bobsimes
Member
Recently I started a thread re the handbrake not holding, well today I have sorted it out (took the best part of a day!!) but did include cleaning the rusty drums with a hammer to lightly knock off thick layer of rust and a strong wire brush prior to painting with spray on hamerite black (£5), bosch shoes were £16.99.
I found there was no need to change the springs.
My A2 is a Jan 2002 1.4tdi with drum brakes to the rear and has covered 124000 mls.
The problem I had was no matter how much adjusting the handbrake the car would barely hold with the handbrake on and even when off a binding noise could be heard when crawling in slow traffic ect but not at speeds over 5mph, i ended up having to put the car into gear on even the slightest incline.
On opening up the drums the shoes all looked in place however inspection of the shoes found that they were worn thin to about 1.5mm, (2.5mm is the audi recomended wear limit) and the friction material had cracked on the metal backplate where it is riveted on in places so deffo needed changing, using a mask i brushed all the loose powdered brake dust away and removed the springs (not an easy task as there are abut 4 of them) top tip is to do one side at a time so you can see exactly what goes where on re-asembly which is what i did but it still took ages.
when i finally got the shoes out i found the arms that the handbrake cable fixes to were seized and this is what was causing the problem(turned out to be seized on both sides), no matter how much i was adjusting the cable it was the shoes that had seized up and must have been the original shoes (124000 mls isnt too bad),
I also noticed the brake cylinders were leaking as well, only very slightly and not contaminating the shoes however i thought it would be best to change the cylinders, at my local motor factors lockheed cyinders were £8.99 each which i thought was reasonable. on reading up about this on the audi electronic service manual audi recomend changing the cylinders if any fluid can be seen when the rubber covers are moved back slightly.
changing the cylinders was easy with one torx bolt (sorry dont know the size) holding them on as well as the brake line which needed an 11mm spanner, just make sure you bleed the brakes to the rear after changing.
I used the wife to sit in the drivers seat to assist me in bleeding the brakes but you can also get a bleed kit from a motor factors which has a non return valve if you dont have a wife (note ** bleed kit is cheaper**), they come in handy sometimes!! ps for any female A2OC members you could use the husband!!.
i left the car on the axle stands to bleed the brakes as it was easier to get the the bleed nipples.
please see the below picture lifted from the service manual.
note the item circled with blue, this controls the auto adjustment of the drum brakes and has a little protruding nipple on one side, when re assembling make sure the protruding side is facing the backplate or away from you!! otherwise the drum will not go back on and the shoes will not self adjust!!
remember to remove the little tray at the back of the handbrake inside the car and back the nut off to near to the end of the thread otherwise the drum will not go back on,
**after bleeding the brakes but before lowering the car refit the road wheels and leave on axle stands, now press brake pedal 2-3 times and apply the handbrake a couple of times to bed into place, before lowering vehicle apply handbrake 4 clicks, adjust the handbrake using adjustment nut under the tray at the back of the handbrake inside the car until rear wheels can only just be moved by hand. car can now be lowered and tested. ***
the item circled in red is where the shoes had seized up and was solid.
All is now well and it takes only 4 clicks to hold on my steep path and i dont need to leave it in gear anymore.
hope the above assists someone.
total cost for rear drums refurb was £41.50 this included, hamerite spray paint to refurb drum £5, brake shoes £16 for the set, 2x brake cylinders £18 for both and a small bottle of brake fluid £2.50.
Simon
I found there was no need to change the springs.
My A2 is a Jan 2002 1.4tdi with drum brakes to the rear and has covered 124000 mls.
The problem I had was no matter how much adjusting the handbrake the car would barely hold with the handbrake on and even when off a binding noise could be heard when crawling in slow traffic ect but not at speeds over 5mph, i ended up having to put the car into gear on even the slightest incline.
On opening up the drums the shoes all looked in place however inspection of the shoes found that they were worn thin to about 1.5mm, (2.5mm is the audi recomended wear limit) and the friction material had cracked on the metal backplate where it is riveted on in places so deffo needed changing, using a mask i brushed all the loose powdered brake dust away and removed the springs (not an easy task as there are abut 4 of them) top tip is to do one side at a time so you can see exactly what goes where on re-asembly which is what i did but it still took ages.
when i finally got the shoes out i found the arms that the handbrake cable fixes to were seized and this is what was causing the problem(turned out to be seized on both sides), no matter how much i was adjusting the cable it was the shoes that had seized up and must have been the original shoes (124000 mls isnt too bad),
I also noticed the brake cylinders were leaking as well, only very slightly and not contaminating the shoes however i thought it would be best to change the cylinders, at my local motor factors lockheed cyinders were £8.99 each which i thought was reasonable. on reading up about this on the audi electronic service manual audi recomend changing the cylinders if any fluid can be seen when the rubber covers are moved back slightly.
changing the cylinders was easy with one torx bolt (sorry dont know the size) holding them on as well as the brake line which needed an 11mm spanner, just make sure you bleed the brakes to the rear after changing.
I used the wife to sit in the drivers seat to assist me in bleeding the brakes but you can also get a bleed kit from a motor factors which has a non return valve if you dont have a wife (note ** bleed kit is cheaper**), they come in handy sometimes!! ps for any female A2OC members you could use the husband!!.
i left the car on the axle stands to bleed the brakes as it was easier to get the the bleed nipples.
please see the below picture lifted from the service manual.
note the item circled with blue, this controls the auto adjustment of the drum brakes and has a little protruding nipple on one side, when re assembling make sure the protruding side is facing the backplate or away from you!! otherwise the drum will not go back on and the shoes will not self adjust!!
remember to remove the little tray at the back of the handbrake inside the car and back the nut off to near to the end of the thread otherwise the drum will not go back on,
**after bleeding the brakes but before lowering the car refit the road wheels and leave on axle stands, now press brake pedal 2-3 times and apply the handbrake a couple of times to bed into place, before lowering vehicle apply handbrake 4 clicks, adjust the handbrake using adjustment nut under the tray at the back of the handbrake inside the car until rear wheels can only just be moved by hand. car can now be lowered and tested. ***
the item circled in red is where the shoes had seized up and was solid.
All is now well and it takes only 4 clicks to hold on my steep path and i dont need to leave it in gear anymore.
hope the above assists someone.
total cost for rear drums refurb was £41.50 this included, hamerite spray paint to refurb drum £5, brake shoes £16 for the set, 2x brake cylinders £18 for both and a small bottle of brake fluid £2.50.
Simon
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