Compound Leverage vs Drum Brakes

[MultiMat]

I have a SOG PowerAssist which I have had for some time but I have not used a awful lot.I have average sized hands & find the big SOG a bit too tricky to comfortably use , largely due to A)the compound leverage trade off & B) the MT's large size. The compound leverage trade off being the large amount of handle travel required for a relatively small plier opening/closing ,not a problem if you have large hands.

Any-ways many moons ago , 23+ years ago    , I worked as a apprentice motor mechanic & the tool of choice for removing drum brake return springs, in the garage I worked in, was side-cutters. I have often wondered if a tool designed to cut wires is really the best tool to use on wire springs.


My Side-cutters are excellent at gripping the spring & to be fair I have never broken a spring with them.Firm grip of the spring is what you need when removing these highly tensioned springs.


My late 90's Mitsubishi Lancer's drum brakes , ahh crap I remember why I did not like doing drum brakes all that time ago  . Dirty fiddly buggers. I set myself the challenge of changing my drum brake's shoes using just my SOG PowerAssist , let the fun begin  .


The first challenge was removing the bottom return spring, first time the pliers slipped & I thought ahh crap that is not very good  . I changed tact & gripped the spring harder , I was surprised at the flex in the PowerAssist's handles when I really squeezed on them. 2nd time round no slip & spring detached  . PowerAssist did good 


The hold down springs came off next , no probs. Some levering, poking,some 'fruity' discussions & more prodding more 'colourful' negotiations &  the whole she-bang is apart. .That long thin spring was a prick as was the auto adjuster, FIDDLY.


Next challenge is removing the c clip that secures the hand brake lever plate to the post. Interesting to see how much brake material left on the old trailing brake shoe , much more than the worn out leading shoe.


I used the SOG's large flat head screw driver to lever open the c clip by levering & twisting. Normally at this point I would use a BIG screwdriver to lever the clip off. The SOG's large screw driver was not quite large enough to force the clip of it's post. I used Compound leverage in reverse to force the clip open.


I saw a wee opening & I could not help myself 

To be fair on the SOG's wee screw driver, what I was doing with it was always going to end in tears  , tool abuse it was. The clip was proving annoying & the BIG screw driver in the shed was calling    . I regrouped & again used the SOG's pliers in reverse & forced the clip apart  .


The warring parties , the clip won that battle over the SOG's small screw driver but using the pliers + compound leverage in reverse ,ultimately beat the clip . One thing I sure am glad has changed is that asbestos is no longer used in brake linings in Oz. I remember in the garage I worked in during the 80's mechanics would use compressed air to clean out drum brakes blowing brake dust + asbestos everywhere  .

   
It be a thing of beauty  SOG & assembled brake drum  .More fruity discussions required but job done 

& what did I use on the other side   

You just can't beat a big bast#rd screw driver sometimes  .The big screw driver did make the reshoeing the other-side much easier I got say.

I was surprised how well the PowerAssist performed , I have often felt the replaceable/interchangeable SOG parts had a disposal feel about them when compared to the competition . I did awful things to the large PowerAssist's screwdriver & it came up trumps.The small screwdriver broke because of the abuse I subjected it too.I did have to use my 2 hands at times when using the pliers due to the PowerAssist's large size, a little awkward but all good in the end.  Compound Leverage has retired my side-cutters from brake duty  . I have new found respect for my big SOG  , gotta love compound leverage.

[Dtrain]

Neet!...Sorry about the broken tip though...Maybe with a bit of filing you can turn it in to a scraper /opener

[kirk13]

Neet!...Sorry about the broken tip though...Maybe with a bit of filing you can turn it in to a scraper /opener
[/quote

And if it can't,well thry're pretty cheap and easy to replace!

[AimlessWanderer]

Superb Mat  As soon as I got my powerlock I knew that it was tool of choice for the car, but thankfully I've not had to tax it like you did yet (I DIDN'T train as a mechanic and my car knowledge is quite limited). I swapped the scissors for the wire strippers, but they're a tad sloppy at the mo - I need to revisit that when time permits 

[J-sews]

Good show Mat I'm impressed, drum brake work in my area is always left to the professionals. To be fair though, I've never seen the parts inside the drum look as good as yours do. Around here, the salt and snow mix with the brake pad dust and form some sort of hellish hard brown substance. The self adjuster, links, and springs are usually corroded into one solid mass!

Drum brakes: definitely the realm of a BFS & BFH*  




*big freakin' screwdriver and big freakin' hammer

[David]

Mat I really hate to do brake work especially drum brakes. Haven't done a drum one in years. Like Bob I leave it to the professionals these days.   

[resaw]

I snapped the tip off my LM Wave years ago pulling drumbrake springs.  Using the right tool, like vise grips or a BF'n screwdriver,  for any job is something to remember.  But hey, sometimes it's not available, and a MT is a blessing.  Tons of trail fixes that a MT and some twine can be used for.

[Neil]

Always cheaper to abuse an old screwdriver than your MT but well done, mission accomplished

[Zed]

Always cheaper to abuse an old screwdriver than your MT but well done, mission accomplished

I agree neil but mat we have all done this a few times  i now carry a small pocket pry bar    job well done mate