How To: C8A/C15 rear brake: adjustment tool?

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Hanno

I made it because non of the commercial ones worked. Made from some key stock heated and bent to shape.

Will take a better photo with dimensions and angles.

If you wonder about the Special Tool # 27257 I have a tool drawer where I put all the tools I've made over the years for the CMPs.

Cheers Phil

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks for all the tips and hints, guys. The tool I borrow was made up from an old screwdriver. Angles were not entirely right and I could not put enough leverage on it.

It does not help the cylinders may be seized. I will be soaking them again in WD40 and copy Phil's tool. I have a 10 mm wide cold chisel, some 25 cm long, which I reckon would fold up nicely along Phil's dimensions - if you could please post the dimensions, Phil?

If the brakes are rusted solid and I cannot back off the brakes, I guess I have no choice but to pull the hub + brake drum with force?

Hanno

[rob love]

If you are unable to back off the adjusters, and even then are unable to free up the drum from the shoes (I take it you are saying the drum will not turn?) then what you could try is to unbolt the cylinder before pulling the drum. I am not up on the smaller brake systems, but if there are bottom anchors, or anchor pins, I would try and remove them at the back of the backing plate as well.

If the drum will turn, but just not back off, then use a bar or wooden handle (ie pick axe handle) on the wheel studs (protect the threads of course) and turn the drum while pulling the drum away from the hub. Again, whatever you can remove for the anchors may help remove the drum.

[Owen Evans]

Hanno,

If you do end up pulling the hubs, you need a kent-moore J870 wrench (attached - the one I have is missing the tommy bar) for the special locking nuts on the C15 rear axle. You can use a punch and hammer if you don't have that wrench, but be careful not to damage the nuts.

From my recent experience, the brake linings on my C15 were pretty much welded to the drum. To confirm what Rob suggests, I ended up 'working backwards' and unbolting the backplate from the axle, unbolting the wheel cylinder and disassembling that way.

Owen.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Hanno


Can't find my protractor to measure the angles, but here are the the measurements and the outline of the tool on 1/4" graph paper.


Cheers Phil


20191016_124227.jpg

[Lynn Eades]

Hanno, make sure your hand brake is backed off. Do the cables still function as they should? They need to be backed off to their maximum for your best chance. I would see if there is movement between the inner and outer cable,(both sides) and then dis-connect the cable up top.

[Jordan Baker]

Always wondered what this tool was for. I never really looked it over too closely. Now I know.

[rob love]

Another option is to drill some 3/8 holes in the backing plate right behind the brake shoe surfaces. Slip in a small screwdriver and pry the shoes away from the brake drum surface. You may be surprised at how little effort is required to unstick the shoes away from the drum, as opposed to trying to turn the drum.

Of course, that is after checking the park brake cables as Lynn suggests.

You can cover the holes with inspection plugs or weld and grind the holes shut afterwards.