Parking brake seized/corroded - advice, please?

Post by **Bluesman** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:29 am

Guys - the parking brake on the 1960 Minor is seized somewhere at the wheel end(s). Wires are oily and somewhat moving inside their covers, and parking brake lever moves freely. I forgot to check how the wires are linked to the brakes when I was last in the garage, so I´d love a description or a picture of the mechanical parts from the back end of the wire and how it´s linked to the brake pads.
(Back drums are still on, the rear end is still on wheels)

My bet is that there is some link/lever that has seized and needs freeing up.

I´d like to know what it looks like before I go to the garage again, I probably need some special tools (and your combined skills

) with me when I go. I hate on-site improvisation and makeshift tools

Thanks for any pointers. Cheers /Richard

(And yes, I think freeing the parking brake and making it work so-so is the first step to having at least *some* sort of braking function on the car. It will allow me to maneuvre inside the garage without breaking things while I make up my mind about a "total makeover" brake job.)

Post by **Welung666** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:36 am

It's more than likely the shoes have bound to the drums. Try rocking the car backwards and forwards to free them off. If that doesn't work and the car runs try pulling off gently in 1st then reverse. Last resort is a good few thwaks with a lump hammer on the rear wheels, DO NOT hammer the drums directly as they may shatter and cause shrapnel injuries!!!

Post by **Bluesman** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:00 am

Ah..thanks..but the drums are already freed (I managed to adjust them down so the wheels move again, I needed to move the car). Thing is, the M/C is jammed/stuck/seized (probably rusted) so I can´t make the normal brake work. Therefore, I need the parking brake for now.

/R

Post by **chickenjohn** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:13 am

maybe the pivot is siezed in the rear wheel brake cylinders-or the outer piston of the rear wheel clyinders are siezed. the handbrake acts ona lever on this pivot, the other end of the lever (a thick metal plate) is inside the drum and pushes the outer piston of the brake cylinder out thus holding the shoes against the drum and keeping the car from moving.

Take the rear wheels off, remove the drum (loosen the brake adjuster 1st- visible through a hole in the face of the drum) and see if the rear wheel brake cyliner is siezed.

Post by **Bluesman** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:48 am

Ah - now we´re getting closer. So there IS a pivot....can any part of this be accessed from the outside (backplate) to begin with? I imagine it might be "hinged" from the back plate, or does the cable run into the backplate first and then to the internal(?) pivoting mechanism? I am looking to grease and wiggle this mechanism until it lets go - preferably without removing the drums at this stage.

A kingdom for a picture of the rear drum innards...

Cheers /R

Post by **chickenjohn** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:08 pm

No, the pivot is part of the rear wheel brake cylinder, you have to strip the drums and shoes off then remove the cylinder to get at the pivot and lever tha handbrake works off. here is a pic of a new one

you have to get the cylinder out as the pivot is behind the dust cover on the cylinder, the cylinder is most likely siezed from your description, best bet is buy a new one.

Post by **Bluesman** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:34 pm

OK - cool. The flat surface on the cylinder is where it meets the baseplate, right? And the arm protrudes thru the baseplate? If so, some rust dissolvent and a gentle tap with a hammer might free it just a tiny bit...

<<thinking cap on

I believe the owner pulled the handbrake back in -91 and left the car, and over time, the linings bonded to the drum rust. The linings are freed now, via the adjuster screw...

Now IF I only can loosen this pivot just a bit, it may be that the cylinder still has some life in it....but if not, the mechanical action of the lever will at least give me back the parking brake action - if I adjust the linings back up a bit.

<<thinking cap off

/Richard

Post by **chickenjohn** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:44 pm

Its worth a try, but I recently had to replace a rear wheel cylinder as it had siezed- causing handbrake to fail the MOT and that was on a regularly used car. I would say, don't mess about, strip it all down, the car will be immobile for an extended time during rust removeal and welding- time to strip and replace the brakes then perhaps.

Post by **Bluesman** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:51 pm

This car will receive new brakes all over, trust me, and very soon. The main issue here is getting at least some brake function going so we can move it outside and eventually tow/drive(?)/move it to its (yet to be decided) restoration garage. Parking brake is good enuff for now, dismantling the brakes partly at this point will leave me with an immobilized and jacked-up lump of rust in somebody else´s garage. *smiles* That´s why I want to avoid dismantling.

I will certainly try to fix this. Thanks for your advice and help, guys.

Cheers /Richard (fingers crossed for luck)

Post by **chickenjohn** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:32 pm

I that case you should be able to get the rear cylinder moving enough to actuate the handbrake- and only need one to hold the car on the level in a garage.

Post by **kennatt** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 3:55 pm

look hear http://www.auto-part.com/auto/shop/Display.asp?page=16

*edited by a so that the link works*

Post by **Bluesman** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:20 pm

Kennatt - THAT was brilliant! Finally a picture that says it all....

Thanks a million!

/R

Post by **Orkney** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:32 pm

Nice one - thats on the favorites

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:43 pm

It IS a good parts picture!
And really - the cylinders will be absolutely rusted up solid - and new ones now won't be wasted in future - whatever you do with the front brakes you will keep the standard rear brakes - so may as well just sort them out now. I certainly wouldn't want to rely on them for towing the car anywhere!!