Morris Minor Owners Club

" Break of morris minor is scant , When compare with new cars " says my uncle - is it normal ? and he says to me - remove the master pump and replace bush and service it - is it must do ?

Hello Sandun,

not necessarily.

Modern cars have very light pedals but that doesn't mean that the Morris brakes are bad. Is the pedal firm and can you lock the wheels if you brake hard. If so then there is nothing wrong with them?

Alec

Thanks Alec

Read other posts about brakes and you will learn about how they should work and how to repair them

Sandun, you make a very good point. The Morris Minor braking system, like all older cars, should be regularly serviced. Seals should be changed at least every ten years and fluid every two years. Of course they may last much much longer than that and most people wait until failure (sticking or leaking seals) before they do anything.

As a routine the first thing I do on any old car I buy is replace all the slave and master cylinder seals (and caliper seals if appropriate) as well as hoses and of course any rusty brake lines. I also use this opportunity to change to silicon brake fluid, but that is a personal choice.

For goodness sake - DO NOT start at the master cylinder. As above - if you drive at 30 mph and brake as hard as possible - do the wheels lock solid? Is the problem that the pedal goes down too far - long travel? What's the history of this car - where did it come from?

If you plan to change all the seals the master cylinder is as good a place as any to start! Although it makes best sense to do them all in one go! Sandun has not said there is anything wrong with the brakes, so I presume this is preventative maintenance. The best time to replace the seals and hoses is when everything is working properly. The only confusion here is that his uncle is perhaps mixing the longer stopping distance of a 1950's car compared to a modern car with the condition of the braking system. Two separate issues. BUT that difference in design performance makes it even more important to make sure the system is working correctly and will continue to do so. Hence preventative maintenance as oppose to repair.

Within the limits of tyre adhesion (which of course can be significant) - a Minor 1000 should stop every bit as well as a modern car from say 30 or 40 mph , on a dry road of course since no abs ! Above that speed the early 7" drums will start to fade a little, the 8" drums should cope rather better - and the 9" W or R conversions will cope every bit as well up to the national speed limit anyway!

Don't forget the not insignificant effect of suspension!

If only the real world consisted of smooth, dry, flat and straight roads!

Hello Neil,

yes, many fcators, but one positive for the Minor is the weight is much less than even small modern cars. Modern cars are heavy.

Alec

True!

A world of flat, straight, smooth roads would be pretty dull! Sandun, I find the pedal effort high compared to my modern cars, but the Minor stops every bit as well. (All of my modern cars have a brake booster!)

Sandun doesn't seem to believe in the maxim "if it isn't broke, don't fix it."

No need to change the oil then!