that's a great tip and definitely something to try, thanks

Gary

[mowogg]

These are all good valid points that have been made but you could also just have poor quality repro parts not fitting very well.

I have had new shoes that won't fit(where I have had ti file the heal of the shoe) and similar issues you are reporting with insufficient adjustment. The best fix might be new adjusters but this still might not fully solve this. I have heard that some people use shims under the adjuster to take up some more of the gap. Not sure I would recommend this.