Morris Minor Owners Club

What parts do you need, and what existing parts do you need to modify in order to convert the standard mog brakes to the ones off a Wolseley 1500/Riley 1.5??

Thanks,
YG

YG, you must be winding us up Just PM BMecosse and save us yet another thread being locked or deleted.

I wasnt actually, i didnt really know it was a controversial subject!!

PM sent

You need drums, shoes, adjusters, cylinders, link pipes, and backplates. New shoes are available on an exchange basis. The standard Minor flexihoses and bleed nipples should be OK. I suspect the adjusters are the same too but I'm not 100% sure of that. The link pipes have the same fittings but might need to be slightly longer. You can buy new cylinders but they're a bit more expensive than the Minor ones, and it's possible to adapt the backplates to take Minor cylinders. I think this simply involves welding up the small bolt hole and redrilling it in a different position.

thanks alex!

Yes - exactly as above - if you have the complete Wolseley brakes they just bolt straight on, simplest possible brake conversion - and they WORK!

This forum needs a 'FAQ' section where posts like this can be pruned off and stored for future reference.

Useful advice but has anyone actually done this please? Thanks, John

Yes (ducks down to avoid bricks) - I first did it 40+ years ago on my Rally Minor - and my current Traveller has had these brakes for for about 4 years now. Far better than the standard 8" front drums, and very easy to fit. No servo, no remote reservoir, no stripping master cylinder to remove seal - just bolt on, 1 hour per side.

I can see the attraction of using Wolsely 1500 brakes, much less modification needed than discs and looks original too.

Much less expensive too! Thanks for the brick Andrew!

bigginger wrote:

Thanks for reply - do the existing MM flexible brake pipes match up to the Girling wheel cylinder units ok? John

Wolseley 1500 brakes use Lockheed cylinders. It's the Riley 1.5 that used Girling. I think the Minor flexihoses will work with both types.

Minor flexis fit the Wolseley wheel cylinders - can't comment on Riley, sorry. Only person I know with Riley fronts is 'wanderinstar' on here - I seem to remember he said they gave a heavy pedal, and I have a suspicion he said he had to change the flexis !

I did change the flexible hoses, only because you cant get a spanner on the hose to tighten them in. However as someone said, remove cylinder and fit hose then refit cylinder. Adjusters are different, they are fitted into backplate and adjust shoes via a snail cam.
The pedal did seem harder, but after a while you get used to it, I did. Same 9" dia as Wolseley but about 5/8-3/4" wider.

Fantastic brakes.

Ahh - all explained now!

Please don't throw a brick at me.

Here is the 1500 brake set up all installed.

Nice picture - and it shows how the lower trunnion can no longer 'escape' from the kingpin - it will be caught by the backplate ridge. Extra free safety feature.