Who needs brakes anyway?

[Poida]

I was reading a thread on OzGemini which I thought was rather amusing.

http://www.ozgemini.com/forums/tech/viewtopic.php?t=13665

Here are two people admitting they have reassembled their drum brakes after losing a part (a spring) so instead of finding another one to replace it with the consensus it to not worry about it, just drive anyway and if it makes odd noises, then maybe fix the problem.

One wonders about the understanding these people have regarding the importance of a part in a brake system and on the strength of that, one also wonders if they should even be pulling brakes apart to begin with!

Do these people actually understand the physics of how a drum brake works? Maybe a workshop article about the general principles of brakes should be high on the agenda. In the mean time a link to an article explaining the simple basics of a servo drum brake may help to enlighten them about the importance of that spring they don't have.

Petrol engined Gemini rear drum brakes come in two different types. To those not in the know they may all seem to be alike but the stopping action is different with the rear brakes used on Salisbury axles to those used on Borg Warner axles.
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[Kizza]

well i know theres at least 2 types of rear brake setups on the wagons. one with a shitload of springs and other adjusters and one with only 2 springs and 2 adjusters.

yes there attitude is wrong, you need to have a bit of a mechanical drive to play with that sort of stuff

[yldgem]

yeh, I cringed a little when I read that thread.

[HONES]

do we have to cross link the forum poida?

its not discussed on this site so why talk about it? just a thought, not having a dig

[Poida]

Nope Hones, I could have just copied and pasted it in and said something like,
"while browsing the net I came across this ridiculous conversation about Gemini brakes."

[HONES]

no, because they are obviously not qualified - but thats got nothing to do with anything. as
1) my brakes are fine
2) they arent qualified
3) i dont care

Ignorance or not, its their own problem, and im quite sure if they were after your opinion, theyd come looking for you.

[Poida]

Hones, why does it bother you mate? Is there something wrong with commenting about an article I read if it didn't originate on this site?

Remember that all I was doing was posting my own thoughts about what I read, not telling them how to fix their brakes. My opinion is not welcome on that particular site (as you are well aware) so I won't offer them advice directly.

I'd be more than willing to guide these people if they came to me with a problem but unfortunately I don't think they see it as a problem. That's the scarey part. I don't see you offering them advice when you know they are playing with a primary safety component that could potentially lead to a serious accident. In fact other that rodeobob hinting at the stupidity of it, no one has pointed the danger of the situation out.

You are more than welcome to direct them my way if you think it might help.
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I try to tackle one day at a time, but often several days attack me at once.



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[HONES]

meh

[Poida]

good, that's settled then.
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I try to tackle one day at a time, but often several days attack me at once.



(The views I present are my own and NOT necessarily of the administrators or other members of this site.)

[mrgem1982]

why am i quoted? what was wrong with my suggestion?

[Poida]

You were on the right track.

Brakes shouldn't be ignored if something is wrong. A missing spring needs urgent attention, NOW. Not a matter of waiting to see if it makes more annoying noises.

There is no question that both the two members you were repying to should get them repaired as a matter of urgency. Not one day but straight away. Why would someone just ignore a missing spring anyway? It should have been attended to before fitting the brake drum back on.
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I try to tackle one day at a time, but often several days attack me at once.



(The views I present are my own and NOT necessarily of the administrators or other members of this site.)

[mrgem1982]

thats ok then, i thought you were having a go at me too!

[Poida]

No mate. Credit where due, you did say it needed looking at.

My first post did say TWO people. I just duplicated the whole thread to the point whwre it had already been published at the time I posted my original mention of it and at that stage your post was there too so rather than deleting it in the name of continuity and favouratism, I left it there as well. I didn't add the two posts following yours because they didn't exist at the moment of my first post even though they did when Hones commented. Understand what I'm getting at?

In a perfect world people wouldn't make mistakes like running a car with parts of the brakes missing in the hope it will be ok. You'd also like to think that people would appreciate being shown what wasn't a good idea and accept advice or criticism but that isn't the way things work. My advice on that site isn't required and unless someone else likes to see the problem and point it out these people might never realise it. You and Bob mentioned it.

No doubt they could still be running around with a noisy rear drum brake.
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I try to tackle one day at a time, but often several days attack me at once.



(The views I present are my own and NOT necessarily of the administrators or other members of this site.)

[Gene FJ20DET]

[MR_GEMI]