Anyway, back on topic!

I've fitted the new shoes and piston to the offside now - went a whole lot easier second time around.

Though I have found a potential snag.

When I removed the eccentric lock nuts, only one had a washer underneath.

Because most of the thread on the locating post had been stripped off, and you couldn't get the nut to bite with one there!

The nut does grab a couple of threads, but not enough for my liking.

Are these locating posts/bolts an integral part of the back plate? Can they be replaced?

If not, does anyone out there have a spare 2CV drum brake back plate with good posts and nice free snail cams??? Just in case like!

How's about running an M6 die on the damaged stud, then use an M6 nyloc nut to retain the eccentric?

That would be a lot easier than swapping backplates, for which you'd have to dismantle the output shaft carrier...

ken

Now that's smart thinking Ken. I'll add it to the options list. Got a set of back plates lined up as an option / spares.

Brakes are fitted and centralized - thanks for the loan of the tool Adrian. Dodgy bolt/nut seem to be holding tight, so i'll leave as is for now. Engine and box coming out again later in the year so i'll deal with it properly then and fit a replacement back plate.

Bleeding later when i've got a spare person handy.

Damn things!

Bled brakes and adjusted cams. All seemed good. Went out for a few miles and both sides started to bind on.
Let everything cool down, and the brakes had freed up.
Adjusted cams again, so barley any drag. Went for another run.
Pedal feel was initiallly very good, then went hard and the drums seized on again after a few miles.
Worst side is the near side (lhd drivers side). This was the worst when I broke down on the M25. Has this any bearing?

I haven't changed the brake shoe pull-off springs. Should I have done? They didn't come with the shoes I bought.

I'll be stripping everything down again at the weekend. Perhaps I had too much initial drag on the rear shoe when I was setting up for centralising.

To say it's doing my head in is an understatement!

Haven't some people on here recently had trouble with the master cylinder setup? Something to do with the length of the pushrod? If the pedal went hard, I would have thought the system must be pressurised somewhere? Might be worth looking at...

Luke's on the right path, since insufficient free play between the push rod and master cylinder piston will prevent fluid from going back into the master cylinder when the brake pedal is released.
Undo the 11mm AF locknut and adjust the push rod to give 1mm clearance.
That's about 5mm free play at the pedal.

ken

So that's 1mm clearance between the end of the master cylinder and whatever it is on the back of the brake pedal that comes into contact with it??

Cheers Guys!

OK, just had a look at the schematics in my old Autobooks manual. Makes sense - i'll hava ago tomorrow night.

The brake pedal had no free play at all. I've adjusted it now, so there is 5mm at the pedal.

I've just got to get the shoes adjusted back properly now. I know it's all a matter of feel, but how much drag is too much drag? How freely to folk have their wheels turning when they are happy the shoes are 'on' enough/

Cheers.