Hi there,

I'm new to the forum, but I've been lurking and reading posts on here for the last few months. Now I have a problem to solve it seemed appropriate to join-up and see if anyone can help!

The brake pedal on my series 2 has been spongy since I have owned the vehicle (3-4 months), but recently the pedal has got much firmer and the breaks have got much better (without any intervention). I was quite happy with this situation, but on the way home last night my rear drivers side brake kept sticking and burning up, while the pedal has become solid or seized. Does anyone have any idea what is going on?

I'm really not a mechanic, and a series landrover may not be ideal for me, but I'm keen to try and learn more and solve these problems on my own. But with this in mind if you could keep any advice very simple that would be super helpful! It would be great to be able to try 2-3 simple fixes to see if I can sort the problem out.

well hot brakes are obviously the shoes binding on. the reason for this could be related to the slave cylinder seizing on that effected wheel.

the brake hose for rear wheels are shared, a T piece from the same brake hose, so if it were a problem with master cylinder or flexi hose becoming a 1 way valve (possible from degredation) then you would hope it to effect both rear wheels.

adjustment (lack of clearance) between master cylinder and pedal can also cause this pumping up, but again youd expect it to effect the whole vehicle, not one corner in preference

I had the master cylinder come loose and the adjustment disappeared - it was a hot rear driver's side wheel that made me aware of the problem. Check the pedal adjustment at the cylinder operating rod. Do you have a brake servo?

Wheels and drums off time! Best to have a look inside before just adjusting them, especially if you haven't looked in there before.

Look on the inside of the backplate, on the forward edge there is a hexagonal nut about 2/3rds up, this is the adjuster. It's a snail cam on the inside, turn it one way, it pushes the leading shoe onto the drum, the other direction it loosens it. Generally "righty tighty, lefty loosey" but you never know what "spot's"* there are, I have seen them fitted back to front. Still worked too... Anyhoo, back the shoes off, then remove the 3 securing screws off the drum, probably need an impact driver for that. Or they might not even be fitted..you never know.

There's a threaded hole on the drum, one of the securing screws tightened into that will free the drum from the drive member, they tend to stick together (rust molecules holding hands). You may need a bit of brute force and trauma to get the drum off. Once it's off, take a photo of it all to remind you how everything goes back together!
Check for brake fluid leaks, oil contamination etc, and the general state of the shoes. Maybe get some brake cleaner, and give it all a wash out. If the fault isn't in there, and ends up being the master, at least you have overhauled the brakes, and you now know what's in there.

*Spot. Stupid Previous Owner Trick.

Just one thing to add to Big Sandy's post.... when you're removing the drum, you will probably find the need to use LR tool number 1, the trusty hammer. Wear some sort of eye protection. There's little worse than getting a sharp chunk of rust in the eyeball, then trying to rub your eyes with hands that are covered in oil/dirt/sharp rust particles. (especially when your glasses are sitting on the bloody wing - ask me how I know!)

We really should wear eye protection, but how many of us do? I can't wear goggles, because I wear glasses, so they just steam up. I bought a visor, which is better, but gets in the way..

Suffice to say I'm not allowed near mri machines.

As Erubus says, LR tool #1 may come into play. Don't be afraid of hitting the drum on the face (where the studs are) but be a bit more circumspect around the edges.

If you are really really struggling, you can take the hub off with the drum still on it. That's a bit more involved, but you tend to find the drum falls off when the hubs off! Really makes you wonder what was holding it on. It's just rust....

Had the same issue on my SIII, it was due to the fluid in the master cylinder not being able to get back to the reservoir. After playing with the adjustments on both the pedal and inside the MC it ended up just being a faulty MC. Ended up putting in a new Bearmach MC and that solved it.

One of the front wheel cylinders started leaking a week later; have found that I end up constantly chasing the weak point in the brake system.

Thanks for all the help! I'm going to have a go at replacing the slave cylinder and bleeding the brakes in the next couple of days.

oxides said:

I had the master cylinder come loose and the adjustment disappeared - it was a hot rear driver's side wheel that made me aware of the problem. Check the pedal adjustment at the cylinder operating rod. Do you have a brake servo?

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No brake servo

I will let you all know how I get on!

will_ said:

have found that I end up constantly chasing the weak point in the brake system.

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i hear that !