Kwik-Fit Slap Hammer my brakes?

lorri789 said:

A slap hammer is for flattening stuff out.

Click to expand...

I thought it was what KF fitters used to try to knock some sense into each other.

I used to work next door to a Kwik fit. They were truly diabolical, they didn't appear to have any training and the answer was always hit it with a hammer! Breaking things regularly they used to do us cheap tyres for sorting their cock ups out, then they left a wheel loose on a customers car! Hmmm best avoided, funny thing is they're trying to do more and more servicing and repair work, cos a one day brake course teaches all you need to know about brakes that you learn in a full apprenticeship! Not! And they call them brake specialists

Update to close - took this on myself. I never did this before, so approached with some trepidation.

The drums were well-and-truly seized. One handbrake cable had started to wear (the cables eventually fray and jam solid in the 'on' or 'off' position depending on how the dice rolls), and both rear brakes were seized fast in the 'handbrake on' position.

The adjustment cogs, accessed via the grommets - well they were seized tight. No help from them.

To get them drums off, I took to fitting the claw of a hammer inside the drum lip and using a lump-hammer, to tap on the hammer claw, to eventually release the drums. Took a good half-hour of hard tapping and lots of sweat and skinned knuckles...

I know for certain, 2 MOT's were 'passed' on this car, with these seized drums NEVER removed. Worth remembering if you are in this position, as garages charging for undone work need to be sued to hell, but that's another story.

Here a pic with a drum freshly removed. As you can see, there was NO Retaining pin for a long time, it let water and other crap in, plus the rear pads would never have worked well.



rear pads well-and-truly done-fer... these were stuck in the 'handbrake on' position for the last 2 MOT's... nice one garage 'tradesmen'



Cleaned off the loose rust from the Back-Plates -pending renewal as the inner circular seal had crumbled off. All the link arms were 'as-new' after a bath in my ultrasonic cleaner, everything lubed and nice, thick new pads..







update:

new pads, shiny new drums and pins fitted, already braking like a new car. Just awaiting new handbrake cables and looking into new Left and Right Back-Plates to go with the new drums, and cylinder seal-replacement or even full cylinder replacement as they're not too expensive.

In summary, don't be scared of taking on this job of seized drum brakes, with modest 'home DIY' tools and a day of effort, it can be done by total non-mechanics like me.

So far, this has cost me under 100 pounds and far more importantly, I learned something new.

Good job mate! Can't beat that feeling of satisfaction when it all goes back together!

I think they were maybe talking about a slide hammer and not a slap hammer, ive got one with attachments for hubs etc albeit i think ive only used it once or twice as a dead blow usually suffices, glad you got it sorted, as said I wouldn't go near a fast fit place for anything other than a puncture, no disrespect to the guys working there as we've all gotta earn a crust, but you are putting your life in the hands of these people.

Mind grind the wear lip off the drums so the come off easier next time

Greigboy said:

I think they were maybe talking about a slide hammer and not a slap hammer, ive got one with attachments for hubs etc albeit i think ive only used it once or twice as a dead blow usually suffices, glad you got it sorted, as said I wouldn't go near a fast fit place for anything other than a puncture, no disrespect to the guys working there as we've all gotta earn a crust, but you are putting your life in the hands of these people.

Mind grind the wear lip off the drums so the come off easier next time

Click to expand...

Great idea, will do that when I fit the new handbrake cable. Cheers all.

if you are going to grind the lip of the drums please think about fitting new ones if you can afford as it is a sign they are past their best

Fitted new drums myself a week ago, old ones badly worn (140,000 plus). Cost 46 inc postage

teddywood1 said:

if you are going to grind the lip of the drums please think about fitting new ones if you can afford as it is a sign they are past their best

Click to expand...

This^^^^ The lip only exist because the drum has worn to a larger diameter, this reduces the shoe contact area. It's best to fit new as they aren't that expensive the brakes will be better and the shoes will last longer

WLJayne said:

Mine had been laid up for 8 months before I got it and one rear brake was seveerely jammed. I had to get the little screw out, then go round it with a small pry bar and tease it off mm by mm using brake cleaner as I went. It will come off with patience, Kwik Fit are muppets and should not be trading IMO.

Once the drum was off I gave the shoes a few gentle taps with a rubber mallet to get them loose and then worked my way round with brake cleaner, methelated spirits and PlusGas penetrator. It took a bit of work but I got there are they have been fine since. I also ground down the lip that had built up on the edges of the drum, so it's now easy to get them off - a good thing if you go offroad!

Click to expand...

As above. I had this once, when i got the drum off i ground the lip away and the drum goes on and off without problems.

Jonty1 said:

Fitted new drums myself a week ago, old ones badly worn (140,000 plus). Cost 46 inc postage

Click to expand...

Mine have been on for at least 131k miles. I dunno if they where changed in the 98k before that.

dampsox said:

My rear drums are binding, a hellish metallic rubbing noise varies with the speed of travel. Then the noise may go away or days...then it comes back...

My local Kwik-Fit, I was in for a cheap MOT, I asked them to look at rear brakes, but they could not get either drum off. They said they would need to whack them off with a 'slap-hammer- and I would get a pretty big repair bill.

I left the shop. Does this procedure sound right? It scared me witless as I am minimum wage.

Anyone in Rochdale or Oldham recommended for fixing this?

Click to expand...

I had oxidation issues on the inside of my front & rear off-side rims. The guy checking my slowly deflating tyres confirmed this as the cause, then told me that there was nowt he could do as Kwik-Fit are no longer using -or even allowed to stock- the required rim sealing compound that might otherwise solve the issue. He further intimated (off the record) that they'd rather you purchased a new tyre, despite the fact that a new tyre would also deflate given the circumstances.
I guess customer satisfaction generally counts for sod all when it comes to Kwik-Fit's corporate profit margins.

bobbzie said:

I had oxidation issues on the inside of my front & rear off-side rims. The guy checking my slowly deflating tyres confirmed this as the cause, then told me that there was nowt he could do as Kwik-Fit are no longer using -or even allowed to stock- the required rim sealing compound that might otherwise solve the issue. He further intimated (off the record) that they'd rather you purchased a new tyre, despite the fact that a new tyre would also deflate given the circumstances.
I guess customer satisfaction generally counts for sod all when it comes to Kwik-Fit's corporate profit margins.

Click to expand...

had amate that worked for kwik-fit plenty of fish in sea hit them on easy jobs ingore anything major, if it's brakes the disc's are fubar plus you need a tyre exhaust tell them there shocks are gone. Basically rip as many people off as possible because there are plenty of stupid people out there. This was the convo after yes you have got the job.

nickcc said:

Probably the wear lip on the drum preventing removal, may just need the self adjusters backing off through the holes in the back plate, remove the rubber grommet to gain access. Once the two securing screws have been removed the drum usually just slides over the hub and wheel studs. (May just need a tap with a hammer round the edge of the drum). The rubbing noise when not braking is often caused by the rust build up on the back plate catching on the drum.

Click to expand...

I would follow this advice, sounds sound and it is how I take drums off in my work shop.