Oddities of drum brakes?

[jeffoi]

This morning my front left drum brake kept sticking on and would only release after my wheel had turned a couple of times (not fully on, but on enough to make me slow setting off).

Is this an oddity of drum brakes I've just never noticed before, or do they need a service?

Or, given it was apparently cold enough for my mirrors to frost over en-route, were they just too cold?

Help would be appreciated.

 

[Drago]

Clean and service.

 

[mickle]

This ^^^^

 

[KneesUp]

Yep. Mine did it in the winter grime. Some people fit a spring on the cable to assist the release but assuming it’s an SA drum they are a fiddle to clean. You don’t disturb the bearings at all.

'Fiddle' should read 'doddle' - thanks autocorrect.

 

[voyager]

condensation , probably needs a service but if it's only first thing , it's a drum brake thing , happens on cars as well in the distance past of drum brakes .
Good reason for discs

 

[Illaveago]

It could be the cable sticking or you could try a small drop of oil where the operating lever enters the hub .

 

[palinurus]

I fixed this exact issue recently, in my case it was remarkably easy. Removed cover (side where brake arm attaches), little dab of oil on the brake shoe pivot, re-assemble.

 

[palinurus]

There are some images and stuff here which should show you what to expect (links to some guy's blog)

 

[jeffoi]

Thanks all, for your help.

The brakes didn't stick on the way home, so it may be the condensation thing. I've done almost 500miles on my trike now, though, so probably time for a service anyway.

Edited to remove the insinuation that I kill burrowing rodents

 

[voyager]

was just going to say , can't beat a few moles under the wheels of a trike , l had better leave before a moderator reads this !

 

[plantfit]

Had the same problem last winter, condensation or water had settled at the bottom of the cable run and froze,the cable would pull through to operate the brake but would not release when I let go of the brake lever, removed the inner cable and ran it through a oily rag, put some WD40 or similar down the end of the outer cable until it ran out the other end, re assembled and no further problem

 

[voyager]

500 miles does not seem a sensible service interval for drum brakes , they were originally designed for an elongated service interval as all the gubbins were shielded from the weather ,

 

[jeffoi]

Likely not, but I didn't do a full service when I bought the trike, so I don't know how long it's been, really

 

[Tigerbiten]

If it only stuck when it was sub-zero then it's water in the cable.
It freezes -> expands and jams it.
It's fairly normal for that to happen with my back parking brake.
I've even had this with my front disk brakes when condensation froze in the slot between the calipers and the brake body.
The brakes would pull on but wouldn't release until I'd got them hot enough the melt the ice.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

To avoid this problem, when they put the Redmounts together they used brake noodles at the lever end to prevent water ingress - it works!