Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi

My brake system needs refilling and bleeding (1971 Saloon).

I went to check that each bleed nipple was working, but couldn't find one on the nearside wheel cylinder. Surely there should be a 'banjo bolt and adapter' to take the brake line and bleed nipple just as there is on the offside wheel?

After finding that brake master cylinder was inside the chassis can someone please confirm that a brake line going directly into the wheel cylinder is not normal. Otherwise I can't see how to get air out of the brake line.

Kind regards

You are absolutely right!

It should be mirror image of the offside with the same banjo bolt, and connection, bleed nipple and two copper washers.

Shame on the person who did that!

It's not normal, in fact the thread in the cylinder is much larger than the brake pipe union, so it's difficult to imagine how the pipe is attached.

Thanks - just wanted to check my sanity.

I'd better give the rest of the braking system a close inspection.

Kind regards

As long as the connection is not seized - you can bleed it meantime by just slackening the connection slightly - pedal down/tighten/pedal up etc etc Fit the correct parts later when the weather is better!

its brakes,
fit the correct parts now

As long as it bleeds out - it's perfectly safe as it is.

Thanks for your replies.

The car passed an MOT with its brakes like this, however I'm going down the 'replace with new parts' road - the main reason I ended up doing this work was the master brake cylinder failing sometime after doing a full force emergency stop (the yoke holding the pin that pushes into the cylinder was bent - not sure if I did this). On the plus side the car actually stopped pretty well on its drum brakes and didn't smash into the lorry that pulled out without signalling.

Nothing wrong with drum brakes in good working order. The emergency stop limitations are then more to do with tyre adhesion than anything else. Well done missing the truck!

The yoke you mentioned does get a 'set' in it after a while, due to the operational curve of the brake pedal. I renewed mine because of this and because I couldn't remember which way the curve went to re-install, ( I didn't want it bending back the other way, and maybe weakening it)