[Hotshot993]

My rear brakes dont seem to be working, i can have the car on stands turn it on pump the pedal and hold it, and still be able to spin the rear wheels by hand, i cleaned out the drums and got new cyclinders. its really frustrating me and dont know what to do.
thanks for any help

[Zook_Fan]

Adjust the brakes properly as Royce explains:

royce wrote:

unclip the handbrake cable off the arm poking out the backing plates
remove drums, adjsut shoes up, refit drums, keep doing this till it takes a good amount of effort to rotate the drum and they wont free spin (with the wheels off)

repeat on the other side

bleed your brakes again all you need to do is crack the bleed screw and let any air come out till its a solid dribble of fluid, no pumping or stuffing about

loosen the handbrake cable adjsuter, put the cables back on and adjsut teh cable till the handle pulls up in a good spot

your brakes are fixed


NOBODY ever adjsuts drums up enough for a good pedal and everyone thinks the cable has some magic effect on how well the handbrake works, its doesnt it jsut makes it worse

[Hotshot993]

hey thanls for that, but whats it mean by adjust the brake shoes and then refit drum, then keep doing this.
so take the drum off then what do i do to the shoes, do whatever that is put drum back on try spin and keep doing it till its good?
also i get the rest of it and i know how to bleed lines,
thanks alot

[Mike57]

I am not familiar with the Sierra but there should be an obvious screw adjustment when you remove the drum. Normally at the top and in between the two brake shoes. It spreads them apart. Screw them apart a little and then see if the drum refits tightly. Most cars have a hole in the backing plate so you can do this without removing the drums. From the process that Royce describes it seems the Sierra does not have this system.

[Mike57]

Sorry, that adjustment should be at the bottom. At the top will be the brake cylinder.

[Jazzor]

The adjuster is located under that cylinder at the top.

There is a round bit about the size of a 5c piece but thicker with a spline the whole way around it. Rotating it will push the top of the brake pads out.

[foolsp33d]

To visualize what ^HE^ said.....

[christover1]

^^^
That looks like a hand brake drum to me.

1.0 litre Sierra rear brakes need manual adjustment.

1.3 litre Sierras are self adjusting if working properley.

A drive backwards and use of brakes should adjust them.

[SierraDan]

Yeah thats not it.
But under the wheel cylinder you will find it.

[Jazzor]

Yea they are suppose to be self adjusting.... you can help the self adjuster along a bit yourself to make it as tight as possible before putting the "bit of metal the brake pads rub against" back on .

I haven't seen a handbrake one in a while, that looks like a better system .

[sideways]

christover1 wrote:

^^^
That looks like a hand brake drum to me.

1.0 litre Sierra rear brakes need manual adjustment.

1.3 litre Sierras are self adjusting if working properley.

A drive backwards and use of brakes should adjust them.

Early (drum brake) 1 litres have them on the front, AFAIK type 3 1 litres are self adjusting rears.

All LJs have manual adjusters too.