Bigger Brakes for Early Stub Axles

[kotemaori]

Can anyone provide assistance with finding a suitable 9" brake to adapt to the early stub axle. I have been told by a couple of sources that the Series MO Oxford could be adapted, it is a 5 stud wheel patter but this should be easily overcome. Any info or ideas?

[mike.perry]

I don't know of any obvious choice, I could do with something to stop the trailer pushing the car down hills.

[RobThomas]

Probably easier to change to later stubs. Identical except for the slightly odd sized bearings. then you can use any of the later conversions. Wolseley, Riley, AP Racing, Midget, Marina, etc etc

[kotemaori]

And maybe I could fit an A series while I'm at it. I asked a specific question, if OHV suspension was the answer don't you think I would have gone that route? Thanks anyway.

[RobThomas]

Well, you asked for "info and ideas".

Which part do you want to keep? The OHV legs are the same with the exception of the stub itself, which is Metric. If you need to keep the stub itself then you can use the above mentioned donor vehicles so long as you can get the bearings with either metric internals or lathe down a dual collar as per the Marina mods to OHV legs. [Am I missing anything, guys?]
You mentioned 5 stud wheels. Wouldn't a 4-stud wheel donor such as the MGB be better? If so, then the Austin versions of something like the MG Magnette might be the answer? The stubs for the magnette hubs would have the same bearing surface measurements as the MGB, I'd guess. Ought to be plenty of space to slide a collar onto the MM stubs out to the MGB/MGZA hubs and you'd still have 4.5 inch PCD pattern. One of the Farina series used a 4.5 PCD but 15 inch wheels, IIRC. John Gamble knows which.

I found this...

KE3x, KE5x, KE7x

The later cars have 4x114.3mm (114.3mm = 1.5") the same stud pattern as many other Japanese cars of the era. Much easier to find wheels for, however make sure the offset is right. R31 Skyline 15" rims will hit KE30 struts. I believe 110mm is about the maximum inset you'd want to run for fifteens.

Find this stud pattern on:

Toyotas Celicas, Coronas, Toragos and Cressidas (MX73 Cressidas have 15" rims which fit and look great!)
Any Datsun/Nissan up to 1989.
Mazda RX7s between 1983 and 1987. After that, they went 5 stud. This is basically any 4-stud RX7 that isn't a Series 1 or 2.

I can't see any means of saving the MM standard hubs since they are (obviously) integral with the drum.
If you went for the Hillman Imp type brakes then they are quite 'convertable' and I ran a set on a car that used MGPA hubs. The backplates are fairly flat and the drums have quite a lot of meat on them (I redrilled to 6 bolts for the MGPA hubs) but by the time you have gone that far....OHV legs with Riley drums are going to be a lot quicker and cheaper to do.

Sorry, I can't recall ever seing a large brake conversion for the MM stubs but I'm sure it is possible to do, given enough time and money.

[kotemaori]

thanks for that useful info Rob, my difficulty is to find a brake that can be adapted to either the s/v stub axle or the OHV stub, and allow use of a 4.5" PCD wheel such as Oxford or Freeway. needed for supercharged and modified to the max s/v motor.

[RobThomas]

Does it have to be a 'drum' brake? If so, Maybe MGTD or TF? Another thought...I know that in the US they have remanufactured the stubs of MG Midget legs and then welded them in so that they can rectify the damaged areas of the stubs. IIRC, the Morris stubs are an interference fit in the legs rather than cast and machined. Would it be possible to lathe up some new stubs with the same dimensions as the MGTD-MGB stubs? The manufacturer might be "Winners' Circle" or someone similar.

[Scott]

thanks for that useful info Rob, my difficulty is to find a brake that can be adapted to either the s/v stub axle or the OHV stub, and allow use of a 4.5" PCD wheel such as Oxford or Freeway. needed for supercharged and modified to the max s/v motor.

The Toyota & Datsun disc brake conversions all fit the OHV type uprights & then you have 4.5" PCD.

You could also replce the SV stub axle itself with something larger. I have Holden stub axles fitted to OHV uprights but I see no reason why they couldn't be turned down further to fit the SV. You could even turn down OHV stubs to fit but I think the bigger stubs provide more options. Then you could fit the Freeway hubs & drums.

I have heard that some of the Freeway guys here fit Magna discs to the Freeway hubs (sandwiched between the wheel & hub like some modern set ups).

[kotemaori]

Freeway drums seem like a good option, discs arent really suitable for a car that is meant to look standard until you look under the bonnet. This would allow a Marina diff to be used, also 4.5" PCD I believe, can you give any info on the Freeway adaption Scott?

[Scott]

Marina's (Aussie ones at least) are a strange PCD. They're 4.25" I believe which limits the use of wheels. Old Escort/Cortina are the same PCD.

To fit the Freeway hubs, you'd need to know what size stub axle they used. I never delved too deeply into this side of the conversion but using a Holden type stub axle would give you the length you need. The MM stub axle is quite short in comparism.

I was interested in utilising the Freeway hubs & the Magna discs at one stage for the 4.5" PCD set up but went the easier Japanese route in the end.

I did have a couple of Freeway wagons & a pile of parts but I gave them all away to someone in the Austin club recently so I have nothing to go by now.