Morris Minor Owners Club

bmcecosse wrote:Well indeed if the braking was showing equal on the brake test machine - you DO need to look hard (and urgently) at the front suspension - particularly the tiebar mounts right at the front, then the eyebolts where the lower arm locates to the chassis legs - and at the front damper mounts - and where they attach to the top end of the kingpins......

That was what I thought. Although, I'd be worried if it was suspension, not had any knocks in it, ecxcept on day one, when i misjudged the distance of a tree stump, but that wasn't a hard knock by any means. Could it be steering rack instead, or a loose back plate?

So have you actually checked the front cylinders for free movement? On the r/h side you can probably see by yourself by taking the drum off, leaning through the door and pushing the brake pedal. Then bleed the front r/h side, doesn't need anything fancy, a piece of 1/4"bore tube and a jar, a few strokes on the brake with the nipple loose, and you are done.
Do all that first before worrying about steering/suspension links etc!Steering rack itself is tough as old boots, as is the rest of the set-up(apart from bush/pin wear).

not thoroughly checked no, just looked for leaks.
I've got tomorrow off again, so I'll check the front cylinders, I wasted a lot of time today with that blooming shredded screw head, and didn't get the chance to have a good go over on the front, hopefully a bleed will do me.

A seized cylinder is unlikely to show itself as a leak! Good luck tomorrow! A trick taught me by a friendly local BMC scrappy to jar loose those crosshead screws, is to use a good screwdriver(preferably the throughhandle shaft type). apply force into and twisting the screw as you would normally, whilst simultaneously clouting the end of the driver. This has worked wonders for me with those pesky things! Goodnight, off to bed now

The problem with the set screws arises because people use them to tighten the drum onto the hub. They are retaining screws not tightening screws. The drums should be pulled on square using a pair of wheel nuts on diagonal studs and then fit the set screws.

The REAL answer is to use an impact driver to loosen over tight screws.... They really don't need to be tight at all. The options I suggested were for either a seized or leaking cylinder. But if the brakes are equal on a brake test roller - well - I would have to say look at the suspension.

right, so BMC has rights in "I told you so"
cylinders on both front wheels leaking, one on the right far worse than the left, hence the pull. Shoes on that side covered in brake fluid, left side not too bad, but getting there . picking up some new cylinders this afternoon, fit them tonight, and Roberts your fathers brother.

If the shoes have fluid on them -you need NEW shoes too. Just for interest - did you get the new cylinders in a local autoparts place ?? And if so - how much were they??

yeah, got a set of shoes was well, all fitted together, did a run down to reading already this morning, all seems good, will check them before I leave reading again.
I don't know the exact price, will have a look on the receipt when I get back tonight, but 4 cylinders, a half litre of dot4 and 2 litres of brake cleaning fluid was just less than 60 quid.

Not bad for 'new' brakes all round !

£7 at my local factors per cylinder BMC if that helps..

Yeah, I think the shoes were 30 quid for a set of 8,including postage, so not too bad. Plus my very valuable time of course.

I get all the components I can from the local factors. If I get there for before ~ 10 they can get the part that afternoon..

that's where I got the cylinders from, Witney automotive factors, fella there was really helpful.

That's the best way if you can - saves on carriage. Worth going in wearing old boiler suit/dirty hands - and ask for a discount!

£8.28 each.
I rang him a few months back for a rocker cover gasket when I had an oil leak, and he got me a rocker cover gasket the same day for me, that's why I rang him this time. I should have gone to him for the shoes as well, and I reckon from now on, I'll get everything from him. He seemed to like old cars, as we got chatting, and his wife told him to stop yakking and let me get back to the garage. Seemed like a really nice place.

I tend to go as it's round the corner, recently I needed a trunnion so I didn't need the Minor to get there. Unfortunately, they quoted me £44 for one trunnion kit so I went to ESM instead .

DEFINATELY worth trying your local Old Skool Motor Factors, my local guy knows Part Numbers off by heart for Moggies, and recons if he had 10/- for every service kit he'd sold for A series engines he'd be a Millionaire. If you find the online price for a part, try and haggle, don't forget the cost of Carriage and you will probably find the local place competitive, and you get out a bit more!!