Brake spring pliers

[Quinten]

Have been struggling all day long trying to re-fit the brake springs on my Westfield (RS2000-based) rear drums. Of course it is only now that I discover there are special brake spring pliers you can buy, but with only 2 motor factors open (Westell in Towcester and Autoworld in Daventry) tomorrow, I'm running out of ideas. Is there any kind soul in the area (I'm in Upton, NN5) who has such a tool and is willing to lend me it for putting back the last and final spring (yes, only 1 to go! It's the one dangling on the right hand side shoe and needs to go into the adjuster) ?

[api330]

I am pretty sure you're putting the spring on the wrong way round, just turn the spring round so you hook it on from the outside of the brake shoe then just use a pair of side cutters to hold spring and pull it over and hook it on,

[CoolHands]

you could bend a piece of wire to do the job, do you have an old coat hanger you could mangle? Failing that, a piece of electrical wire could do it as long as you could grip it hard enough with pliers in order to pull the spring into place.

[Quinten]

The spring is 'handed' in the same way as the old spring and is in the same way as the old spring. You're not the first to say it though, but the spring won't 'fit' the other way around.

[Quinten]

Stop the press! I went back to first principles and undone everything. Then started with this spring and once I got that in place, the rest followed easily enough. Brake bleeding next

[cpas]

I never realised I needed one of these until now Must get one on order!!

This one will do...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/VS035-Brake-Shoe-Spring-Pl...

[cpas]

£6.99 on e-bay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-VS035-Brake-Shoe-...

[Quinten]

Better to realise you need them before you cut open skin on hands and arms... My wounds are still healing

[cpas]

I've done them loads of times and got away with standard pliers and screwdrivers, but the proper bit of kit would be good to have. You can also buy a tool for removing the cap on the springs that go through the shoes.

[CoolHands]

cpas said:

£6.99 on e-bay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-VS035-Brake-Shoe-...

cheaper style that still does the job £4.64

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laser-Tools-2706-Other-B...