Hand brake overhaul.S3

Hi All,

need to change the pads on an S3 swb (1983)
never done one before, has anyone got any hot tips?

take the prop right off and get it out the way

Easy enough job Giles and pretty straight forward chap.

Regards WP.

Yep it's not too bad, but the nuts holding the drum on an an odd size (Whitworth I expect) - if they are not too tight it will be fine, or you can do what I did and find an old AF socket and hammer it into place, don't use the next AF size up or you will end up with round nuts. After that it is just all the usual nonsense of springs and stuff. Much the easiest once you have the prop and the drum off is to remove the actuating lever from the handbrake linkage, take the back plate off the transfer box and then change the shoes on a bench rather than lying on your back underneath the car. Then it goes together fine. Either way, don't lose the two little rollers that come out once you remove the shoes!

Also to get the prop off remove the centre seat base and work from on top - that way around it is much easier to get a spanner around the nuts.

A bit curious as to why these need replacing - they usually last for ever as they don't do any actual braking, just holding the thing on a hill! You haven't been doing handbrake turns have you?

Percyatok