Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Tick Tock on 31 July 2014, 12:02:31
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The handbrake is barely holding now, and with the MOT test due next month, thought I'd set about checking the shoes, adjusters and cables. As always I like to refer to any maintenance guides which are on here, and of great help.
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90580.0
Wheel off, pads out, caliper off, and supported (with all the usual associated jacking and axle stands etc)...... but can I get the disc off? Hell no! Gentle taps and persuasion all to no avail. I've worked on many brakes in the past, so am familiar with adjusters and shoes, but I can't for the life of me see any adjustment wheel through the hole, in the hope of backing the shoes off slightly, if that's what's causing the disc to stay put.
(http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/brakedisc01.jpg)
Admittedly it looks like this is the first time in 135K miles that the calipers have been removed, and no doubt the shoes haven't seen the light of day since assembly back in the year 2000.
So the question is - why can't I see any means of adjustment inside, and is there any other type of adjustment that isn't featured in the maintenance guide?
In the meantime I think I'll tackle the rust on the wheelarch, whilst the wheel is off..... might as well do something useful whilst I ponder this problem.
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Adjustment is made via 'cog' for which you will need to position the disc so that the access hole is at 12 o'clock. You'll probably need a torch to see the cog as well. :y
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Yes, have looked in with torch, and can't see any star wheel, cog or any means of adjusting with a screwdriver, which is why I asked if there were any other types of adjuster fitted.
You can see where the screw fits on the end of the shoe, but it seems to just thread into a cylindrical piece with no means of adjusting.
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Assuming that you're replacing the disc, give several good taps with a club hammer around the hub, then, whilst rotating the disc, beat ten bells of shit out of it from behind where the caliper sits :y
The disc will be rusted to the hub, and once free, you'll know if you need to back the shoes off or not... the disc will move, but be restrained and springy if the shoes are catching :y
As VXL V6 said for the adjuster, except 12:05 for the drivers side and 11:55 for the passenger side. The cog mentioned is actually quite coarse, only 7 teeth, and is 'locked' by the upper shoe return spring, so position the disc accordingly and aim for the top edge of the spring. Drivers side should be up to release, and the passenger side should be down...
Not forgetting the obvious, handbrake off and gear lever in neutral (chock both front wheels) :y
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Thanks for that information, especially the precise location and direction to turn...... it must be there so I will persevere. In the meantime I've sprayed some release oil and hope that will help free it from the hub, whilst I carry on with the wheel arch.
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They can be a pain to adjust :( Its so obvious where the star wheel is once the disc is off but hit and hope with the disc in place , i couldnt adjust mine with disc on so just adjusted it just senough to slide the disc over the shoes ::)
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You will probably need to back off the adjuster fully, because a lip of rust builds up on the inside edge of the drum where the shoes do not run. As Al says, it is at the top of the shoes assembly, the adjuster is a star edged nut on a screw, can be in either way. I use a head torch to view it through the spare hole in the hub.
Pic of adjuster follows.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1l5ijo6w4m8ozo9/hbadjuster40%25.jpg (https://www.dropbox.com/s/1l5ijo6w4m8ozo9/hbadjuster40%25.jpg)
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If you couldnt adjust it how did you get the disc off.
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A picture makes life so much easier :y
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If you couldnt adjust it how did you get the disc off.
Hammer turn disc hammer turn disc and a big swear box ::) ;D
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Would like to add, my pic shows the adjuster fully contracted. Tweaking the star wheel upwards will expand it as the nut unscrews. Al describes the normal location of the adjusters, with the nut at front of car end, but they can be installed either way round, so best to look at it and work out which way will contract it. I have bought cars with adjusters both ways round.
If this is your first handbrake job, enjoy it! There is fun to be had getting out the scissors lever on the end of the handbrake cable - they often seize solid - and getting back on the handbrake steady springs, and the pull off springs is never dull either. Don't worry, there is lots of help and advice on this forum.
Good luck!
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The directions are the factory ones :y they are unlikely to be fitted randomly at thbe factory due to assemblyline time constraints...
Any random omnes are most likely the result of people not paying attention as they rebuild them :-\
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If you couldnt adjust it how did you get the disc off.
Hammer turn disc hammer turn disc and a big swear box ::) ;D
I didnt swear much,well i didnt think i did lol :)
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If you couldnt adjust it how did you get the disc off.
Hammer turn disc hammer turn disc and a big swear box ::) ;D
I didnt swear much,well i didnt think i did lol :)
Quite a bit at the screw holding the disc on ;D
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(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc41/milleblack/35411a31-4fda-4a2e-9ee1-f8b173cc4366_zps36603adb.jpg)
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All input greatly appreciated :D
Rain and other matters have stopped play, but hope to resume this weekend and report back with results. I can't sing the praises of this forum enough, where would we be without t'internet?
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I've now had a chance to go back out there and carry out the adjustment with a bit more confidence.
Thanks for all the feedback and additional pictures - I can now find the star wheel and adjust it with my eyes closed!.... well you can't see anything anyway. Drivers side is UP to tighten, and managed around 5 clicks before drum went solid. Backed it off 1 click and operated handbrake lever a few times. Double checked adjustment by clicking up, (drum went tight) and then backing off 1 click.
Now just the other side to do, and then will need to maybe adjust cable underneath car (heat shields off, etc).
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Nice one :y There is a knack to adjusting the star wheel , something ive never mastered on many occasions ;D
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If you still want to get the drum off, you will have to back the adjuster off all the way, not just one click. If you have got the calipers off, you might as well get get the drums off to inspect the handbrake gear and blow it clean of dust (wearing breathing mask of course). If all looks well and the scissors shoe spreader arrangment at the bottom is working freely, you may choose to reassemble, adjust brake, then cable, and submit for MOT. If the scissor lever arrangement is not working freely you will have lost the 4:1 mechanical advantage it gives and it will fail MOT.
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Just some input if you throw the towel in like me. I know my limitations ;D
On my MOT last week, once again the handbrake was an advisory, only now with a 27% imbalance between the both sides. I have tried myself in the past year to fix this one, but the drum was stuck fast on the nearside; so I gave up :-[
MOT inspector told me 30% imbalance was a fail, so I asked if his boys could sort it & he quoted me £50 to strip, clean & adjust the handbrake mech. & I told him about the probs I had encountered with the drum. On collection, he said the drum popped off OK with a little help. ;). Wow the handbrake feels strong now, with a nice pull up to the third click.
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Just some input if you throw the towel in like me. I know my limitations ;D
On my MOT last week, once again the handbrake was an advisory, only now with a 27% imbalance between the both sides. I have tried myself in the past year to fix this one, but the drum was stuck fast on the nearside; so I gave up :-[
MOT inspector told me 30% imbalance was a fail, so I asked if his boys could sort it & he quoted me £50 to strip, clean & adjust the handbrake mech. & I told him about the probs I had encountered with the drum. On collection, he said the drum popped off OK with a little help. ;). Wow the handbrake feels strong now, with a nice pull up to the third click.
You needed a bigger hammer ::) ;D
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Just some input if you throw the towel in like me. I know my limitations ;D
On my MOT last week, once again the handbrake was an advisory, only now with a 27% imbalance between the both sides. I have tried myself in the past year to fix this one, but the drum was stuck fast on the nearside; so I gave up :-[
MOT inspector told me 30% imbalance was a fail, so I asked if his boys could sort it & he quoted me £50 to strip, clean & adjust the handbrake mech. & I told him about the probs I had encountered with the drum. On collection, he said the drum popped off OK with a little help. ;). Wow the handbrake feels strong now, with a nice pull up to the third click.
You needed a bigger hammer ::) ;D
I belted it really hard............with my claw hammer ;D ;D ;D that lesson cost me £50
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I hope you mean the brake holds the car on a steep slope easily, with modest lever pull. If the scissors shoe spreading assembly is rusted solid you can adjust it so that it feels solid on the third click; what it will not do is hold the car on a steep hill. If it feels suddenly solid, be suspicious; if it feels springy it is working properly.
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Sorry to go on, but I am a fan of the Omega handbrake. Working properly it is excellent, I reckon drum handbrakes are the best. I attach a pic of the vital components. Bottom right are the scissor shoe spreader bits; bttom right is the lever pulled by the cable by hook on right; the flat item to its left is folded double, and sits astride the RH lever, with the bottom fork engaged on the pin on the RH lever. The handbrake shoes engage in the V shaped notches in them. As the cable pulls the RH end of RH lever, you can imaginethet the notches move further apart, 1/4 as far as the lever is pulled, ergo a 4:1 mechanical advantage. After 10 years service and water ingress the assembly rusts solid, so no leverage.
Bottom left are the components of the upper adjuster, with star wheel.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/l87vo2wdp407jc6/hbrakeADJ40%25.jpg (https://www.dropbox.com/s/l87vo2wdp407jc6/hbrakeADJ40%25.jpg)
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I always aim for being able to torque the wheel bolts against it :y
(with the wheel off the ground, obviously ::))
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(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc41/milleblack/35411a31-4fda-4a2e-9ee1-f8b173cc4366_zps36603adb.jpg)
Dont you find this spring gets in the way , its a bloody nuisance when trying to locate the star wheel through the poxy little hole >:(
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(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc41/milleblack/35411a31-4fda-4a2e-9ee1-f8b173cc4366_zps36603adb.jpg)
Dont you find this spring gets in the way , its a bloody nuisance when trying to locate the star wheel through the poxy little hole >:(
You're a daft brush sometimes ::)
Actually a very efficient piece of design... the spring effectively locks the adjuster, preventing it from self adjusting off :y
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I find the knack to adjusting it is 2 thin screw drivers.
Through the hole you get the first and force the spring down so its not pressing against the star wheel.Second screw driver can then rotate the star wheel as required.When removed spring sits back against star wheel causing it to not undo.
Fiddly but well doable
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I find the knack to adjusting it is 2 thin screw drivers.
Through the hole you get the first and force the spring down so its not pressing against the star wheel.Second screw driver can then rotate the star wheel as required.When removed spring sits back against star wheel causing it to not undo.
Fiddly but well doable
Will try that next time ... sounds a better idea than one big
flat blade jamming against the spring