K12 Rear Brakes help please.

[Rob1971]

Hi all. I have a 54 plate 1.2 micra.
I've just replaced rear shoes and now footbrake and handbrake are poor.
I went by other suggestions by adjusting handbrake to twelve notches before adjusting brakes at the automatic adjuster (cleaned and greased)and also took adjustment off handbrake before adjusting automtic adjuster but nothing makes a difference.
Handbrake is just holding on 11 notches, footbrake has about an inch of play in pedal before I feel brakes pulling on.
Any suggestions on what I might have done wrong or potential fixes please.
Many thanks.

 

[MaxWheeler]

Not sure about the handbrake... since you've just fitted a new one, perhaps it's incorrectly adjusted? But then if you're able to change the cable itself you're capable of adjusting it correctly...

New brakes take a while to bite. When did you last change the brake fluid? That will boost brake performance no end. Hydraulic fluids are service items.

 

[Rob1971]

Not sure about the handbrake... since you've just fitted a new one, perhaps it's incorrectly adjusted? But then if you're able to change the cable itself you're capable of adjusting it correctly...

New brakes take a while to bite. When did you last change the brake fluid? That will boost brake performance no end. Hydraulic fluids are service items.

Many thanks for your reply. Brake fluid was done last week. So I've now had new pads discs, shoes and fluid. Footbrake now seems a lot better but handbrake is still on 11 notches (was on 8 with old shoes so don't think it's stretched cables)

 

[John_D]

Many thanks for your reply. Brake fluid was done last week. So I've now had new pads discs, shoes and fluid. Footbrake now seems a lot better but handbrake is still on 11 notches (was on 8 with old shoes so don't think it's stretched cables)

Just checked my K12 handbrake and its on 9 notches (original shoes from new as far as I can tell, on 77K miles). Suggest that you readjust the hand brake cables back to 8 or 9 notches. The new rear shoes will take some time to bed in to the worn drums, might have to resort to driving for a short while with the hand brake lightly applied to try to wear off the high spots on the shoes........
When the rear drums were off, was any wear/rust ridge removed with coarse emery paper and were the drums thoroughly cleaned with brake cleaning solvent prior to refitting?

 

[MaxWheeler]

Rob, can we confirm you only changed the shoes? Not drums?

 

[Descent]

sounds like the shoes are too close together and have alot of free air to the drum.

did you manualy turn the automatic adjuster so the brakes have less play?
that probably helps.

also the adjuster can only work when you use the brake since its turning one tooth of that adjusterwheel every time you use the rear brakes. probably needs some time

Sent from my SM-G930F using Micra Sports Club mobile app

 

[Rob1971]

All sorted. There was a lip on the drums that wasn’t allowing me to adjust the brakes properly. New drums and the car is transformed. Thanks for all you advice.

 

[John_D]

All sorted. There was a lip on the drums that wasn’t allowing me to adjust the brakes properly. New drums and the car is transformed. Thanks for all you advice.

Would have been a lot cheaper to remove the lip in the original drums............

 

[Rob1971]

Would have been a lot cheaper to remove the lip in the original drums............

Yes would have been but now for piece of mind I have new drums,shoes, discs and pads that shouldn’t need replacing for a long time.

 

[John_D]

Yes would have been but now for piece of mind I have new drums,shoes, discs and pads that shouldn’t need replacing for a long time.

When I first got my K12 a year or so ago I replaced the discs and pads (Mintex, £44 for the complete set) and replaced both rear wheel bearings, the rear brake shoes and drums showed very little wear so didn't have to replace them, just cleaned up the rust/wear lip. Full service history with the car showed that the front discs and pad had been changed at 37K miles, but no indication that the rears had been replaced. The car had done 65K miles when I got it but had terrible vibration when braking hard. Replacement front discs and pads cured this, but 10K miles further on I have just replaced the barely worn Mintex pads with Pagid ones, which have greatly improved the initial bite of the brakes and overall braking...

 

[Rob1971]

I had a really poor brake pedal when I bought this and have systematically worked through the brake system and now it’s fantastic. Funnily enough all the brakes have been pagid and I’ve stucj with them over a number of years.

 

[John_D]

I had a really poor brake pedal when I bought this and have systematically worked through the brake system and now it’s fantastic. Funnily enough all the brakes have been pagid and I’ve stucj with them over a number of years.

I hope that you have learnt to use 'Carparts4less', Eurocarparts on line only subsidiary, instead of Eurocarparts? Same items, same free DHL delivery, always 20/25% cheaper, despite Eurocarparts 'big discounts' (always use the free delivery option, it's the same as the paid for 'DHL Express delivery')