Leaking rear wheel cylinder = new brake shoes? Treating rust on back plates?

anewman

Just replaced the brake servo and master cylinder (still not certain that's done 100% yet as unable to test). Came to bleeding the brakes at most at 15psi with a gunson eezibleed, and when I got to rear nearside wheel I noticed orange (rust coloured) fluid dripping on my wheel somewhere from the brake drum. Just my luck.

I am planning to replace both rear cylinders as a preventative measure. The shoes are less than 2 years old and haven't done much mileage, and last time I looked when I did the bearings there was plenty of material left on them. I wonder if there's a chance they could be re-used if they only have a small amount of fluid on them?

Also the back plates are particularly rusty. When the shoe assembly and cylinder is out, is it a good idea to clean up the back plate and give it a zinc alu spray each side (masking off hub), and some protection wax on the outside? Or is the better option to replace the back plates if they're that rusty?

The brakes are on a Skoda Favorit but are the same design as VW polo rear drum brakes with 19mm rear cylinders.

Starting to think I should have scrapped the car now as it's turning into a little bit of a nightmare

tomstickland

Can of brake cleaner might rescue them.

steveo3002

proper answer is always replace shoes that have had fluid on them....id give em a blast with brake cleaner from the poundshop and roughen em up with 80 grit

the backplates...they'l last years and years as they are...a good clean up and spray paint wont hurt though , i wouldnt use cavity wax as it will just attract the dust to stick to it

goldspanners

just echoing steve, clean the shoes up with a heavy grit sand paper,clean any loose rust off the back plates with a wire brush and paint with hammerite or rustoleum,these take well to rusty metal,rustoleum is pretty fast drying and comes in a spray can,just shake it really well and apply a few coats.
if there is any holes starting to appear in the backplates then you should replace them as they are getting a bit thin.but i havent seen a car with major rust holes in back plates for ages.

vaio

I think it’s most unlikely that the cylinder only started leaking when you bled the brakes, far more likely it’s been weeping for a while so I’d change both cylinders & the shoes.

Re the backplates, unless they have holes (in which case they need replacing) you don’t need to do anything with them