Rear brakes uneven breaking as per mot tester

Adjusting the Hand Brake is quite easy

At the bottom of the Hand Brake Lever , you will see the cable with like nuts (teeth) on the cable locked by the lock on the lever it self, you will need to open the lock , take the cable off the lock , drop the handle down and put the cable back on the lever and lock it.

That is how the hand brake is adjusted on the Smart car 2002 model

first thing is to check that the wheel nuts were correctly installed and tightened after the brake job

The brake drum does not fit due to the pressure in brake cylinders. Some of the cylinders are designed to keep a little pressure on, even when the pedal is released. The reason is that you will have instant reaction on pushing break pedal because there is no free space between drum and pads. You need to take clamp and push the pistons back in cylinder, but only that much so you can fit the drum. After the drum is tightened you must pump the brake pedal until you can fell that there is no free fall. The hand brake should be ok, but check it just to be shore. If there is need to tension the cable, it can be done under lever from outside the car (you must go under the car).

Removal
1.Remove rear wheel and tire assembly from vehicle.

2.Remove rear brake drums from hub and bearing assemblies after loosening the two brake drum screws.

3.Be sure that the parking brake pedal is in the release(most upward) position.

4.Completely loosen square nut of the rear parking brake cable. Then create slack in the rear parking brake cables.

5.Remove adjuster spring from adjust lever and brake shoe.

6.Remove adjust lever and turn the adjusting wheel of adjuster assembly to the direction of the arrow as shown.

7.Remove the strut spring and the lower retracting spring from the brake shoe.

8.Remove the upper return spring from the brake shoe.

9.Remove brake back plate hold down spring and pin from the leading brake shoe assembly.

10.Remove the leading brake shoe. Then remove the adjuster assembly, strut and anchor spring from the trailing brake shoe.

11.Remove the trailing brake shoe from the brake back plate after removing hold down spring and pin.

12.Remove the trailing brake shoe from the rear parking cable.

13.Remove parking pivot lever from the leading brake shoe.

Replacement
1.Lubricate the eight shoe contact areas on the back plate and anchor.

2.Install the trailing brake shoe to the rear parking cable.

3.Install trailing brake shoe on brake back plate and install the trailing brake shoe hold down spring and pin on the brake shoe.

4.Tighten the square nut of rear parking cable.

5.Install the anchor spring then install adjuster assembly, and strut.

6.Install leading brake shoe on brake back plate.

7.Install the brake shoe upper return spring, strut spring and the lower retracting spring to the brake shoe.

8.Properly rotate the adjusting wheel of adjuster assembly to the direction of the arrow in as shown.

9.Install the adjuster spring on the adjust lever and leading brake shoe assembly.

10.Install the leading brake shoe hold down spring and pin on the brake shoe.

11.Adjust brake shoes assemblies so as not to interfere with brake drum installation.

12.Install the rear brake drums on the hubs.

13.Check and adjust whether the pedal stroke in the specification.(Refer to section BR Gr./On-vehicle service/Pedal stroke of parking brake)

14.Install wheel and tire.

15.Push the parking brake pedal to the floor once and release pedal. This will automatically remove the slack from and correctly adjust the parking brake cables.

16.Test the vehiche on the road. The adjust will continue the brake adjustment during the road test of vehicle.

Inspection
1.Inspect the disassembled parts for wear, rust or damage.

2.Measure the thickness of brake shoe lining.
Standard : 0.17 in (4.5 mm)
Minimum : 0.04 in (1 mm)

3.If the shoe lining is less than minimum or shows signs of uneven wear, replace new one.

4.Measure the inside diameter of the brake drum.
Standard : 10 in (254 mm)
Maximum : 10.07 in (256 mm)

5.If the inside diameter of the brake drum is more than maximum or shows signs of uneven wear, replace new one.

6.Inspect the lining and drum for proper contact. If the contact condition is improper, repair it with a grinder or replace the brake shoe assembly.

some hand brakes have adjustment on the hand brake it self and other have adjustment under the car just before the cable splits to both wheels

Long shoe in the back,ilIllustration is at the bottom of the page for some reason,scroll down!
Click on a part in the image to check price & availability at your local store.PRINT DIAGRAMVIEW SOLUTIONS TO COMMON PROBLEMS

Brake ShoesBrake DrumWheel CylinderBrake Lines and HosesBrake HardwareBearings & SealsThe Parking BrakeFlushing the System
Select a part to view solution for common problems associated with the item.Operation: Brake shoes provide the friction material that when forced against the friction surface of the drum stops the vehicle. Advice: Check the old brake shoes for uneven wear. Uneven wear from one side of the shoe to the other is an indication of loose or worn brake hardware. Uneven wear from the top of the shoe to the bottom is indication that the shoe is not contacting the drum correctly, usually due to a drum that is beyond wear specifications. Recommendations: Brake hardwareOperation: The brake drum provides the rotating friction surface for the brake shoes to interact with in stopping the vehicle. Advice: Check the friction surface for uneven wear, grooves or small stress cracks caused by excess heat. Uneven wear is an indication of lose or worn brake hardware. Grooves in the friction surface are an indication of brake shoes that have worn down to the metal rivets or brake shoe framework, or of debris lodged between the brake shoe and drum, possibly broken brake hardware. As long as the damage is not too severe, uneven wear can be corrected by resurfacing the drum. Check to make sure that the drum is within specifications before and after the resurfacing. A drum with heat stress cracks should be replaced. Recommendations: Resurface or replace the brake drums.Operation: The wheel cylinder converts the hydraulic pressure sent from the master cylinder into the mechanical force that pushes the brake shoes into contact with the brake drum to stop the vehicle. Advice: Check for moisture anywhere around the wheel cylinder. Moisture is an indication of a leaking wheel cylinder. A leaking wheel cylinder should be either rebuilt or replaced. If a wheel cylinder is allowed to leak brake fluid onto the new shoes, it will ruin the new shoes causing the brakes to grab and emit a growling or rumbling noise when applied. Recommendations: Rebuild or replace leaking wheel cylinders.Operation: The brake lines act as a conduit for the brake fluid, supplying each wheel with the hydraulic action necessary for brake operation. The system is made up predominantly with metal brake lines. Flexible hoses are used at the wheels to accomadate the movement of suspension and steering. Advice: Check metal brake lines for signs of corrosion, physical damage or leakage. Check flexible brake hoses for splits, cracking or signs of leakage. The brake lines are connected to the various brake components with hollow fittings called flare nuts or line fittings. Because flare nuts are hollow they are susceptible to damage if a normal open ended wrench is used to remove them. Flare nut wrenches, sometimes called line wrenches are special open ended wrenches designed to slide over the brake line and still provide maximum grip on all sides of the fitting. Apply a generous spray of penetrating oil to the threads of the fittings and allow it to soak in before loosening the fittings. Recommendations: Flare Nut Wrench set Penetrating sprayOperation: Brake hardware is a term used for all of the springs, clips, guide pins and other misc. pieces that hold the brake pads and calipers in place and guide their movement during brake application. Advice: Check for corroded, bent, worn out or broken springs, guide pins or clips. Damaged or worn out brake hardware can cause uneven wear on the new brake pads. To ensure the best results from your brake job, the brake hardware should be replaced with the new brake pads. Recommendations: Replace Brake hardwareOperation: The wheel bearings support the weight of the vehicle and allow the wheels to spin freely. Advice: All wheels will have some sort of bearing and a seal to hold in lubricant and keep out dirt. Some bearings are sealed in a hub assembly or pressed into an axle housing and can only be serviced by replacing them. Others such as tapered roller bearings can be cleaned inspected and repacked with grease. Use a can of spray brake cleaner to remove the old grease. Check the integrity of the cage holding the rollers in place. A loose wobbly cage is an indication of wear. Check the rollers for discoloration. Discoloration is an indication that the bearing has been subjected to excess heat and should be replaced. Always install a new race when replacing a bearing. Always install a new seal whenever servicing or replacing a bearing. Recommendations: Spray Brake cleaner Wheel bearing grease Wheel sealOperation: The parking brake on a drum brake system has a series of cables that when actuated from the driver's compartment moves the parking brake levers on both rear wheels, forcing the rear brake shoes against the friction surface of the drums to hold the vehicle in place. Advice: With the parking brake disengaged and the drum removed, check to ensure that the brake shoes are fully seated at the top and bottom anchors. If not the parking brake cable may be sticking internally and holding the brake shoes partially applied. A sticking parking brake cable should be replaced. Never adjust the parking brake cable until after normal brake shoe adjustment has been made. After normal brake shoe adjustment if the parking brake still does not hold the vehicle stationary, then the parking brake cable can be adjusted.Operation: Flushing the brake fluid removes old or contaminated brake fluid from the system replacing it with fresh brake fluid. Advice: Brake fluid is a hygroscopic fluid, which means that it is in its nature to absorb moisture from the air. Over time the amount of moisture accumulated will decrease the efficiency of the fluid to act hydraulically. Moisture in the brake fluid can also cause corrosion in the system. Brake fluid should be flushed every two years. Recommendations: Brake fluid

Do check the rear brakes but below is some help as far as adjusting the cable the proper way. Per specs after all is done your parking brake should be correct as you pull up the lever after 4 - 8 clicks. Hope this helps....

there is screw in thw console at the base of the e brake handle and under neath on cable let me know hry vote for me ok

hi there, you will need to slacken of the cable adjuster just next to the handbrake lever under its gaiter, jack up the vheicle and remove the rear wheels, remove the rear brake drums, clean and adjust the brake shoes also remove any dust from the drum, if the shoes are worn out they will need replacing, with the drums removed check everything is working freely by getting someone to operate the handbrake lever as you visually inspect the shoes you should see them moving backwards and forwards, if not then strip down and free off, i would advice doing one side at a time so you always have a point of referance to work from. check the wheel cylinder is free and not leaking, if so replace. adjust the brake shoes and refit the drums, once this is done readjust your hanbrake cable so it comes up 3-4 clicks, if this seems a little dawnting your local garage should be able to do you this job for a small fee, hope this helps

i had the same problem with my crysler voyager 1997,a friend of mine who is a mechanic found the problem,it is a self adjuster on the handbrake itself,once drums are adjusted up you need to go to your hanbrake area and you will find a white plastic clip on the bottom of the lever ,once removed you pull up your handbrake a few times and it self adjusts,then put the plastic clip back on,this soved my problem,by doing this my handbrake went from about 13 clicks on max to hold . to about 6 clicks and held perfectly