brake problem? what have i missed

Mar 1, 2015
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afternoon all just serviced the alko brakes on my bailey all was going great but now one of them when hand brake is on the it's locking on forward but not on reverse ?
is the over run staying but can't see it when i removed the drum again . so noticed that the cable is not a torte as the other side and the balance bar on a angle when hand brake is applied do i a just the the cable at the balance bar or on the back of the hub or have knock some thing out of sync or thing else for the life of me cant see the problem and i service the many a time
Cheers
 

JTQ

May 7, 2005
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Did you inadvertently turn the drum, "backwards" when setting the shoe adjusters up?

I leave the shoes that bit slacker, than I would for car brakes; experience suggests they don't like to be set "just" off dragging.

I only adjust the cables on the balancing bar, never realised there was any choice but there. These I attend to after setting the shoes up, neither requires much adjusting even after tens of thousands of miles, I don't find van brakes wear much, but that might be down to my towing style.
 
Mar 1, 2015
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o think i did also forgot the cable came loose when cleaning and lube is they only way the is to a just the bar ? with brake on to match the otherside roughly
cheers
 
Mar 1, 2015
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i have just traced my steps drum of (did not use a new nut untill all is ok) now just checked the balance bar and is even and remember not to turn the wheel backwards when a setting up the brakes so all should be ok hopefully
 

JTQ

May 7, 2005
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In principle you adjust the cables at the balancing bar so the bar is at right angles to the pull rod, and there is a modicum of slack, but there is a whole lot of more detailed info out there with a Google search.
One Link, and from the makers.

Edit: I read you have sorted it out, good.

As a side comment, what a dreadful design where the maker believes you need to remove the drum every year so after about 3000 miles, because the mechanism can't cope with its self-generated dust!
 
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Mar 1, 2015
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out of curiosity what would happen if like i did you rotate the brake drum the wrong way when you are adjusting the brakes ( i noticed because with the hand brake on it wouldn't lock going back wards and the balance bar was not equal ) but what if ?
 

Damian

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Mar 14, 2005
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If you rotate the drum backwards when adjusting the brakes the auto reverse mechanism operates and the rear shoe then becomes the leading shoe by dropping to its reverse position.

The wheels should always be rotated forward.
 
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