Got into my SV at the weekend, the first time for a few months, and couldn't drive off in 1st gear. The rear brakes had jammed on. Selected reverse and applied some power then first again and bang, I was away. I noticed on the last few runs that after applying the brakes, the rear seems to hang on for a short distance and then release. What should I be looking at first? A missing spring, a sticking slave cylinder?
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Rear brakes binding
- Thread starter mattinoz
- Start date
puff4
Platinum Level Sponsor
I agree with Paul. To prevent this, never set your handbrake when parking the car in your garage for a long time (assuming it's a level surface), particularly in damp environments - use chocks on either side of a wheel. Also, don't leave it in gear - it's not great for the gearbox.
KenDemp
Donation Time
Really? Why is that? That's something I learned as a teen, and am very much in the habit of doing.
puff4
Platinum Level Sponsor
A couple of reasons.
1) Assuming you will not use the handbrake, putting it in gear is dangerous insurance, since if the gearshift gets bumped into neutral the car will start rolling. Using the chocks habitually and exclusively prevents this mistake.
2) It prevents starting it in gear inadvertently (modern cars have lockout switches on the clutch pedal to prevent this).
3) IMHO (and I'm sure others will differ) the loading on the gears keeps pressure on the bearings and seals and there's really no good reason to do so. It tends to squeeze out the lubricant, particularly if any are sleeve-type bearings.
4) Finally, I *never* leave any car in gear, particularly on the street when parked, since if you get pranged while parked (not an unusual occurrence) you can easily shear a lot of teeth off the gears due to the force imparted on them. Yes, really. Here's a perfect example [from my "Little Box of Horrors"] which came from an Austin Healey transmission that I rebuilt many years ago (and there was surprisingly little damage to the body's sheet metal):
RootesRooter
Donation Time
Worn-out brake shoe return springs possibly combined with a crusty wheel cylinder and backing plate.
Eleven
Platinum Level Sponsor
I just learned a lot here. I was taught from the first day to leave a car in gear and never questioned it. I once left my car in the garage with the handbrake on for some reason and my brakes did exactly that. I could not figure out what it was. (I rarely use the handbrake because I have a bad habit of leaving it on. Too used to my car telling to do stuff!!)
I really want to see your garage someday Kevin (Not to mention your Mayflower)
I really want to see your garage someday Kevin (Not to mention your Mayflower)
puff4
Platinum Level Sponsor
AArrgghhh!!! It's *not* a Mayflower!
(You have to understand... it's a bit like some onlooker calling your Alpine an MGB... it's a huge insult.)
Looks like I gotta school 'ya....
Exhibit A: Mayflower... tiny, crappy little car with a tinplate body, rubbish gearbox and obsolete, flaccid, flathead motor... even the headlights look depressed to be stuck on it...
Exhibit B: Renown... alloy & steel body by Mulliner (the folks that build Rolls Royce's), Connolly hides and Wilton carpets, with a lusty TR-2/3/4 Standard Vanguard 4 motor & trans... regularly attracts good looking young men and pretty ladies...
65beam
Donation Time
brakes
kevin,
i do disagree with you on this. i always leave my cars in gear when parked. trust me when i say you'll know real quick if you try to start the car while in gear. you'll think you have one of those funny texas rabbits jumping under you. as far as the lubricant being forced out, that brings us back to lubricants #101. the bulk of the oil may drain off and back into the sump, but there is a film still left on the metal surface. lubricants work by forming a sacrifical layer between the metal surfaces. we'll not go into shear stability,borate technology and some other things related to lubes. you may not be able to see a lot of lube but it's still there hidden in all the little nooks and crannys not visible to the naked eye. it usually takes a solvent to clean all of the lube film off the metal. it's the only way to remove the residual lube. if not cleaned, you still have a layer of lube for protection. if the car gets hit, that's why we carry insurance to cover repairs including the trans or rear end if broken.
kevin,
i do disagree with you on this. i always leave my cars in gear when parked. trust me when i say you'll know real quick if you try to start the car while in gear. you'll think you have one of those funny texas rabbits jumping under you. as far as the lubricant being forced out, that brings us back to lubricants #101. the bulk of the oil may drain off and back into the sump, but there is a film still left on the metal surface. lubricants work by forming a sacrifical layer between the metal surfaces. we'll not go into shear stability,borate technology and some other things related to lubes. you may not be able to see a lot of lube but it's still there hidden in all the little nooks and crannys not visible to the naked eye. it usually takes a solvent to clean all of the lube film off the metal. it's the only way to remove the residual lube. if not cleaned, you still have a layer of lube for protection. if the car gets hit, that's why we carry insurance to cover repairs including the trans or rear end if broken.
puff4
Platinum Level Sponsor
Please forgive!!! I have been dealing with my youngest son and his car issues and not thinking straight. Not sure how I made the mistake but have opened appropriate vein.
(I love that car!!!!!!)
Completely forgiven.
And thanks for the comments. I love that baby... I looked all over England for one and found this totally rust-free example. Oh, and BTW, that car has never been restored... just running and maintained well since new. I've owned it for about 30 years now.
Nickodell
Donation Time
AArrgghhh!!! It's *not* a Mayflower!
Exhibit B: Renown...
Where can I get one of those?
(I'm not speaking about the car.)
Eleven
Platinum Level Sponsor
puff4
Platinum Level Sponsor
She's spoken for presently, by the young man on the right, my son Charlie. If you can beat him up you might have a shot, but as a proud poppa I gotta warn ya... he's a competitive swimmer and one could play checkers on his belly.
No, we've not met, but you're right about the geography... not for not wanting to, just no opportunity has presented itself, I suppose. I don't really attend many 'club' functions, as I have such a diverse collection of cars it makes being deeply into any one club kind of hard.
puff4
Platinum Level Sponsor