Ah, the joys of rear drum handbrakes...

Trolley jack & wheel it to where you've got space :-)

"Duncan Wood" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Ah. Slight problem - other than the far-from-smoothness of the drive. That'd block the pavement. OK if it's just a quick jack-up-and- percussively-maintain but not going to make me popular if it's anything more.

So I could go further and take it onto the road. But this is one of those times when I wish I lived somewhere a damn sight flatter than I do...

Is there room to swing a lump hammer?

Tried belting it with a BFO hammer?

Chris Bartram gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Willy Eckerslyke gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

I do like a consensus.

Yes, there is (probably) just about room. I shall check when I get home.

I find a 2' length of scafff tube comes in very handy :-) (Or a Kango)

"Duncan Wood" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Why would I want a Renault van?

You could drive it into the end of the scaff tube? Or

Plenty have drum parking brakes inside the rear disc.

The trailing shoe stuck? Or does it do the same forwards? Difficult to check if you're up against the wall, of course. ;-)

"Dave Plowman (News)" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Thinking about it, there's been a couple of times I've thought it's stuck slightly in the past, only to release as soon as you move off. Of course, getting positive information from the main user is... yes, well. We'll just move on, shall we?

So, yes, I reckon it probably is just that. Mebbe just a jack up and spin for'ards.

Doesn't help that the MOT's (over)due.

Well, quite...

Adrian gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

I've just remembered where the trolley jack is.

Would you like to guess?

Front of the garage, perhaps :-)?

I think I just did!

There is another brutal way, assuming you have another vehicle available. Tie a tow-rope to the upper part of the offending wheel and drag it backwards. Chances are, the wheel will start to turn before you get far.

You might not want to try this with delicate alloys. And it's only possible if there are big enough apertures in the wheel rim to get a rope or hook through.

All proper cars

Fixed it!

Been there done that. The rear cylinder had pissed fluid on to the shoe resulting in it de-bonding. Then it got stuck between the other shoe and drum.

Couldn't find a 3 leg puller or even 2 that was big enough - it was weekend. I wound up with a good big thick tyre lever sat on socket on axle nut slackened off so socket didn't bottom on hub. 2 big G clamps from tyre iron to back of drum lip tightened to point that tyre iron had a good bow in it. Then whacked it over axle with 4lb lump hammer, moved drum 1mm and the whole assembly fell off. Turn axle nut a turn more off to get clearance, reassemble, whack it again, 1mm, repeat until it gave up and came off.

Q: Why had the rear clyinder failed? A: Only the front pads ever need changing so rear had never been bled so had corroded.

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A pair of wheel dollies like these can be useful, but not if they're with the trolley jack:

I'm not terribly impressed with them. The handbrake on my SD1 (large rear drums) will lock the wheels. The drum inside disc one on my BMW doesn't slow the car at all if used on the move. Holds ok when stopped, though. Best handbrake ever was the Rover P6 one - Girling swing caliper rear brakes. Used to amaze the MOT man.

Adrian gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Fortunately, there was about 6" between car and door. Trying first saw the back pull down. Trying again saw it pull down again, then move. Woo.

So, it's been turned round, and I now have nice easy access to the rear brake - and can pull it for'ard to free it off if it does it again.

Sorted.

Now just to get the drum off, so I can figure which brakes it's got, then order 'em. Girling or Bendix. Any guesses? Will everything be consistent, so the master will provide clue?

G-reg 1.1 pikey-spec, with servo.

In message , Adrian writes

Too obvious. In the garage, which you can't/couldn't open.