Brakes and unusual nipples!!
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The vertical T and nipple apparently was the way to go. It was made locally by a brake and hydraulic shop. It leaked from a minute pin hole!
After having spent a lot of time figuring things out and talking to a bunch of ex - series owners I decided enough was enough!! Advice on advice! Change it to a Defender axle, Toyota brakes are the best....
I tried a couple of tried and tested methods and nothing worked for me. The brakes were spongy and pedal went down to the bottom. After several attempts of bleeding the brakes I removed to check on the braking system itself. This was after I had spent a day with a mechanic who used to repair series back in the 80's. Hmm....
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The wheel cylinders had seized. These were the original Girling ones The seals leaked and the inner cylinder walls pitted.
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Good Lord!! The Girling's aren't cheap and that's if you can find them.
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Brake fluid goes syrup! Use crap fluid and this is what you get.
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A sign of something not right. On my series IIA the drums are evenly worn and despite being fairly worn there isn't a sign of distortion, cracking or scorching. An example of poor knowledge. Remove wrong, fit wrong. A service manual is the way if in doubt.
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Brake linings were **** poor and cracked in some areas. I came to realise that the leading and trial shoes were not fitted correctly but the same of each as a pair. This doesn't work. This was the reason for the cracking. The heat and pressure on just that one part of the lining must have been enormous! It also made sense why even though the brakes were spongy they would catch and did not have any modulation because the contact area of the shoe lining and drum was only about 80mm rather than the whole lining surface.
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Leaking Hub Oil Seal. This was a later scenario before I fitted the new brake linings.
It had stood still years before I drove it in 2015. Even then I did very little to it and drove a good 200 or so miles. When braking it pulled to the near side.
I had to replace the cylinders and because I wanted to keep the Girling ones. I replaced the seals instead to see what happened. The result was a poor one and brakes even though better still were spongy! I ordered new ones locally and fitted them. These were from BGF.
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Who are BGF!?
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What have I said before and will say it again! Local mechanics are just plain stupid!! These nipples were over tightened and almost round! Because of this and trying to remove them I simply had to go beyond and not only order them from the UK because they didn't have them here but also buy a flare tool and a roll of copper brake pipe.
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Just like that my worries were over and at the same time be a magician!
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WooHoo!! Perfect!!
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Result!! Not as good as I wanted it but it was the right way. The right tools, material and mind set. The pipe needs to be as close as possible to the axle. Perhaps right angles instead of sweeping bends? I don't have a pipe bending tool and using a ring spanner end isn't that good. I like how you need to think of what could possibly happen and try and avoid it. I drive over thicket and small bushes, branches and when in deep ruts things can catch and pull off brake pipes.
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I couldn't get shoe brake linings as in one piece (shoe and lining fitted) so I had to scrap/wire brush off the old lining from the existing shoes and rivet new ones on.
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Perfect!!
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I used this Draper Vacuum Kit to bleed the brakes after I was done with fitting new bits and replace the system with fresh brake fluid. The brake fluid reservoir also got cleaned out in the process. If I remember correctly this tool drew the fluid from the reservoir forcing it through the cylinder. I never tried the reverse method using syringes but will. The Draper tool was borrowed. They aren't expensive to buy. Clean and flush well with mild soapy water before storing.
My efforts paid off! Investing in a flare tool, new nipples, brake line, cylinders and brake linings did the job. I haven't driven the series since December 2022 and the brakes are still as was repaired. Bloody good!!
After the gearbox it will be a revisit to the brakes. Remove that is not need, fit was is. I was never happy with the cheap cylinders, the rivet lining method, the T vertical nipple on the near side, and some other minor bits I need to revisit.
When you think of it, you can replace or repair any part of a series without bleeding money. It will take you to any destination you can think of and back and by doing so will still not make you bleed money! I hear people say 'it's uncomfortable, uses too much fuel, heavy to handle..... That could be true and probably is but when you think of what it was made to do, it's shear size and weight and the components it's made from, fuel consumption or being a heavy vehicle to handle isn't something I think about. It has a very distinct sound, look, feel, and even smell.
That is a series Land Rover. Like it or hate it. It's a world class of a 4x4.
