I've just replaced my parking brake shoes on my '81, and found it pretty straight forward except for one very frustrating part - which I'd like to think others have experienced as well - and that is getting the shoe retainer clip & spring back on the rear shoes. Well after 3 hours of creating new words, using needle nose pliers etc like the book says, with no success, I gave up. Then I came up with a plan B, which almost worked. Plan C was sweet however, 3 minutes to setup, 2 minutes to make happen, job done. So thought I would share it around.

The problem arises because you cannot get to the back
of the rear pin to hold the pin in place while you try and manouevre the retainer&spring over it, compress it, get the pin through it, and rotate the retainer. The pin keeps sliding backwards, making the task nigh on impossible.
So here's what I came up with...

1) you need a crochet hook for this (or other small hookie thing), and a roll of cotton.

2) compress the retainer/spring in a vice just enough so that the spring is fully compressed. Leave enough of one end of the slot still visible to poke cotton through. Take 18" length of cotton, double it, double it again, so it is now 4 strands thick. Poke one end through end of slot still visible, and tie it up nice and snug around the side of the spring so that it will hold the spring compressed agains the retainer disc on that side.

3) remove retainer disc/spring from vice, while taking up tension with fingers still, rotate 180 degrees and put back in vice, so that (2) can be repeated at the other end of the slot. When finished, retainer disc with spring nicely still compressed can be removed from vice, the spring being held compressed on opposite sides by the cotton loops at each end of the slot.

4) with another length of cotton, make a "sliding noose" at one end. Easiest way to do this is to fold the cotton in half, and pass the open ends back through inside the closed end. Drop the noose over the tip of the pin, (crochet hook) and draw tight. This lets you keep the pin fully out simply by pulling on the cotton.

5) pass the free tail of (4) through the centre of the spring and slot in disc (crochet hook), and then through the hole in the hub.

6) All going to plan, by keeping tension on the pin cotton the pin will be held out, and can be pulled right through the centre of the compressed retainer disc/spring. I found it easier to have a second person keeping the tension on the pin cotton. That then left me with both hands to position the disc/spring, get it sat nicely over the head of the pin, get the needle nose pliers in through the hole in the hub and firmly on the pin, give the disc a tad more compression with a second set of needle nose pliers, rotate the pin 90 degrees, and voila!

7) use the crochet hook to pick at the sides of the cotton on the sides of the retainer disc/spring, it will very quickly break and can then be removed. Ditto the cotton on the end of the pin if it didn't auto break already when the retainer disc is released against it (which is what mine did both times.)

I took jpeg photos of this, and am happy to send them for better clarification to anyone who is interested in saving themselves some serious time and frustration.

Cheers, Chris.

I tape that popcorn packing stuff before I put the backing plate on. The pin will only push down a little bit and you can slide the spring & retainer cup on.

Yeah I used dental floss on mine then just cut it with a razor in a pair of needle nose plier
Glenn

I've done that!The "creating new words" part,I mean.

[QUOTE=82collectorshark]I've done that!The "creating new words" part,I mean.[/QUOTE]

I think everyone that has done this.

I think this is the reason the Tips and Tricks section of this forum should be for everyone!  We need more access to the information EVERY member has to offer on this site, especially when it comes to not duplicating someone else's previous mistakes, or heartache.  Those of us who take the time to photograph and/or document their progress through a rebuild like this should be afforded the tools to share that information with all other members if they so choose.

Ask yourself honestly, Gold and Lifetimes, how many times have you used the T&T section of the forum, and how often have you seen something added that you could use, and that you didn't have to go through the hassle of "discovering" for yourself?

As a member, I don't care if I spent $10.00 or $150.00 to be a member, that was my personal and financial choice, but if I can't visit the T&T section of the forum and get useful information from all the members because Standard members don't have access to it, and can't contribute to it, then what use is it really serving?  It's oftentimes easier to visit another site such as corvettefaq, where information like this is not restricted, then to disappoint myself with what could be a very, VERY useful tool right here on my own member site.

Anyway, I guess I'm voicing my opinion that the Tips and Tricks section of this forum should be opened up to all members in order to let it be the tool it was intended to be.  Not all of us Goldies and Lifers are wrench-heads, that can offer good advice or tricks for an easier installation, and I, for one, appreciate any bit of knowledge I can gain from every member here willing to post their insights.  This way CeeDee has a spot on the forum to offer his wisdom for all to see rather than posting separate emails to specific members who require the information.

Thanks, CeeDee, for sharing with us, and I hope we can get a spot on the forum where every member can contribute their knowledge (especially when it involves pictures!...for those of us who haven't got a clue what you're talking about!) and post it in a specific location so that the next member who comes along looking for that specific type of information doesn't have to search the archives to find this thread, then hope that you are still a member, and still have all this information readily available for dissemination.

Just my two cents!  Agree or not, it doesn't make a difference.  The majority will decide and maybe change will occur.

Good point vettedreams79. I am glad that the information section is there and have used it time and again. I am getting ready to jump into replaceing my E brakes and this info is spot on what I am looking at doing. Photos would be a great help too. I connect with an idea or task better if I have a visual image to attach to it.

Thanks for the insight CeeDee.

Didn't realise there was a Tips & Tricks section when I first wrote this post ! Oops. Anyone who would like me to send them the pix I took, just email me direct at cdowns@clear.net.nz and I will happily shoot them to you by return. Cheers, Chris.

P.S. Shoes haven't fallen off yet, park brake still seems to work (although still not great, I would never trust it by itself, always use the "P" option on that stick thing I found in the middle of the car one day ... has anyone managed to get their park brake to work well ? Normally a car is very very reluctant to budge with P brake on. My vette just carries on doin' what comes naturally but with noticable drag directly proportional to the number of clicks I pulled ! If I pull 14 clicks like the book sez then I have to give it some gas to make it move.)

The tips and tricks section is a boon for all of us serious enough to ask and post questions and answers.The only problem I see with everyone being able to access and write postings (which in itself is a good idea)is that C3VR will lose a lot of quality control with the postings. There are a lot of clowns out there who delight in making a forum a mess with intentions that are not in the best intrest of us who are serious about what we do. I do like the idea of some control of who and what is posted. I don't care for the meaness and flipant behavior I have seen on a lot of other forums.
    P.S. I am rebuilding my rear suspensions trailing arms,parking brake,new Half shafts and drive shaft,installing a 3.70 Ring and pinion and Eaton carbon fiber posi upgrade,new heavy duty inner axles,a larger left side carrier bearing cap(1/2" bolt vs 7/16" stock and larger over all billet steel piece),TRW 'glass spring,heavy duty rear diff cover from Muskeagon and Bilstien gas shocks. It is a lot of fun doing this stuff by ones self. Gives one a warm and fuzzy feeling(After the expletive dictionary is used quite thoroughly).Ahhh the feeling of success in a job well done.
Will get around to the front end when the money tree starts to bloom again.    Philcustom7638577.0527893519