Bedford brakes
 

Hi I have a 1972 VAS the brakes are TK. I pulled them apart (both sides).
Not sure which way around the kidney shaped plates go around. They have crosses like a plus symbol on them. Not sure which way around the plates go. I guess the crosses are there for assembly. Thanks for any help.:)

I'll get back to you - I need to refer to a manual (memory not good enough).

Where would this forum be without you G-C? ;):D:D

Thanks, I dont really deserve help though. Broke rule one, always sketch, photograph, or note before ripping apart.

I've actually got the manual to hand now, but I'm trying to 'get ahead' on other internet forums. It will probably be tonight . . .

With the manual in front of me, and having read through the instructions, I'm not sure what you mean by kidney-shaped plates.

Unfortunately, although there are illustrations I cannot immediately reproduce these - though I have an idea as to how I can do this using a different computer.

Have you any photographs of the parts that puzzle you?

There are 4 plates in total they are in pairs and fit on the bottom of the leading and trailing shoes, go from the shoes to a centre pivot. They will fit both ways but have different profiles. The cross is on one end of the plates and I am guessing the cross goes to the centre pivot bolt because the other end will swing right around the brake shoe, not so the other way around. But there is no reason for it to swing all the way around anyway as the shoes dont move much.

See part of cross on trailing shoe.

This computer is brand new and has Windows 8 - which I am struggling to work.

Attached (might be) the illustration from the manual.

If this doesn't work I will try something different.

This one is a bit different, what does the text say about the plates please? and thanks for help so far. I have put it back how I think it go but I am not sure it assembies perfectly the other way although the shoes are in a different position. The plates are different profiles when turned and the machining on the ends is different.
I spent 20 yrs of my life working on Englander helicopters and planes and you needed to be an Oxford /Cambridge scholar to use the books. If I had ever met the Westland designers I would have killed them without a second though. It took 4 hours to lockwire 2 bolts upside down using 2 reflected mirrors. So I guess Bedford coming from the same country might have a Murphy way of doing things as well.

Instructions for assembling the brakes.
 

Lightly smear the faces of the links, spacers and anchor plate with the approved grease, ensuring that no lubricant is allowed between the friction springs and links.
Assemble the links and friction springs to the brake shoes as shown, noting that the heads of the bolts must be adjacent to the backplate when the brakes are installed on the vehicle.
Tighten the link bolt but leave the nut unpinned.
Check the tension of the friction springs as follows:-
Secure the brake shoe in a vice using soft-jaw clamps and position the links at their maximum point of travel without over-riding the friction springs.
Install a bolt through the holes at the outer end of the links, and, using a spring balance check the load required to move the links.
If the friction load is less than the specified limit (12lb), renew the springs.
Slacken the link bolts sufficiently to assemble the links to the anchor plate.
Align the links and friction springs, and tighten the bolts.
Secure the nuts with split pins.
Note the following:-
Engage the leading shoe support before tightening the anchor plate nuts. Tighten the front anchor plate nuts and the shoe support bolts to the specified torque (37 lb ft).
Install the push-rod anchor springs and shoe return springs as shown (illustration showing left-hand rear brake), ensuring that on the front brakes the spring with the greater number of coils is attached to the leading shoe.
Assemble the right-hand front brake shoe return springs behind the shoes.
All shoe return springs must be assembled with the 'squared' end of the spring attached to the brake shoe.
Back off the shoe adjustment and install the hub and drum.
Adjust the brakes.

Thanks for that but I think that is for the 20 inch TK, mine 16".
I will run with I have and go for a VTNZ brake test, if it fails I will try with the plates around the other way.

Yes, my manual is for an MK (TK 4x4).