i have changed my rear shoes on my astra and the foot pedal goes all the way to the floor!?

Question

i have blead the brakes 3 times now and still there is nothing there, plus the handbrake pulls right up! what has caused this and how do i fix it?

i have blead it the correct way and put the springs etc back in correctly. there was two of us doing it. one is a mechanic but had to go early.

Answer 1

you will need to manually adjust the brake shoes up inside the hub you will need to use a screw driver to force the ratchet adjuster to the right which will spay out the shoes towards the inside of the drum to eliminate the loss of pedal

Answer 2

Hi

It isn't air which is causing the problem, its the rear self adjuster mechanisms in each rear drum.

If rapidly pumping the foot brake several times over and over again doesn't rectify the problem then your best bet is to remove the drums again and adjust them manually.

You should bear in mind that if it turns into a manual adjustment then you should check for a "lip" around the outer edge of the friction surface of the drum, which is caused by drum wear, and which will hinder the adjustment due to the fact that you can only adjust the shoes as far as the lip, not the actual friction surface, or the drum will not go back on over the shoes.

There are 3 ways around this:-

1) A drum grind wherein the lip is ground away
2) New drums

OR

3) Adjust the brakes so that you have to force the drum back on over the shoes and then you should be able to carry out the pedal pumping scenario above, just as long as the lip isn't too severe.

Give it a go.

Very best regards

Geordie

Answer 3

Looking at the answers,and then the problem,i have one suggestion and its happened to me a few times.When brakes are bled,picture the master cylinder.Under normal braking the cyl pistons move about half inch max.Suddenly out of fluid,when you go to bleed the first push on the pedal takes the pistons where they have never been,so they stay there.Sometimes tapping the master cylinder lightly along the outside will send the pistons back again.....should this have been the case,when bleeding only use about half pedal travel until at least some resistance is felt.Sometimes[odd] i have had to undo the m/cyl with pipes attached and turn it as far upside down as possable to remove stubborn air.I hope iv made this understandable good luck

Answer 4

If your car is new or newish then I would say that the auto adjust is not working. Have a look and see if the adjustment is working. Usually this is a gnarled wheel with a spring adjuster attached which will ratchet up as the brakes are used. If this is not working then you will need a new adjuster. Not know ing the car I can only guess.

Answer 5

you may,nt get air interior the lines by way of utilising changing the brakes. mine many times try this till they harden up. they ought to get set to the drums, then they are going to be extra durable. yet another element. determine you have them on ideal. the long shoe is going on the back, the fast shoe interior the front. the only time you ought to bleed the brakes is once you alter a line, a hose, grasp cylinder, a caliper or wheel cylinder. in case you probably did,nt do any of those issues then air can,t get into the lines. that's advisable to change them up some against the drum, only tight adequate so the drum will slide on and the wheel will nevertheless spin.

Answer 6

you have put something back together wrong. seek a proffessional mechanic before you drive this vehicle.
You may have blead the master cylinder dry.
Check for fluid leaks sounds like a wheel cylinder has popped out on you and the leak will be obvious when you look. How familiar are you with Mechanics?

Answer 7

sounds like the brake adjuster hasn't adjusted as it should,try to free it,this would then also make the handbrake settings right,but if you have'nt bled the brakes properly,you may have to get them done at a garage,where they use a pressurised system

Answer 8

DO NOT DRIVE. Have you bled the brakes correctly, it takes 2 people to do it right. open yhe master cylender till it touches the callipers. Then bleed the brakes. pls get a mechanic to check if ok xx

Answer 9

you just didnt adjust the brakes up using the tool and making a hole in the drum to turn the adjuster,, try putting your car in reverse and pumping your brakes,short stops, almost studder, just keep pumping it

Answer 10

Try adjusting your rear brakes that will probably take care of it.