Hi all

Before you read on, can I first say that this is not a plea for help. I thought you might enjoy my tale as a distraction from the usual problems we read on here.

I've just returned from a very enjoyable holiday, staying in a remote cottage, some 30 miles east of Fort William in Scotland. Despite the weather forecasters telling me otherwise we've enjoyed lovely weather with only a morning of rain on Thursday. The Townie was a joy as usual with the aircon being used on occassion and the coolbox on continually. We covered just over 2000 km (1265 miles) and returned at best 32.6 mpg (that's good for me) despite a blowing exhaust manifold. No oil or coolant top-ups either.

So there I was heading back south tootling home along the A66 towards Scotch Corner, contemplating the fuel gauge and wondering how well the consumption looked when I saw a police roadblock ahead. The road was blocked off due to a serious accident. I applied the brakes but oh bugger! nothing there. Fortunately I had a lot of road to play with and came to halt with a combination of handbrake and dropping the gears down on the auto gearbox. We were turned around and told to take a diversion to Barnard castle about 6 miles away. I pulled up to look for the damage and sure enough there was brake fluid dripping out of the nearside rear wheel. The brake reservoir was down to the min mark. So I figured I had a choice of trying to fix this myself or waiting an hour or so for assistance then face the embarrassing trip home on the back of a low-loader. I chose the former and limped into the nearest town to find a petrol station to buy some brake fluid and hoping that I would make it before the rerservoir emptied.

At the back of the garage forecourt I jacked the back up on the Toyota scissor jack (first time and not bad kit for a scissor jack!) and removed the drum. Brake fluid was everywhere and pissing out all over the ground, it had also mixed with the brake dust to form a horrible, black oily grease. The bottom spring had jumped off and the left shoe had worked its way down such that the piston had been forced out along with the seal. Anyway after much hassle I got the thing back together after winding in the handbrake adjuster considerably. I had a hunch that air hadn't got into the system yet apart from the brake cylinder so fortunately I had a bit of tube and with the aid of my patient (?!) assistant (wife), pumped the air out through the bleed nipple and stopped when I couldn't see any bubbles. I then proceeded to clean the shoes and drum with a combination of antiseptic wipes and nail polish remover wipes (acetone). Never again will I denigrate the contents of a woman's handbag!

So the hunch had paid off and after an hour we were back on our way. So why did it happen? Was it due to something I failed to correctly assemble after changing the piston seals 3 weeks ago, or was it due to me being a prat and driving with the handbrake on for about 3 miles, earlier in the week?

Dunno, but I do consider myself very lucky.

- (#11328) Ian Dunse (Derbs), 5 Jun 04 05:40

Ian,
Glad to see that the mechanics mate had the correct tools!
Glad also that all are safe and well. Lucky it did not happen up and down the Loch sides.
On the plus side it added interest to the journey home.
I won't comment on the "bottom spring had jumped off", as we well know it takes the strength of Hercules to put it on!
Clive
- (#11328) Clive (Bristol), 5 Jun 04 06:02

"Added interest to the journey home" - yeah right! Those kinds of interesting events I can well do without. Dunno about the bottom spring - one of life's mysteries I suppose.
Ian

- (#11328) Ian Dunse (Derbs), 5 Jun 04 13:03

Hiya Ian, did you ever reseal the front calipers ? Mine are a bit 'lazy' to return and i suspect the usual corrosion build up behind the main seal causing the strangle effect - just wondered if it was a blueprint part option or do i have to get them from a main dealer.
ps at least there are no springs eh!- sorry can't resist
jim

- (#11328) J Adgo, 7 Jun 04 17:17

Funny man!

No Jim, not overhauled the calipers on the Townie but I think I would play it safe and go to a main dealer for parts as there seems to be a lot of variation between brake calipers around the age of our vans. That is unless Blueprint can cross reference to Toyota part numbers. The overhaul kit for both sides of the pistons were about £9 IIRC and readily available (2 days) so wouldn't expect much more than that for the caliper o/h kit from the main dealer.

- (#11328) Ian Dunse (Derbs), 8 Jun 04 07:06