Delta's Tea-Break Natter (The Lighter Side) 2011/12

[grantp]

Slow days before Xmas I guess ...

I think it's about time we had some pics of Iain's new workshop.

I have this mental image of one of those old 50s toy garages with a lift for taking cars up to the roof - or in this case perhaps the Mezzanine level.

[grantp]

Tutorial video - changing Toyota rear brake pads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSjGWw-JD2U





Quality.

[Alan Morgan]

I think it's about time we had some pics of Iain's new workshop.

I wasn't able to get there last weekend but I'm definitely going next weekend - I'll take some pics.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Alan Morgan

I wasn't able to get there last weekend but I'm definitely going next weekend - I'll take some pics.

I've heard it's as big as the NEC but without a rail station and airport.

I'm expecting a really big scalextric layout on that mezzanine......

[GORDON STREETER]

Has it got a big reception area with dolly birds ?

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Has it got a big reception area with dolly birds ?

I'm sure- with a display of some famous Delta Motorsport cars on display as well.

Also heard a rumour that Costa and Starbucks are in a bidding war to put in a coffee and tea franchise......

[terence]

Yes,Starbucks will be looking after the Tax Accounts for him.

[GORDON STREETER]

I'm impressed !

[terence]

Starbucks must have sorted the tax already![Perhaps a bit of sponsorship as well]

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Has it got a big reception area with dolly birds ?

Didn't you mean 'Has it got a big play area with dolly mixtures'

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Didn't you mean 'Has it got a big play area with dolly mixtures'

You know us too well, Joe......

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Didn't you mean 'Has it got a big play area with dolly mixtures'

How childish (and disgusting)I'm being serious as always ! I'm off to Spain to get away from this waffle !

[GORDON STREETER]

Wow just seen this in one of the "mags" he's certainly pushing to the forefront !

[grantp]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Has it got a reception area with big dolly birds ?

There, fixed that for you Gordon.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Tim, very few handbrakes have self adjusters and most have to be adjusted manually.
Also you don't normally have to take the interior to pieces to get at the cable adjuster although you can't always see them you can get at them with flexible drives once you know where they are .

Thinking about this and looking at the pics in the manual, might be able to work out more or less where the adjuster nut is. A couple of test hole though the trim should make access easy enough without having to resort taking screws out. Might be able to find a few old grommets somewhere to plug the holes, if not I'll just have to disguise them as something else.

Or maybe I could simply add an adjustment handle on a permanent basis and instructions for adjusting it when the H/B is weak.

Yesterday I was told that the thing may well be "OK" when the car is on the drive but a very short (1/2 mile or less) run into the village is enough for it to be useless on arrival at the destination.


Sound like quite a good system for a novice on a track day ...

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by grantp

Or maybe I could simply add an adjustment handle on a permanent basis and instructions for adjusting it when the H/B is weak.

.


...

In all fairness the cable adjuster shouldn't need to be adjusted that often, as I said you should adjust the shoes.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Wow just seen this in one of the "mags" he's certainly pushing to the forefront !

Sure I recognise those two from somewhere.

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Tim, very few handbrakes have self adjusters and most have to be adjusted manually.
Also you don't normally have to take the interior to pieces to get at the cable adjuster although you can't always see them you can get at them with flexible drives once you know where they are .

Originally Posted by grantp

Thinking about this and looking at the pics in the manual, might be able to work out more or less where the adjuster nut is. A couple of test hole though the trim should make access easy enough without having to resort taking screws out. Might be able to find a few old grommets somewhere to plug the holes, if not I'll just have to disguise them as something else.

Or maybe I could simply add an adjustment handle on a permanent basis and instructions for adjusting it when the H/B is weak.

Yesterday I was told that the thing may well be "OK" when the car is on the drive but a very short (1/2 mile or less) run into the village is enough for it to be useless on arrival at the destination.


Sound like quite a good system for a novice on a track day ...

I'm not talking about adjusting the cable or lever, It's the adjuster in the drum which if it wont adjust the shoes automatically you stick a thin screwdriver through the inspection hole in the drum and move it round.

Gordon, I didn't mean the handbrake is self adjusting, the shoes should be self adjusting by pulling the handbrake on but like I said they generally don't work, I've only seen one that has ever worked.

[GORDON STREETER]

No Tim the handbrake shoes are not self adjusting. I have never seen self adjusters on any disc/drum assembly as they could adjust themselves permanently on and have manual adjusters.
I am talking about separate handbrake shoes inside of the disc so not to confuse the issue .

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Sure I recognise those two from somewhere.

Mmm something in the back of my memory seems to remember seeing something like those back in the 60s

[Clive Brown]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I say chaps, this fellah's got lumps on his chest!

[grantp]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

No Tim the handbrake shoes are not self adjusting. I have never seen self adjusters on any disc/drum assembly as they could adjust themselves permanently on and have manual adjusters.
I am talking about separate handbrake shoes inside of the disc so not to confuse the issue .

Haven't seen any mention of self adjustment.

Management now tells me that the H/B sometimes does not work when cold either. In other words although I found it working well after 24 hours of no use that is not always the case no matter how firmly it has been applied.

Take your point about what might need adjusting Gordon but whether its at the drums is another matter. Only used for the H/B so what possible wear would there normally be to adjust? Only mechanical seizure of something in the hubbased components comes to mind.

The alternaticves would be cables stretching. Rear wheels seem to be prety much equally unbraked in HB mode so both sides fail equally?

H/B lever to balance bar is he other options and that one seems to run very close to the exhaust and, possibly, catalytic converter.

Haynes seems to suggest that when adjustment is necessary the wheel drums AND the H/Brake lever adjustments are required.

Checked tonight, the H/B lever adjustment is just not quite accessible, so far as I can tell, without removing plastrickery. Unless I eliminate a moulded plastic cup holderl

[GORDON STREETER]

As I have said the handbrake system on a disc braked car with small shoes inside are pretty dire on a lot of vehicles, the MOT stipulates 25% some of the Jap stuff especially some 4x4s have a hell of a job to be that good and will only just about pass when new !
For the life of me I can never work out why we need rear discs on "normal" family cars and the ones that work on the actual rear calipers unless pulled on very tight can easily let the car run away because the disc thickness gets smaller as it cools down, whereas a drum because of the coefficient of linear expansion gets smaller and grips the shoes even more.
I get a fair number of customers complaining of poor handbrakes especially women who probably can't pull them on as hard as "some" men.
However it seems pathetic that after all these years certain manufacturers seem incapable of designing something that is important.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Clive Brown

I say chaps, this fellah's got lumps on his chest!

It could be a ladyboy ! I wonder if Iain's found out ?

[Al Weyman]

And people always laugh and have a go at me when I systematically always park my cars in gear, I try to explain that all thats stopping it moving off down a hill is a probably rusty cable and a couple of clevis pins I also ask them why do they think you cannot turn off the engin in most autos unless you put in park, essencially the same as leaving it in gear but still they dont agree. My Chevy Blazer is a manual and you have to dip the clutch before you can start it, those yank car manufacturers do have some sensible ideas!