Adjust rear brakes on 02 Octavia Tdi

eiei0

Hi All

I need to adjust up the rear brakes on an Octavia. I tried to adjust the Handbrake but the are still not great.

I had a look on briskoda as there is some really great how to guides on there but nothing about rear drums.

Is there some sort of adjuster you can adjust through one of the wheel stud holes.

Also If I have to remove the Drum do you have to remove the large center nut to get it off.

Thanks
T.

Slidey

First thing you need to do is slacken off the cable at the handbrake itself if you have tightened it.

The remove the wheel and take out yer hammer! There will probably be a philips head screw holding the drum to the hub. Take out the screw and give the drum a bash or 3.

Once off, you will need to grind off any lip on the outside of the drum.

If you look in at the shoes you will see a small wedge pointing down the way to the left on the LHS and on the right on the RHS.

Grab the metal part of the shoe with a vice grips and pull the shoe towards the front of the car. With your fingers wiggle the wedge and get it ti drop down one click.

Then centre the shoes and put your drum back on. Repeat until it is a snug fit but doesn't drag when the drum is pushed fully in the way with the grub screw back in.

If you are not confident enough to do it then get someone who is. These are important after all!

eiei0

Thanks for the reply I am comfortable enough working on cars but Drum brakes are something I have not done much with,

Do I have to remove the Center Hub nut so the Drum will come off as on my Avensis I dont have to, there is 2 holes where you screw in 2 10 bolts and the drum slides off.

Slidey

No, don't touch the centre nut

shanemc1

No need to even take the drum off. Jack car and take wheel off (make sure you chock the wheels as you will need to have handbrake off). If you turn the drum to where the one stud hole is at around the 10 or 11 o'clock position on passenger side (1/2 o'clock driver's side) with a light you should see a piece of metal (7) with a spring hooked onto it (11).

Using a screw driver (or similar) with a pointed end, place it through the stud hole on drum and hook it to the hole on number 7, pry down 7 bit by bit rotating the drum between until you feel a small bit of drag then job done!.

Slidey

Thats fine, but if you do that and there is a big lip on the drum you will break before your trying to get it off if the need arises.

Taking the drum off only takes a minute and by dressing the lip on the drum you will always be able to take it off.

It also allows you to inspect the wheel cylinder for leaks and the linings for wear.

shanemc1

Im just offering a different soloution for just tightning the handbrake as he asked. To remove in the future all that has to be done is to push the wedge back in the oposite direction to release.

Slidey

shanemc1 wrote: »

Im just offering a different soloution for just tightning the handbrake as he asked. To remove in the future all that has to be done is to push the wedge back in the oposite direction to release.

Fair enough.