Morris Minor Owners Club

Just parked up, pulled the handbrake on - And the knob flew off!

It seems to have pushed back on OK, but I'm a little worries. It appears to simply press/ glue onto the end of the rod in the assembly, is that right?

I think I'll buy a new one as they're only a couple of quid, but is there any trick to fitting them?

Hi, my standard hand brake had a screw on white plastic knob, when I bought the chrome ones these didn't fit the thread was too narrow so I simply drilled in the whole and glued it to the rod, seems like it is still there ;)

It doesn't do a lot - except stop your thumb getting an unwanted
hole bored in it!
On the subject of handbrake - I hope all Minor owners USE the button when pulling on the handbrake - and don't RRRRIIIPPPP it up on the ratchet!! Just pull it up quietly with button pressed in - and then release the button to lock it up.

bmcecosse wrote: On the subject of handbrake - I hope all Minor owners USE the button when pulling on the handbrake - and don't RRRRIIIPPPP it up on the ratchet!! Just pull it up quietly with button pressed in - and then release the button to lock it up.

Why not? I suppose your going to tell me that it wears out the ratchet?

Why the ? That's the reason...
a

I tend to hold the button in just enough to "graze" the notches on the ratchet/ pawl. I don't trust myself to pull it on tightly enough by holding the button all the way in then releasing when I *think* it's on enough, far prefer to feel the notches as I go if that makes sense?

was taught to do this when I started driving 53 years ago done it ever since by habit. When I hear someone just pull up on the ratchet it makes my hair stand on end,well it did when I had hair.Like screeching chalk on a black board to me.Once had to replace a handbrake on an mgb because it would't hold because of a worn ratchet.But everyone to their own .

Exactly kennatt - you got it in one - sign of a considerate driver. That noise is SO annoying - but driving skools actually teech pupils to do it that way - to show the examiner they have pulled on the hand brake!

driving skools actually teech pupils to do it that way - to show the examiner they have pulled on the hand brake

No. They dont teach that. Me and Mary have 36 years experience teaching between us. If the examiner asks "How to check the hand brake?" the candidate is tought to pull the hand brake up 1 notch without using the button so it will click once. The button is called "The quiet button" for obvious reasons.

Not up here Steve! My daughter was given a row for NOT zipping the handbrake up! And when I challenged it - was told must do that for driving test to show examiner the handbrake is on. Needless to say - she doesn't do it now - but my dear wife does it - just to annoy me I think!

hi, yes over here now it's also a driving test failure if you click the handbrake but thanks for the tip didn't know it really wears the ratchet!

Just wandered across from my usual haunt on the Series MM website.
Completely agree with pushing in the button (lever? on an MM) when applying the handbrake. Does anyone remember fly off handbrakes and are they still available apart from on Morgans?
Other annoyances--- People who keep their foot on the footbrake at traffic lights---- People who indicate in dedicated turn lanes!!!!!!!

The last one's bit a iffy Much rather that people stayed IN the habit of indicating
a

Yes, indicate anyway. The fact that you are in a dedicated turn lane is usually not obvious to pedestrians who are thinking of crossing the street you are about to turn into.

Considering i took my driving test 2 weeks ago (and passed!) i feel i have the knowledge to wade in on this one. It is generally considered bad practice to not press in the handbrake button when applying the handbrake, indeed if you wrench it up you can be faulted for it. If you are asked to demonstrate how to apply the handbrake you simply press in the button and pull it up and show that it holds the car in position and that you didnt have to pull the handbrake miles up and that it is firm etc etc. Having now passed my test and driving a Rover 213 i invariably just wrench up the handbrake unless im thinking about it in which case i do press in the button!


Oh and signal only when necessary or appropriate! (i got a fault for indicating whilst pulling out with no-one behind me!)
YG

Designated direction lanes tend to be confined to population centres, where indicating is pretty much always "necessary" *and* "appropriate". Think of pedestrians as well as other cars, not to mention two wheeled road users

bigginger wrote: Think of pedestrians as well as other cars, not to mention two wheeled road users

Exactly what my instructor always told me!