Bongo Fury

I can only find one supplier of handbrake shoes (AVA Leisure) and they are asking £100 for a set! Does anyone know of a cheaper source? Has anyone ever had brake shoes relined? It seems to me that, as the handbrake shoes don't really do much, provided you leave the vehicle in 'Park', that relined shoes should be more than adequate.

They can be relined. Check your local motor factor. About £25.

Tom

Thanks for the advice Pippin & Bumbly. I have found these:

http://www.allspares.co.uk/index.htm

I'll give them a try as they are local to Bridgend. They also appear to have offices in other parts of south Wales the west and southwest of England. It's comforting to know that someone else has had Bongo brakes relined.

Well, I phoned Allspares yesterday and was told that they "categorically can re-line the brake shoes." Even better than this, it should cost only £9 to £11 per shoe plus VAT. That's a big improvement on £100. The Bridgend office has now closed, so I will have to take them to Taff's Well, but that's not a problem really as it's on my way to work. I'm just waiting for the garage to get the shoes off now......

Result.

Tom

PS Makes the club worthwhile

Final outcome: ?44.50 for four shoes inclusive of VAT. So there's no need for anyone to pay ?100.

Hi Rkkibongo,
Just as a matter of interest did your handbrake need re shoeing? If so how do you account for the wear since the hand brake is only the handbrake?

Sometimes on shoes like these, if the lining is bonded rather than riveted. (they have so little wear, as you say they are only applied to a stationary wheel,) that with age, most Bongos being 10 years old or so, the bonding brakes (sic) free and the linings fall off.

Are you telling me that you are all suffering from handbrake issues??

If so then I am very interested to know what you take is. We have owned Bertie for 2 years and have already gone through 2 sets of shoes and almost ready for our 3rd. We have been accused of driving with the Handbrake on!! I would like to add that this is not the case.

We have taken the old boy to three different "Specialists" and no-one can seem to find an answer for it. I really do not want to have to fork out for another set of shoes. Let alone for a second pair this year!

We have had a persistant squeak for the past 6 months but every time it has been looked at there is nothing wrong. (ps still trying to find my way around the site, so may have missed something useful somewhere!)

Bertie Bus wrote:Are you telling me that you are all suffering from handbrake issues??

In my case it was as Colin suggests, the linings had parted from the shoes, probably due to age.

Tom

Bertie, if you are not driving with the handbrake on then the only other possibilities are that the h'brake cable/mechanism is sticking or the shoes have been incorrectly assembled.
You need to get another garage to have a look. The shoes should rust away before they wear out!
BTW, I hardly ever use the h'brake. I put the Freda in Park and pull the h'brake on just enough to use the roof!

owelly wrote:Bertie, if you are not driving with the handbrake on then the only other possibilities are that the h'brake cable/mechanism is sticking or the shoes have been incorrectly assembled.
You need to get another garage to have a look. The shoes should rust away before they wear out!
BTW, I hardly ever use the h'brake. I put the Freda in Park and pull the h'brake on just enough to use the roof!

Like Owelly I do the same though it is not advised in the handbook, I have never had any problems.

Tom