109" break shoe spring position

[CapeLandy]

Hi all

I was changing my spring bushes and noted the front drum breaks were gripping rather hard. Even slacking the adjusters all the way off did not help.

I then removed the drum and found the two pistons (1 top & 1 bottom system) were not retracting properly.
Looking at the book section 70.40.02 it looks like I have the springs correctly fitted but it seems strange that they are pulling at the trailing edge of the shoe rather than closer to the piston where you assume you need more force/tension.
Anyone have any ideas?
I can tap each shoe back using a hammer on the shoe and then each piston retracts all be it not very willingly. I also loosened the master cylinder from the servo just in case the break push rod was restricting the fluid returning to the master but no difference.
Could it be chance that both cylinders are gunged up from having no use for the last month.
Advice apretiated.
Cheers
James

[dandlandyman]

It could do that, especially if you didn't clean the brakes after the last off-roading session. Just remove the boot from each cylinder and pull the piston just out enough to see a mm or two of the cylindrical face. Clean off all the crystallised crud (don't forget the inside of the boot) and then reassemble with a bit of rubber grease. Please note, white powder inside the cylinder is a honing or replacement job. It's corroded aluminium.
All lwb front brakes are set up like that, return springs at the opposite end of the shoe from the cylinder. They're quite heavy springs to overcome the lever action of the length of the shoes.
If cleaning and freeing off the cylinders doesn't work, suspect the brake hoses. Old hoses perish internally, causing a piece to break off and behave like a one-way valve. Not too bad (just won't let the brakes return) if it happens in the return direction, but terrifying if it happens on application - no brakes. It's fairly unusual for both front hoses to fail simultaneously, though.
Good luck with it.

[CapeLandy]

Last night I took the two cylinders apart, changed the seals and honed the two bores with my small drill operated stone.
Assembled and tested. Bugger - still stuck out.
Then slacked off bleed screw and incomming pipe so the oil could escape if the hose was indeed blocked but still stuck out.
Must be the springs - I will get a new set made at out springworks at work and try again this arvie.
Thanks 4 advise
James