Brake Judder

[markcrossley]

My daughter has recently aquired a '65 four-door, and I have become her pit crew. The car had been stood for a while and the brakes wern't up to much. (I'm used to my '68 Sprite so not toptally unaccustomed to sixties cars) So we replaced the shoes drums hoses and wheel cylinders. We now have brakes that passed an MOT, but...
The brakes work OK if used gently, but if applied more vigourously we get a juddering/hammering effect from the front end. It doesn't pulse through the brake pedal though.
I'm guessing that there are bushes on the suspension that would allow the free movement, but it's just passed an MOT so could there be something else to check for? The dampers seem to pass a corner-bounce test, although the ride is wallowy.
I've not actually driven a Minor before, so how effective should the standard brakes be? These don't really feel like they will lock the wheels even when I've sorted the judder. They've had about 250 miles to bed in. I had toyed with diving straight in and fitting a disc conversion, it is my daughter driving after all, but I thought that theres lots of these being driven around in standard condition so we'd at least start from a known benchmark.
Can anybody recommend a workshop familiar with Minors in the Blackpool/Preston area of Lancashire where I can get an expert opinion after a drive?

Thanks, Mark

[tomas.geoghegan]

Hi it sounds like it might be the tie bar bushes Had the same on my mogg until i changed them.
Hope This helps. You can buy i kit that comes complete with tie bar and bushes.
well worth Checking First.
Tomas

[bmcecosse]

The later 8" front drums are easily as good as Spridget brakes. Judder will be down to suspension movement - so yes - start by looking at the tiebars - then the eyebolts - then the kingpins and the top trunnion bushes. Drain the dampers and refill with SAE 40 oil to sort out the wallowing.....

[markcrossley]

Thanks chaps,
I'll work my way through the various joints with polybushes then, tie bars first. Just suprised that it passed its MOT like that. I've got some of your recommended lawnmower oil for the dampers. Do you need to disconnect the lever arms to get the old oil out, or can you just bounce the suspension? Once I've got the suspension up to scratch I'll be able to judge the brakes better.
The hardest part will be getting the keys from my newly qualified daughter.

Ta, Mark

[chesney]

Dampers - Front you can bounce
Rears you have to remove, and bounce manually. Two holes in a piece of wood and a vice like this works well

Also check that the felt bush is on the end of the steering column. I have the same problem and tie bar rubbers didn't fix it, I have yet to try tightening the damper bolts on the front..

[bmcecosse]

Someone recently solved this when they found a damper arm mount pin loose in the arm.