Rear drum part....

[danielz000]

Can anyone explain what the circled part in the image below is?

It's a thin metal clip that pops on and off what I assume is the hand brake adjuster with reasonable ease...

Also, if it's an important part, can a replacement be bought easily?

Cheers,

Dan

 

[trublustu]

Hi Daniel
Thats the springy bit of the `self adjusting mechanism`.
Its the 4" long metal mechanism just under the cylinder.
It does do an important job and isn`t hard to find (heres one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-O-E-BRAKE-SHOES-SHOE-ADJUSTER-FORD-PUMA-1997-2001-/131234354014?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e8e2d535e" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false

Yours is a bit cruddy and may well just be gummed up and at the end of its adjustment (you need new shoes)
If you wash the brake mechanism down with Methelated Spirits and wind back the addjuster you may be fine
although while new uns are just £12, it`s not too much to add to your brake servicing cost and you`ll know its a good un..

hope this is helpful, Stu..

 

[danielz000]

Cheers Stu!

Thanks for the link!

Basically I changed the shoes a little while ago and as far as I remember the foot brake and hand brake were both working after I fitted everything back together.

Roll forward a few months and the car just failed it's MOT, the same side brakes under the foot brake but not under the hand brake...

I'm wondering if the part I've highlighted is actually there to stop the adjuster from adjusting itself? As I never refitted it (embarrassingly).

Looking at the following picture... I think it could be the reason the car failed...

Any thoughts/ideas? Worst case scenario, if i can't find the metal clip I can buy the new part for £12

 

[trublustu]

You`ll not get the spring on its own, the adjuster comes complete.
for twelve quid id stick new adjusters in.

 

[danielz000]

Found the metal clip in the boot

How does the mechanism self adjust out of curiosity?

 

[danielz000]

Just to answer my own question... In case anyone wonders in her future...

When the foot brake is applied, the shoes move away from each other giving space for the metal clip to expand and straighten.

As the clip straightens and moves closer to the adjuster the top part of the clip nudges the adjuster round and the entire unit extends.

When the brake springs draw the shoes back together again the metal clip once again bends and distances itself from the adjustor.

It really is a delicate mechanism and could easily stop working correctly due to a build up of dirt or wear on the adjustor or metal clip so I as Stu said, it's probably best replace for what it costs.

Dan