Thread: Tiny bit excited

I have never seen or heard of that type of adjuster on Landrover brakes - that is typical of Lockheed brakes, not Girling. However, I understand that very early 80" had different brakes that were mostly replaced shortly after delivery, and I have never seen technical details of these, so I am prepared to believe that something different has been fitted at some time. But I think that setup is a fix by a local mechanic who could not get the brakes to work, probably because he assembled them incorrectly!

IIRC the SMA had considerable trouble with the Series I brakes and LR flew a team of engineers to Aust to sort the problem out which resulted in an early modification to the braking system.

I'm unaware of what the resultant fix was but maybe Joe has a bit of the pre mod combined with part of the post mod setup.

I have heard that the fix you are referring to was actually special mud excluders (listed in an optional equipment brochure I have) to keep Snowy Mountain mud containing crushed garnets from the tunnelling out of the brakes. I am uncertain whether the different early brakes were involved or whether this was a separate fix.

Found a reference to the early braking system (in John Smith's book). This was Girling "Hydrastatic", and a major reason for the change was poor brake life for some users. Smith does not mention which users, but I think there is a good chance that this was SMHEA. The change was made in 1949. What is seen in the pictures above is not the Hydrastatic system, which does not have any adjusters, but could be a modification of this - the Hydrastatic brakes rely on a special brake lining with a spring loaded button near the leading end of the leading shoe, and it is possible that this is a modification to allow the backing plate from this system to be used with standard shoes. (A pull off spring would have to be added)

There was a member in the Qld Rover Club who was a engineer on the S.M.S The S1 you see in a lot of photo's with the S1 going through the river was him in company LR. he was telling me that when they 1st received the S!'s they were going through brakes in around a week due to the mud until they fitted the garters . I was also talking to Arthur Goddard one day & he confirmed this.
Joe's S1 is too late a model to have any early brakes fitted . I think you are correct John , some mechanic has fitted the springs between the shoes which pushes the pistons together in the cylinder so on the 1st push of the brakes the peddle goes to the floor 2nd push 1/2 peddle & 3rd full peddle . I would say he could not work it out so fitted the adjuster between the shoes with the spring attaches to booth shoes. The old linings don't look very worn i would say the modification was done on the last shoe change.
You know what it is like if it dose not have discs the mechanics just don't know. This system will work fine if the new shoes have a slot to retain the adjuster & if there is a slot cut in the backing plate to adjust the shoes through . Would be a pain having to pull the drums off to do the adjustment especially if there is any lip on the outer edge of the drum, he will never get the correct adjustment.

1 right side - i see you can turn the snail from the back of backing plate to move the shoes in or out, why would i need a slot. it has a nut you can turn to adjust from the rear (on the backing plate)

2 left side - two pins on either side is to help keep the shoes from rubbing against the backing plate, one of the pins is almost not evident or broken but still enough left to hold the right side shoe in position

3 brake cylinder attached to the brake pipe line

4-5 - adjuster removed and will be discarded, but looks to be off something and does work by turning the centre nut expands or constricts the shoes much like the adjuster snail already on the vehicle

6 - top spring managed to secure behind the snail (one end) and to the opposing post on backing plate (other end), nice n secure

7 - bottom is a problem and loose as, there is nowhere to secure the smaller spring to a backing plate, right shoe is tight, left shoe is loose

8 - while i try to figure out these brakes tightened up some bolts for the rear tail shaft with new bolts to the diff

Re pic 7, relocate right hand end of spring to next hole (in shoe) to the right. Spring will then be in tension and shoes will be held tight.

re pic 7, spring is located behind the brake extrusion on the shoe which was what was suggested.

1 this time on pass side, similar set up to driver rear set up, as adjustable bar again

2 brake cyl installed, has knob for right side shoe to spring off

3 opposite side, again nothing for the bottom of shoes for the spring other then going from shoe to shoe from outside

4 with the right side shoe in position, the spring protrusion is on the outside of shoe,??? the driver side was on the inside of shoe???

Help please

1. does this round (in green) get bolted up to the front of the shoes or behind, mine was both bolted and fitted from the rear? incl bolts.

2. green pictured lower spring points to where it should be sprung from ? correct or not? again on mine was fitted on the front of shoes not from behind.