Ben I have the proper tool here in Swindon - I can post it to you in the morning if that helps

That certainly helps, thanks Simon. I'll PM my address.

Ben,

Further to txts, have left the modified socket, but I have been an idiot. I have just realised I was once given a cut down wheel that has a bolt through the middle of it. I now realise it was probably just for this job !

If Simon has the "proper tool" then I guess that will work much better, but will leave you this home made version too so you have other options.

Good luck !

Good news is that with a little help from Squeeze’s home spun hub plucker the 2nd hub slid off without drama.



Really it is quite a neat design and very effective too.



Bad news is that on returning home to the Eastbourne 2cv6 Bat Cave/garage, clutching my freshly delivered box of brake parts, I opened the door to find one of my wall units (an old kitchen double wall unit) loaded with my treasures/crap has decided to let go of the wall and land on the side of Olive’s bonnet. OUCH, bonnet dented and my ONLY tidy wing scratched.

It would seem the previous owner of the garage that hung the units probably only used the units for storage of cupcakes or maybe marsh mellows, but, clearly not tools and 2cv parts! There is another wall unit (holding oils, lubes, aerosols etc) which I have now taken down before the dreadfully inevitable. So the floor of my garage is covered in homeless garage friends giving me even less space to actually sort the brakes out

Yes, this IS the slowest brake shoe replacement in recorded history. A cocky spider has even spun a web between the axle stands. I, like Sponge Bob must remain optimistic that we’ll be back on the road soon.

This Sunday may see me actually start to remove the brake cylinders. Here is a nice shot of one of them, looks like the piston is stuck out on one side.

When I remove the brake pipe from the cylinder, can you recommend something to bung up the pipe and keep the LHM in?

This here piece cutting edge technology I believe is for centring the brake shoes. Can anyone tell me if that is what it is actually for and any tips for using it? Or is it a case of putting it over the shoes and lining up to edges?

And here is the result of Olive’s recent fight with a 1980’s MFI wall unit.

The units have been sent to the local recycling unit, the evil thugs.

Well...I guess that is a ripple bonnet of some kind ?

I undid the bolts on the brake cylinders, all fine. The cylinder took some persuading to leave the back plate, rusted on, but off it came. Trying to undo the brake pipe was never going to happen, stuck fast. With kid gloves I gripped the pipe and turned the cylinder – as described in 2CVGB handbook. But oh the pipe twisted a fraction…..and……the moment we’ve all been waiting for…the pipe fractures….dammmmm!

Anyhew, the pipe is now snapped off as it is now useless anyway. Olive slowly weeps LHM, I tried strimmer wire to block the pipe but it is too thin, so all slowly draining away. Holding the brake cylinder in my hand I push one of the stuck out pistons back home, lucky it was pointing away from me as it ejaculated (that is the best way I can describe it, I’m not being smutty) all over the car.

That’s enough destruction for me for one day, new brake pipes needed now. I have a sinking feeling as I get further and further out of my mechanical knowhow comfort zone.

Ben, just crush the end of the pipe to stop it haemoraging all over the garage floor.....

Thanks Spanners. Despite its age it would not crush closed, my grips not got enough torque to flatten it. So a wodge of blu tack is currently doing the honours. It does say for use in home and office on the packet