Reliant Rebel 700 1967, Workshop Manual, Page: 66 / 116

Page 66
6.
Refit the brake drum, making sure it is clean and free from
dust or grease.
7. Refit the road wheel and adjust the brake.
Note:
Brake shoes
MUST
be changed in axle sets. Repeat for the
opposite front wheel.
8. Lower the vehicle and road test to check braking
performance.
Front wheel cylinders - removal & replacement
A leaking wheel cylinder will cause fluid loss and may lead to excessive
pedal movement and contamination of the brake shoe linings, The
vehicle may also show a tendency to pull or veer under braking. A
seized wheel cylinder may also exhibit some of these characteristics.
In either case the defective cylinder must be replaced with a new one.
To remove
( Figure 4 )
1. Remove the brake shoes as previously described.
2. Disconnect the hydraulic pipes from the wheel cylinders
and plug them to avoid fluid loss or dirt ingress.
3.
Remove the bleed nipple.
4.
Remove the screw and lock washer securing the wheel
cylinder and withdraw the cylinder and gasket.
Repeat for the other cylinder if necessary.
Re-assemble in reverse order. Bleed the brakes.
Safety Note: Brake shoes contaminated by leaking fluid must always
be replaced. On no account try to clean contaminants from brake
shoe linings.
Rear brakes - fitting new shoes (Figure 5)
To remove
( Figure 5 )
1. Jack up the rear of the vehicle and secure on stands.
2. Remove the road wheel and slacken the brake adjuster.
3. Remove the countersunk screw and the drum.
4. Remove the steady posts. Prise the tongue of the shoe from
the wheel cylinder piston groove, adjacent to the handbrake
operating lever.
5.
Lift the other end of the shoe from the slot in the adjuster.
6. Lever the second shoe from the piston and adjuster,
disengaging the shoe from the handbrake lever.
7. Remove both shoes complete with springs and put a rubber
band around the wheel cylinder to hold the piston in place.
8. Clean the back plate using a vacuum cleaner or wipe out
with a damp cloth. Remove all traces of dust. The old-established
practice of blowing off with an air line is
NOT recommended as it
represents a potential health hazard.
9. Inspect the wheel cylinder for leakage and check the
condition of the rubber dust seals.
10.
Inspect the adjuster for ease of operation. Lubricate if
necessary using "copaslip" or a proprietary brake grease.
To replace
1. Attach new springs to the new shoes. Arrange the springs
so they are on the back plate side of the shoe webs with the single coil
spring adjacent to the adjuster.
2. Remove the rubber band and position the shoes on the
back plate so that the handbrake lever locates in the aperture in the
web of the shoe.
3. Engage the tongues of the shoe into the slots in the
adjuster and wheel cylinder.
4. Repeat with the other shoe.
5. Refit the steady posts followed by the brake drum and the
countersunk screw after ensuring all is clean and free from grease or
contaminant.
6. Refit the road wheel and adjust the brake.
Note: Brake shoes MUST be changed in axle sets. Repeat for the
opposite rear wheel.
7. Lower the vehicle and road test to check braking
performance.