Hello All:

1967 Volvo 122S Wagon. First and foremost, happy holidays everyone. Now, onto less important business.

I need to replace my rear brake drum shoes. I have had the drums off before (yes, I have a puller, thankfully) but I have never been able to figure out how to remove the shoes. They seem to be held on by a fastener of some kind that looks pretty permanent. I do not think the previous owner would have done something like that, but I suppose anything is possible. Can anyone guide me through removal of the standard fastener in there?

Also, I stripped one of my adjusters and I need a couple of new ones since I might as well replace both. This is the square-head adjuster that pops through the backing plate. IPD does not seem to have them. Anyone have a source?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers,

Pooch

After you get it back together, axle nut tight and pinned, etc to adjust the brake:
Be SURE the parking brake is OFF, not set, disengaged. Then tighten the adjuster until
it is fairly tight. Turn the brake drum (if you can) and then get your 3# hammer
and hammer around the OD of the brake drum in 5 or 6 places fairly firmly.
You will probably be able to turn the brake drum after this, but if not, loosen the adjuster
until you can. Turn the drum back and forth maybe 90° each way 3 or 4 times, and then
tighten the adjuster again, just until you feel it fairly snugly against the drum
(stiff to turn). Then go around it with the hammer again. If the brakes are freer now,
tighten a little more and hammer again. What you are doing is getting the arcs of the shoes
centered in the arc of the brake drum. Once it doesn't get any looser on hammering,
tighten it good and tight, then loosen just enough that you feel some drag when you turn the wheel.
Do the same on the other rear wheel. Then adjust the brake cable until the brake applies
in about 3 or 4 clicks. Should release fully so you get the same slight drag you got
before.
The hammer trick has saved me a LOT of time in readjusting.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Pooch;

To remove the shoes, unhook and remove the spring (just below hydraulic wheel cylinder) which pulls them together (Trick!...do this from the extended end of the spring, not the coiled end, reason will become apparent once fully apart), then unhook E-Brake cable (by pulling its spring away from lever, then unhooking from lever), then push in and give a halfturn to the little spring-loaded securing washers in the middle of each shoe...this will allow the keyed pins to be removed from behind backing plate...shoes should then be able to be simply separated and removed (along with that lever which is actuated when E-Brake cable pulls on it). Once the shoes and that lever are off the car, that lever can be simply removed by lifting its pivot pin from the hole in the rear shoe.

If this is your first time doing this operation, having a picture as a reference will help when it comes time for reassembly (which is as they say the reverse of disassembly). RH and LH assemblies are strictly mirror images of each other, so should no issues.

I recommend spending some time freeing up the unbunged adjuster and rebuilding it with liberal amounts of graphite grease to prevent it from galvanically corroding into a (useless) monolythic piece...the housing is Alu the other parts steel...you can guess the rest. I'm sure you can locate a replacement for the damaged one from someone here. Make a 1/4" drive to help with adjusting it...it also prevents stripping since it picks up all four corners...like so:



Maybe someone can post an adjustment procedure here for you. Adjust shoes close to drum first, and E-Brake second!

You can check the drum dimensions to assure material is still thick enough, but I recommend against having it machined...the metal you have machined away today will make it that much sooner that you will need to replace the drum tomorrow ($$$$$$$$$$).

Finally, while you are under there with the graphite grease, crack (without breaking!) the bleeders and apply some to their threads...you'll be happy you did next time you need to bleed them.

See: http://www.sw-em.com/service%20notes.htm#Braking%20System

Good Hunting!

Hello Ron, George and Benski:

Many, many thanks for the advice. Yes, I will reach out to Joe for the adjusters. He sent me a lovely Christmas card so it is the least I can do.

Cheers,

Pooch

Joe is a great guy and if he has the adjusters you need, by all means do give him the business.

But if he doesn't have them, don't worry too much. They're available new, and are only about $35 apiece.

Whether you get used or new replacements, do as Ron suggests and dose them with goop. They'll last forever after that.

Best,

Cameron
Rose City

Joe Lazenby at Susquehannah Spares probably has everything you'll need.