escort brake question(s)

the shoes are different thickness to start with. pull back the rubber boot on the cylinder, it should be completely dry underneath, any leakage on either side means you should replace both sides, clean out the drums and de-glaze them. a millimetre or so at the thinnest point is as low as you should go, brake shoes are very cheap

The trailing shoes aren't worn. They make them thinner.

The linings usually fall of before they wear out! But at the very minimum, about a millimeter. Main thing with shoes is that the lining is still firmly attached to the shoe (ie. no signs of any cracks between lining+shoe -usually at the ends), and there's nothing it getting near to touching metal on metal.

It would be obvious if the cylinder was leaking, as the area around the cylinder would be damp/wet.

Have you checked the handbrake cables are free, and that the lever on the shoe goes all the way back against the stop once the handbrake is released?

cheers for that - the drums are fine its just the shoes on the off side look glazed

thanks - I think the last time I looked at brake shoes were for a hillman superminx - a little while ago, the handbrake cables both run ok but I didnt check whether the shoe released ok. The handbrake is on 6 clicks at the moment and holds fine.

NikV formulated on Thursday :

The cylinder in the photo looks moist - could that be due to leaking fluid? Lift the cylinder dust cover and check under it for any fluid.