Ive just started rebuilding the rear drum brakes. Donor was DOHC version Sierra (1992). It was a while since i completely stripped the donor. The problem i have is that i cant remember which shoe is leading and which is trailing. I can see in the haynes manual that one of the cylinder pistons has a spring behind it and this pushes on the leading shoe. I need to work out what side of the vehicle to put each cylinder / pair of shoes??? so i get the leading shoe in the right place - or does it not matter???

Im currently working on the N/side. The cylinder mounts at 3 o'clock, therefore the shoes go top and bottom. Ive already worked out that the shoe with handbrake adjuster goes to the bottom (by default due to where the handbrake cable hole is).

Ive probably confused matters with this garbled description. Q1 = how do you know which way round the leading and trailing shoes are?


Thanks for your help,
Darren.

Some pics on my site:
www.mytigeravon.co.uk
Pat...

Thanks Pat,

they are a great help. Do you have a pic fitted to the car? Im wondering if ive got the back plates on right? The holes arent equidistant so would only fit such that the cylinders are at 90degrees to how they are on the Sierra (at 3 o'clock). This is what has thrown me. Ive just fitted brakes to nearside. If you look at the wheel such that the front of the car is to the left, the cylinder is at 3 o'clock, (internal spring loaded pusher to the top). Shoe with handbrake lever to the bottom. Plain shoe to the top. The handbrake cable enters the backplate at 10.30. Does this sound right?


I can see that one of your springs contacts the cylinder body. Mine does the same, wasnt sure if this was OK or not, guess it is OK.

Cheers,
Darren.

There will be a lever attached to one of the shoes, this attaches to the handbrake cable - that shoe is the trailing shoe.

Hence the other shoe is the leading shoe.

HTH

Im getting closer now, thanks.

Does it matter what orientation the backplate is or which side the cylinders are fitted? Im starting to think it doesnt seeing as both shoes have the same friction surface area and shape and both are 'pushed' by the same cylinder.

You're right. Actual position (as in position around the clock face) is unimportant. The main thing is to get the shoes in the right place.

Isn't there a picture in the Haynes manual for the Sierra???

thanks for the confirmation.

There is a pic in the haynes manual but i got myself in a twist as i couldnt work out if the pic was for o/s or n/s. The handbrake levered show can only go in one place so the other shoe is correct by default. Ive also made sure that the spring return piston of the cylinder acts on the plain (leading) shoe.

Thanks all for you help. I had a complete mind blank that night and Miss Smirnoff was unable to help on that occasion!!

Fitted clutch and gearbox to the engine bottom end for first time last night and managed to fit it to the chassis so ive convinced myself i cant be totally thick!!! Quite proud of myself now.