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malcolm
& Clementine the Cat
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I have no idea, but can offer a little moral support. The front drum brakes can be a fiddle, and I had one that seized even with the shoes removed! Don't know quite what was wrong with it as I didn't need to move it very far and didn't investigate.
Here's a pic of a rear brake. Will be different as it only has one leading shoe and that's on the left of the photo. The fronts will have 2 leading shoes, so rotate the rear one from the photo around so the gap without the friction material would be at the top and you'd be there. Different sizes of shoe sound odd.
Handbrake cable needs to be well oiled on the front drum cars.
Here's a pic of a rear brake. Will be different as it only has one leading shoe and that's on the left of the photo. The fronts will have 2 leading shoes, so rotate the rear one from the photo around so the gap without the friction material would be at the top and you'd be there. Different sizes of shoe sound odd.
Handbrake cable needs to be well oiled on the front drum cars.
pepper
Pepper The One and Only!
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Sorted the little blighter out this afternoon! One piston was seized which was preventing the shoe from going all the way back.
A little heat, a bit of lubrication and a big hammer and it was all working again
In my original txt I should have said that the shoe lining material was of slightly different sizes, the actual shoes themselves were identical.
According to your picture I've now got them both on the wrong way round now so have to change them both over again Grrrr.
Oh and thanks again to the R4's designers, what great access they made to be able to get the wheel cylinders off (NOT), it looks like if I need to change these cylinders going forwards then the whole back plate will at least have to be loosened and the hub taken off too!
A little heat, a bit of lubrication and a big hammer and it was all working again
In my original txt I should have said that the shoe lining material was of slightly different sizes, the actual shoes themselves were identical.
According to your picture I've now got them both on the wrong way round now so have to change them both over again Grrrr.
Oh and thanks again to the R4's designers, what great access they made to be able to get the wheel cylinders off (NOT), it looks like if I need to change these cylinders going forwards then the whole back plate will at least have to be loosened and the hub taken off too!
malcolm
& Clementine the Cat
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I'd hang fire and find out what Angel, Steve or Mr Reno (or anyone else) says about leading and training shoes. I copied mine from the set that were on there before and can never remember which way around they go.
pepper
Pepper The One and Only!
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Oh Macolm, you're right about this Renault being strange with its GTL bumpers and Spanish spec wheels. Its Carte Gris, (french V5c) it says its a 1123 but on looking at the engine the engine code is 688 d7/12 which is the 1108cc isn't it?
Strange!!
Strange!!
Steve Hennessey
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It's many years since I worked on R4 cars with front drums!! As there is only one cylinder with two pistons then the leading shoe will be at the front. The edge of the lining on the leading shoe must be chamfered as this provides a 'self servo' action when braking. In other words, the drum rotates clockwise and the chamfered edge of the shoe bites into the drum. Various makes have used full and half linings, and different lining materials on leading and trailing shoes but we needn't worry. As long as shoes are not mixed then you have nothing to worry about. Always use a new axle set when renewing.
What worries me is your method of freeing off the wheel cylinder piston!!! If you did not dismantle and check the rubbers and for corrosion inside the cylinder then don't use the car. The cylinder will leak so check that it's suitable for overhaul or buy new cylinders.
pepper
Pepper The One and Only!
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Don't worry, I send all my wheel cylinders off to Past parts in Suffolk and get them to stainless steel line line them. It generally costs the same as buying a new one and its not going to cause the problem again going forwards. I only needed this one unseizing today as the chap who shares our workshop wanted to get his VW back in and my car was stuck in the way without me being able to get the drum back on.
Steve Hennessey
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That's a relief - it's just that I did see someone free off wheel cylinders in the same way and then fitted brand new shoes that became soaked in brake fluid within a few days.
I didn't know that past parts lined cylinders. Do they do all types and what is the approximate cost? I do know that Quinton Hazell still list drum brake cylinders and the cost is not excessive.
I didn't know that past parts lined cylinders. Do they do all types and what is the approximate cost? I do know that Quinton Hazell still list drum brake cylinders and the cost is not excessive.
pepper
Pepper The One and Only!
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Hi Steve, here's a link to past parts web site,
http://www.pastparts.co.uk/reman.htm
They normally cost about £20 a time and as its a one off cost I see it as quite reasonable.
I just had all the cylinders done for my Morris Oxford (6 separate wheel cylinders) and the master cylinder. and it came to about £200 for the complete set.
http://www.pastparts.co.uk/reman.htm
They normally cost about £20 a time and as its a one off cost I see it as quite reasonable.
I just had all the cylinders done for my Morris Oxford (6 separate wheel cylinders) and the master cylinder. and it came to about £200 for the complete set.
angel
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On drum brakes the leading shoe (The front shoe when viewed in relation to drum rotation) gains the "self servo" action and tends to wear faster. Renault (and others as well) thought a clever way to equalize shoe wear by making the leading shoe longer. Therefore the long shoe must go always to the front end of the drum. (I have seen all the possible combinations on various cars but it does not seem to make such adifference).
You guessed right about how to remove the front wheel cylinders. Loosen the four 13mm nuts sufficiently until the backplate can be moved sufficiently to allow a 10mm ring spanner to loosen the wheel cylinder screws. (typical french engineering!!). At least the hub doesn't need to come off.
Needless to say, heating, penetrating fluids and so on are absolutely forbidden ways to free a seized piston on the car-throw it away and fit a new, for safety's sake.
You guessed right about how to remove the front wheel cylinders. Loosen the four 13mm nuts sufficiently until the backplate can be moved sufficiently to allow a 10mm ring spanner to loosen the wheel cylinder screws. (typical french engineering!!). At least the hub doesn't need to come off.
Needless to say, heating, penetrating fluids and so on are absolutely forbidden ways to free a seized piston on the car-throw it away and fit a new, for safety's sake.
Steve Hennessey
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Thanks for that - it is quite reasonable. Does it include new seals etc in the cylinders?
Steve Hennessey
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Thanks Pepper. I would say that's damned good value.
ian Stanbury
Enthusiast
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..Pepper James and Judy..
..Is Baby Blue ready for inspection yet as I may well be passing your way in the next few weeks on my way for lunch with Michael Heseltine who has an Arboretum near you?
Thats 7!!
..Is Baby Blue ready for inspection yet as I may well be passing your way in the next few weeks on my way for lunch with Michael Heseltine who has an Arboretum near you?
Thats 7!!
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pepper
Pepper The One and Only!
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Nah Baby blues sitting in my workshop waiting to have a nice big pile of parts fitted to her, I treated her to a full new set of brake flexibles and picked up a service kit while I was it, though I already had the oil filter in stock as they are the same on my 480Es and Renault Lagunas.
Oh and yes Michael Heseltines places is only just around the corner, (relatively speaking) from us.
My good lady remembers picking up coal from outside his house when the miners strike was on.
Oh and yes Michael Heseltines places is only just around the corner, (relatively speaking) from us.
My good lady remembers picking up coal from outside his house when the miners strike was on.
pepper
Pepper The One and Only!
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Tonight I have mostly been getting all the door locks and catches working again. When I purchased her only one lock worked, (passenger door) tonight I went round with the lock grease and unseized the other two locks, then stripped down the inner rear passenger door to work out why it wouldn't open from the inside.
Was all sorted in a few minutes, someone had put the inner door release bar on the wrong way and the little tab at the end of the bar couldn't push the catch release far enough forward, it was the stripping down that took the time, in the end I had to take the door handle off so I could see what I was doing properly.
Once I'd finished fettling with that I fitted a lights on buzzer to Judiths Twingo, as they don't come with one as standard and I just know that if I didn't put one on I'd be getting a call at half past three one afternoon asking me to come and give her car a jump start. Sh'ed have come out of school and the poor things battery would be as flat as a pancake.
The buzzers are available from ebay for about a fiver and they take ten minutes to fit so its a far cheaper option than a new battery.
Was all sorted in a few minutes, someone had put the inner door release bar on the wrong way and the little tab at the end of the bar couldn't push the catch release far enough forward, it was the stripping down that took the time, in the end I had to take the door handle off so I could see what I was doing properly.
Once I'd finished fettling with that I fitted a lights on buzzer to Judiths Twingo, as they don't come with one as standard and I just know that if I didn't put one on I'd be getting a call at half past three one afternoon asking me to come and give her car a jump start. Sh'ed have come out of school and the poor things battery would be as flat as a pancake.
The buzzers are available from ebay for about a fiver and they take ten minutes to fit so its a far cheaper option than a new battery.
french connection
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Hi Pepper. I went to look at the scrap car in France we talked about but it had gone ( surprise) so I was unable to get any of the parts you wanted. For those people who have places in France, I understand that there is usually a private metal dump where you can just go and throw your unwanted metal ( unlike the public dumps, they are not closed up so you can go anytime ). It appears that cars often turn up at these places as well. While in France, took our R4 for the French MOT. Failed on one track end and headlamp adjustment with advisories for rear wheel bearing, reversing lights not working and a chip on the windscreen ( it had that when I bought it ). Was quoted 180 euros by one garage to do the track rod end plus wheel alignment and headlamp alignment another wanted 420 euros to do everything. Decided to do it myself but did both track rod ends plus steering rack gaiters .Some examples of costs, headlight adjustment 8 euros, track rod ends 20 euros each,gaiters 16 euros each, wheel bearing 51 euros,rev light switch ( secondhand) 16 euros. The best bit was I actually enjoyed doing it ! Usually really pushed for time but finished putting new kitchen floor down in the house and gave myself a day off to spend on the car.