Citroen AX rear brake seizing - advice please?

TDA10

Hi folks,

I have (not I am! ) an old banger - 1996 AX. Up until last week it ran like a dream - has passed almost every MOT and the ones it failed on were just minor things. I say all this before the 'well, what do you expect for an old car' brigade come on!

Anyway, I reversed off the drive today and noticed that it didn't move straightaway, but only after a 'clunk' from the nearside rear wheel. I actually thought I had a low tyre so had a look but as it was ok I didn't worry.

I got about 50 yards and there was this awful clunking again and as I pressed the brake I noticed it was spongy - I had to let go then repress it for it to work. I then noticed that I had to pull the handbrake excessively high before it responded.

I obviously scrapped the idea of going out in it, so took it home. On the way back it was fine, but I gave it a bit of a test run around my cul-de-sac to see if it did it again and intermittently it did.

So basically sometimes the handbrake seems fine as does the footbrake, but without warning it just seems to seize up.

Any ideas before I ring around garages tomorrow please?

As a female, I don't want to be ripped off by guys with jargon who take the 'P'.

I presume it isn't relevant but I had the clutch replaced last week too (as well as the clutch on my other bl00dy car 3 weeks ago - how unlucky am I?! :rolleyes:) No link at all is there?

Thanks for any advice

MX5huggy

I had exactly the same situation with my 1996 Clio, it turned out that the break shoe lining had come away from the break shoe. Just needed new break shoes, not expensive. Nothing to do with the clutch.

goldspanners

sounds like a good call from mx5, but to be 100% sure you should have the brake drums taken off and have the brakes inspected, it could be the lining has came away from the shoe as mx5 says or a number of other things. it could be a broken/ siezed handbrake cable or adjuster. none of these things should be too much to be replaced.
if it turns out to be the shoes,then get all rear brake shoes replaced,not just the one thats failed.

tomstickland

Brake shoes seize or stick to the drums.
The cylinders can corrode too.
Drums wear and end up with deep groove.

It's cheap to fix.
Inspect it and replace whatever is needed, probably be drums and shoes. Cylinders are cheap too.

TDA10

Thanks for the replies folks - I have luckily been given a friends car to use whilst they are on jollys so haven't got to rush to sort the AX for a week or so.

At least from what you think it shouldn't be too dear.....:)