The first thing I'd do is buy a new set of handbrake shoes. Most of them are worn out by now. The handbrake shoe pivots will also be rusty and siezed so I would be taking the discs off - it's worth buying a new pair if yours are rusty and horrid because the inner drum will be rusty and with a massive wear ridge. You can grind the lip off, but new discs aren't expensive. A full rear brake/handbrake overhaul will take you a few hours and it's not the most pleasant job. Take photos of where the long retaining springs fit, and you'll probably need new shoe to backplate retaining springs as well. I put the shoes on, fit the disc to make sure it goes on okay and then remove the disc and adjust the shoes outwards until the disc is a nice fit. Pull the handbrake up to centralise the shoes and then adjust through the wheel bolt hole.
Once you've done it, the handbrake should be good for years.
Re the brake pipes. They are an utter and total bastard. Unless you have a ramp and a lot of patience, pay someone else.
MOT woes
Moderator: martauto
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daimlerman
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Cutting tool,flaring tool will cost less than £30....once bought and the confidence gained in using....
Three years or so back I felt just as you do,but bought the gear and tried,now I would not hesitate to replace a brake pipe.This is a 'labour intensive' type job,the tools and bits you need are suprisingly cheap.
Three years or so back I felt just as you do,but bought the gear and tried,now I would not hesitate to replace a brake pipe.This is a 'labour intensive' type job,the tools and bits you need are suprisingly cheap.
Youth is wasted on the young.
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
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- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
You need M10 male short ends for the brake pipes. Longer ones won't work with the U shaped spring clips that hold the ends of the flexible pipes. Get yourself a new set of these U clips as well.
An advantage of making up your own pipes is that you can make the ones with the tightest bends a little longer than standard, so that you don't have to make the bends quite as tight.
An advantage of making up your own pipes is that you can make the ones with the tightest bends a little longer than standard, so that you don't have to make the bends quite as tight.
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Longman325Touring
- E30 Zone Newbie
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- Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2009 11:00 pm
Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm going to start collecting parts to get this done - if I have any problems I'll be sure to ask! 
It also appears that my beam bushes could do with replacement, so I'm thinking of just dropping the whole rear end out - this should however make renewing the brake pipes easier!
It also appears that my beam bushes could do with replacement, so I'm thinking of just dropping the whole rear end out - this should however make renewing the brake pipes easier!