Morris Minor Owners Club

I think that everything has been said. Servo or no servo is a personal choice, with no right or wrong answer. With drums the servo will make braking less effort, but not more effective. With discs it's more important as the effort needed to operate them is oftern perceived as "hard" on the left leg.

As regards the handbrake, there is no substitute for proper maintenance: The first thing to do is safely chock and jack the car, and remove the rear wheels. Next, let the handbrake off and SLACKEN the cable adjusters to ensure that the handbrake is not operating, remove the drums and clean all dust etc (vacuum, wear a mask, be aware of asbestos risk on old shoes). Check and repalce shoes & cylinders as required. With the drums refitted, adjust the brakes correctly (see manual). Lastly, adjust the cables so that the handbrake operates after about three clicks of the ratchet. That should keep things OK for many 1,000s of miles; but unless you go for a modified set-up, the drum adjusters will need regular attention; which should sort out the handbrake at the same time. While you're about it, don't forget the front brakes either. Remember, your life and the lives of other depend on your brakes, so if you're not sure about anything ask again. We'd all rather answer more questions than lose a member ! Good luck.

well of course brakes are the fundemental item that will keep us all alive and no short cut measures should be taken.

when i buy a morris ( commercials that is ) the first thing i do is replace all the brake shoes and return springs with new, adjust and bleed.

i have driven moggies for quite a few years now, and the standard moggie braking system i feel is good, good in the 60`s and 70`s when there was not much traffic around and life was slower. oh for those days again................................

anyway back to the point, i bought another van a little while ago, and it has servo assisted disc brakes on the front, and yes they make a hell of a difference, and are to be recommended all the time for peace of mind, in stopping in modern traffic.
i find them nice and progressive, no brake fade on heavy braking and knowing you are going to stop in time.



by the way, moggies are my only means of transport, so
au

Also any tips on removing the drain plug? it is extremely tight my vice bends before it moves. Do you think it might be easier to refit the MC and then try undoing it?

I second the point of trying a better vice. I used a vice at work rather than my wooden workmate at home and it came out fairly easily(probably made easier when using good tools). The socket I had got for the steering wheel nut fitted the master cylinder plug.

as for the remote reservoir plug - if you can get a pipe fitted in to the old plug it wll save you £30 compared to the kit. (use a remote reservoir from the scrapyard for aout £1 and then you just need a length of brake fluid hose)

Hi Ray,
Thanks for that, i was actually given a rservoir and the pipe work when i bought all the upgrade parts but i dont have the modified M/C part. How would you suggest i made a fitting for the pipe?

you want a bit of round steel bar similar diameter to the outlet of the reservoir (ie so it is a tight fit in the hose).
Then if it was me I'd just weld it on the end of the plug and then drill a hole up the middle. If you have access to a small machine shop you could get a hole bored in the plug slightly larger and fit the piece in it, then braise it.

Thanks for the advice Ray, due to my total lack of welding skills i have bought the kit. Just for the record the only suppliers in the whole OC magazine that have the remote reservoir kit in stock are minor developments, everyone else is waiting for stock.
Cheers
Martyn

hi
you should really try esm minors at stonegate east sussex

they seem to have a very large stock of standard and modified items, as well as hard to get items like van sides, pick up tailgates, new old stock doors etc

happy new year to all and good luck to all
au

Hi Au,
I use ESM for most of my parts, not least because of their online ordering system but i ordered the remote kit twice from them only to be told that they dont have any stock and they couldnt tell me when they would have. Same story from every other supplier hence my hunt, made doubly difficult at the festival of bank holidays
Cheers
Martyn

just a plug for esm
i am surprised that no one else has any of these in stocks, perhaps a run on them from the message board

Martylemoo... that's why I suggested Minor Developments for the
reservoir kit. They have never let me down yet.

thanks willie,
you were spot on
martyn