Morris Minor Owners Club

I have been having a problem getting a good brake pedal on the Morris Minor. I have recently replaced (though not all at once) all wheel cylinders and brake shoes. They do work but I find myself pumping them once to get a higher pedal. They seemed to bleed up ok but I keep loosing adjustment on the rear wheels. The pedal/brakes works fine when pumped. If I adjust up the brakes so they bind up then back one click, it all seems ok till I test the brakes. Then I find i need to pump the pedal. If I go back to the adjusters I can turn more than one click to bind them... and so on and on.

is it likely to be the adjusters or is there something else?

Have you checked the condition of the adjusters as it sounds like they are worn, also I assume you adjusted them with the handbrake off.

Yes - as Kevin says - the handbrake is important. It must be slackened right off - then adjust up the shoes till they 'just' bind - then centre them again using the pedal - then adjust up more if you can. Only then should you adjust up the handbrake cables evenly to get the movement as you wish. Some like 'one click' - I prefer about three.

Yes the hadbrake was completely off.

It seems from the syptoms like the adjusters are slipping back a notch or two!

I did look at a picture of new adjusters on the web but they look a bit 'rounded' too! That's what prompted me to ask if it's likely to be the cause?

I guess it's worth trying a couple, about £5 each!

what do you think?

Does the adjuster need to be turned again ,after you push brake pedal?
If it stays adjusted up.How about the line valve in the master cylinder?
B B L.kenny.

It's not a question of the handbrake being 'off' - you must slacken back the adjusters on the cables - then adjust the brakes - then retighten the adjusters on the handbrake cables. I have never ever heard of adjusters ' slipping back' - it doesn't happen.

Ahhh! Thanks BMC, i'll give it another try at the weekend!

If you shine a torch in and note where the slot is in the adjuster screw then you will see if they are slipping back when you next look at them.

Paint the adjuster screw heads with tippex or something. It makes them easier to see.
There are various size adjusters I believe, have you got the correct ones?

Well I slackend cables and did the adjustments, turned back one notch after binding. Stamped on the brakes a few times. Tried adjusters again but was still the same notch. Tightened up the handbrake cables to three clicks and much to my suprise it has worked!

I still can't quite understand what the difference is between a hanbrake in the off position and slackened cables but it seemed to work.

Did about 20 miles and the brakes are still fine so thanks for the advice!

" much to my suprise it has worked! " - such faith.....

It does happen but is much more rare on a Minor than for example a 90's Escort - the features on the snail cam are (meant to be) big enough and likelyhood of wear is low, so that if parts are correctly made this can't happen.

If the brake shoes were correctly aligned and slackening the handbrake cable has made such a difference then it is likely that the adjuster is merely adjusted to a different position where it doesn't slip.


If the extra adjustment comes because the shoes were not well aligned to the drum, then driving and braking will move the shoe alignment until more adjustment can be made.