Front Brake Disc - Inspection, Removal And Refitting; Handbrake Adjustment - Opel Kadett Owner's Manual

6.6 Handbrake cable attachment to
operating lever (arrowed)
6 Disconnect the handbrake cable from the
operating lever (see illustration). If there is
insufficient slack at the cable, disconnect it at
the equaliser yoke
7 The return springs may be unhooked now
and the shoes removed separately, or the
assembly of shoes, strut and springs may be
removed together. The second course is
particularly easy if the hub is removed (see
Chapter 10), as has been done for some of the
photographs. Be careful not to damage the
wheel cylinder rubber boots.
8 If the shoes are to be removed for some
time, secure the wheel cylinder pistons with a
stout rubber band or a spring clip. In any
event, do not press the brake pedal while the
drum is removed.
9 Clean the brake backplate, again being
careful not to inhale the dust or to disperse it
into the air
10 Apply a smear of copper-based anti-seize
compound to the shoe rubbing areas on the
backplate.
11 Investigate and rectify any source of
contamination of the linings (wheel cylinder or
hub bearing oil seal leaking).
12 Unusually, linings are still available
separately for these brake shoes. Renewal of
the shoes complete with linings is to be
preferred, however, unless the reader has the
necessary skills and equipment to fit new
linings to the old shoes.
13 Dismantle the shoes, strut and springs.
Note how the springs are fitted, and which way
round the strut goes. Be careful not to
interchange left-hand and right-hand adjuster
components; the threaded rod is marked L or R,
6.17a Self-adjusting strut correctly fitted
6.13 Self-adjusting strut components
right-hand side
and the other 'handed' components are colour-
coded: black for the left-hand side, and silver
for the right (see illustration).
14 Dismantle and clean the adjusting strut.
Apply a smear of silicone-based lubricant to
the adjuster threads. If new brake linings are
being fitted, the thermoclip (in the middle of
the strut) must be renewed too.
15 Examine the shoe return springs. If they
are distorted or if they have seen much
service, renewal is advisable. Weak springs
may cause the brakes to bind.
16 If a new handbrake lever was not supplied
with the new shoes, transfer the old lever. It
may be secured with a pin and circlip (see
illustration), or by a rivet which will have to be
drilled out.
17 Assemble the new shoes, springs and
adjuster components. Expand the adjuster
strut to ease fitting (see illustrations).
18 Offer the shoes to the brake backplate. Be
careful not to damage the wheel cylinder
boots or to displace the pistons. Remember
to remove the rubber band or spring clip from
the wheel cylinder, if one was used.
19 When the shoes are in position, insert the
steady pins and secure them with the springs
and washers. Reconnect the handbrake
cable, and refit and adjust the hub if it was
removed.
20 If fitting the shoes and springs together is
found too difficult, it is possible to fit the
shoes and secure them with the steady pins,
then to introduce the adjuster strut and fit the
springs and adjuster.
21 Back off the adjuster pinion to reduce the
length of the strut until the brake drum will
6.17b Fitting the upper return spring to the
adjuster lever bracket
Braking system 9•7
6.16 Handbrake lever secured by pin
pass over the new linings. Make sure that the
handbrake lever is correctly positioned (pin on
the edge of the shoe web, not on top of it).
22 Refit and secure the brake drum as
described in Section 9.
23 Repeat the operations on the other rear
brake, then adjust the brakes by operating the
footbrake at least 15 times. A clicking noise
will be heard at the drums as the automatic
adjusters operate; when the clicking stops,
adjustment is complete.
24 Check the handbrake adjustment and
correct it if necessary (see Chapter 1).
25 When new linings have been fitted, avoid
harsh braking (if possible) for the first hundred
miles or so to allow the linings to bed in.
7 Front brake disc - inspection,
removal and refitting
Note: Before starting work, refer to the note at
the beginning of Section 4 concerning the
dangers of asbestos dust.
Inspection
Note: If either disc requires renewal, both
should be renewed at the same time to ensure
even and consistent braking.
1 Firmly apply the handbrake, jack up the
front of the car and support it on axle stands
(see "Jacking and Vehicle Support"). Remove
the appropriate front roadwheel, marking its
correct fitted position on the hub.
2 Slowly rotate the brake disc so that the full
area of both sides can be checked; remove
the brake pads if better access is required to
the inner surface. Light scoring is normal in
6.17c Adjuster lever spring (arrowed) fitted
9