Left my car sitting for 2.5 Months... brake problem.

[ChrisH]

Left my car sitting over winter for 2 and a half months, while I got everything fixed (distributor cap + rotor arm, various cables and hoses, etc). As I was expecting, the brakes were a little seized at first but all seems to be working nicely now. Apart from one.

It seems its the rear right. It isn't exactly seized, but it definately rubs quite a bit and takes a little oomph to get it going when you push it. On low gradient hills it can even hold the car, and it graunches when you move off from lights.

What can I do?

Can I drive it normally or is liable to over heat and rain flaming death all over the road?

[Chris_C]

Did you leave the car with the handbrake on? As the rears are drums, they are very prone to sticking (tbh, my project car has managed to sieze the drums even with the handbrake off, but I did have it adjusted quite close). A sneaky way for future if they do get stuck is to reverse the car first, this should I'm told allow the shoes to pull off the drum with less force. However, I've never understood the different setups in drums re leading show etc, so I don't know if it would work on 300s, but certainly mine have always been easier to free by moving the wheel backwards.

As to the rubbing, my daily has started this lately, I havn't had time to have a look but I'm thinking it's either the self adjuster needing to be reset (basically 2 toothed sections that can be moved with a screwdriver) or the springs in the setup are knackered, I didn't get any with my last set of pads, so I reused what was there and I'm guessing after 20year they could have had it. Mine also randomly free's itself, but the amount it's binding is increasing, so I shall have to take a look.

Do you feel confidant working on the brakes on your car? If so, the rear drum mech is fairly simple to remove, cock car, wheel in air, release handbrake (might have to undo the adjuster, on late 340's this is just above the gearbox, but can't remember 360's now), and the drum will pull off, leaving the shoes and the mech. A much better explaination and pictures are in the green book in the technical section of the forum.

[Carl]

My 360 did this after being left for a few months - although not quite to the extent of yours. In my case the mechanism just needed freeing up, adjusting and then putting back together which dramtically improved the feel of the brakes (although I used new drums too).

If you're vaguely mechanically minded and have a few basic tools it's not difficult - you just need to get some sort of release oil/grease and some brake cleaner. As long as the drums come off ok you should have both sides sorted in an hour or so. Obviously check the shoes and wheel cylinders are in good order too, and if you can grind the lip off the inside of the drum if one has formed.

[classicswede]

If it is the 340 then the most likely thing is the lever that goes through the back of the hub is stuck. Its a case fo strip it down and free it off.

[Chris_C]

Anyone know how important the lil plastic bit behind that leave is? Fake was missing them when I bought her.

[ChrisH]

If it is the 340 then the most likely thing is the lever that goes through the back of the hub is stuck. Its a case fo strip it down and free it off.

Strip it down to what extent? are there any pics/diagrams you could show me?

[mac]

Dai is quite correct - almost certainly the pivot on the operating lever is seized (very common on B14/B172 cars).

Pix below.






A golden oppertunity to rebuild your rear brakes!

If however your car is a 360 the brakes are different - but the rears are not prone to seizure.

Mac.

[ChrisH]

Thats fantastic thanks!

Have you got more of those maintenance guides on a website or something? they would be amazingly useful now my car is seemingly falling apart on me.

[mac]

Hi Chris,

Ah yes the "leetle plastic bit" (the Dutch in their wisdom call a "catch")

It's actually there to make life easier and plays no real part in the working of the brakes. It provides a "stop" for the handbrake operating lever when in the off position. (optimum design rest position for cable pull fulcrum - or some such thing - also reduces h/brake lever travel with effectively slack cable).

However to actually install levers/shoes/springs etc. you need to move the operating lever nearer to the backplate - so - take out the little plastic bit - problem "sol-ved"

After reassembly with lever in place - little plastic bit is a right s*d to re-fit - result = "90% of our audience says" - "leave the little bu**er off"!

It just means that with everything adjusted exactly correctly the handbrake cables will be a little tensioned, rather than the levers sitting snugly on their little "catch".

God, there is some real rubbish in my brain!

Mac.

[mac]

Hi again Chris(H),

Actually yes (the info comes from the Volvo dealer workshop manuals - the so called "Green Books") this info is available on a website - This One !

If you look in the "Technical Resource" section - under "Green Books" quite a lot of info is available (in pdf format). In fact if you explore the tech section a lot of common problems are explainrd.

If you can't find the answer - just post a question - there are generally enough anoraks about to answer you quite quickly.

Mac.

[classicswede]

When I next do this job I'll do a Mike Brace style how to

[Chris_C]

When I next do this job I'll do a Mike Brace style how to

I've always enjoyed reading those even though I don't have any interest in a 200. Proper how to do a how to

[germ]

On the clio(yea i know its not a volvo) it was a right B**** to redo the drums, adjusting them involed losing lots of skin, was simple :S apart from that , getting the springs on is also a pain and looking at the diagram the volvo's looks remarkably similer to the clio's system.

gonna have to do the volvo soon aswell.


and Chris_C you must remember to cock car, wheel in air

[Chris_C]

Ah, I've done the drums a few times, but it's always worth seeing someone elses take on the job! And thanks Will... I will remember to put the cars wheel in the air first...

[classicswede]

Not to bad to reasemble normaly. The self adjusters help and the springs are a case of experiance I suppose of old cars with drum brakes. A pair of pliers on the washer to push it on and twist usualy does the trick.