rear brake destroyed itself..

[sparkeysprite]

After hitting a pothole a week ago my Boat tail developed a horrible clattering and banging from the rear axle, but had to keep going for a few hundred yards before investigating due to the traffic etc.  By the time I got stopped the clattering had also stopped and I couldn't see anything wrong.  I've done another 20 or 30 miles since then and had started to notice the brakes weren't right and the rear brakes seemed to lock on when I came to stop so time for a proper investigation.  The problem was this:
   

I think the problem was initiated by a failed spring as one of the springs that hold the brake shoe was damaged and looked like it had been for some time - probably had weakened with corrosion.  I'm guessing that the shoe wasn't located properly because of the spring and the jolt of hitting the pothole moved the brake shoe enough to jam in the cam/hub area and wreck the cam..  
So new cam, cam bearing, springs etc - when I can get the hub off (which seems less than easy..)
Steve

[David Stepney]

Rear hubs should be removed as follows:- with the wheel nuts and steady screws removed, the outer hub should be removed with a proper hub puller. However, one can remove them in extremis by removing the halfshaft nut and refitting it so that it is flush with the end of the shaft. Take a sledge hammer and let it swing under its own weight to strike the nut. This will send the halfshaft inwards enough to free the taper. Dont be tempted to hit it hard!. The inner hub is retained by a big nut secured with a tabwasher, The nut secures the rear hub bearing to the axle tube and can be removed either by refitting the out er hub and using the hub puller, or pulled off using a three jaw puller.

[Bob Culver]

Hi Sparkey

Possibly you are not familiar with the construction illustrated in all owners handbooks available on line. You have obviously freed the axle (presumably poked inside), often the hard part (and desirably so) Only the outer hub half will now come away. The flange may be stuck with gasket goo or worse. Fitting the hub Austin thread on puller and bumping it sideways may break any seal. The inner half is retained by a large nut, for which an ancient F spanner can be useful. When reassembled the bearing should be lightly clamped. The large steel washer for the felt must not be ommitted. Note that there are 4 types of cam. Can probably be straightened., although the bush now likely enlarged. Can for some reason the cam move excessively outward? Maybe chamfer the edges of stud flanges and the cam end?

[sparkeysprite]

Thanks for the tips guys. I have tried striking the end of the shaft to free it, but no luck - I don't want to try again as it seems a bit brutal so I've ordered a hub puller as the threads on the hub seem in decent condition. I've got new cams which so far look to be the same as the damaged one and I think the bearing for the cam will need replaced as the shaft of the cam seems to have bent. It seems the cam did move excessively outward as the damage to the cam was caused by the back of the wheel studs catching it as the hub turned, but this may have been started by a brake shoe being loose because of a broken spring. I can investigate more until the hub is off.

[Bob Culver]

Usually photoed with thenut tight or off. With the nut part undone and the thread out of focus and the screen slightly beyond the best range of my glasses I took the nut to be part of background clutter!
The proper puller is essential. It must be threaded on fully. Often requires some fettling of the threads. A good sign if tight but can be a challenge. Can leave under tension, assist with heat etc