Morris Minor Owners Club

I've had my 1969 Morris 1000 since late February and I frequently travel from Bristol to Gatwick and also occasional motorway travel without any trouble (aside the occasional cable shaking loose and the lack of a good radio signal). I love my car - its amazing. I brought the car through Charles Ware who reconditioned the car to a good drivable, but not concourse, level.

Today, on a short journey the rear right wheel developed a scuffing noise, as if a piece of stray traffic cone had become caught. I'm a fresh face driver (passed the test in feb) but have no recollection of driving through construction sites. I continued driving for five mins with the noise I pulled over and inspected all the wheels to find nothing caught and no sign of any problems. The suspension seems ok and squeakless and the wheels are not loose on their bearings. I reversed the car with the clutch depressed (on a hill) and the noise slowed down accordingly. It sounds like it is caused by spinning, and is only catching on half a rotation, creating the rhythmic scuff. After a few mins the noise died away and everything was normal. The noise returned again later, and again no sign of a cause, and then vanished. After a further hour of driving the noise has not returned.

I'm not a Morris Expert, and I'm learning on the hop. My best guess is the pads in the drums have not retracted properly and have become caught (however the braking does not seem affected) or the hand brake pads have failed to retract. I'm suspecting the hand brake as it has happened after the car has been stationary. Does this sound feasible, and what remedial action should I take?

Hoping its nothing serious!

Jack the rear of your Morris up and support it on stands, with the handbrake off spin the wheel and see if you can hear the noise. Work the handbrake and see if after Handbrake application the noise is there. If it is then lubricate the cables they have nipples on the cable at the rear of the car and don't forget the pivot pin that secures the cable to the wheel cylinder lever as this sometimes seizes. Hope this helps.

have you got disc brakes.. i have, this morning, taken my discs off and found the back plate on the drives side had been rubbing very lightly against the hub..

Check for no odd 'bulges' in the tyres - although you do say it goes away at times. Can only suggest as Jeff has said^^^^ ........