Morris Minor Owners Club

Having the whole rear end apart I decided to take the opportunity to renew the brakes as well as new shoes and cylinders are so affordable. What a pain of a job! The springs were so strong that parting the shoes enough to slide in the adjuster was almost impossible. Finally got it all together though. Two questions:

Beehive Springs - are they really required? Tried numerous times to refit with a pair of long nosed pliers but eventually gave up as the pliers kept slipping on the spring. I could invest in a better pair of pliers (the ones I have are quite small and prob don't have enough grip) but are the springs really neccessary?

Secondly, re bleeding. I know Roy has a method he favours of letting gravity do the work - does the wheel cylinder need to be lower than the master cylinder for this to work, and do I just give the pedal a few pumps to get it started?

Fit shoes, springs and adjuster onto cylinder, then lever the fixed end of the shoe into position with the flat of a screwdriver. Keep fingers clear.
A push and twist with a long nose pliers usually works as long as the shoes are centralised but beehive springs are not essential.
I prefer to use two people to bleed the brakes but if one person, then the wheel cylinder should be the lowest point

Thanks Mike - yes I would have used the leverage method had the backplates been on the car but for some dumb reason I decided to assemble them on the bench! Never again!!

The tube from the cylinder goes down into a jar on the floor with a little fluid in it - so the syphon runs down to floor level (minus the depth of fluid in the jar of course) - it works in Ecosseland- dunno about where you are.......

Thanks Roy will give it a try. You never know - it might run upwards!

Job all complete, rebuilt diff lovely and quiet - no more clunk clunk clunk! Brakes work well and handbrake now holds her on a hill. Being a Morrie though she did have one surprise for me. The front RH wheel bearing chose this moment to fail, resulting in a horrible growling noise. Of course I assumed it was the rebuilt diff but after much scratching of head and the feeling it was coming from the front of the car I checked and found the inner bearing shot. I didn't believe it possible as I had renewed it only 6 months ago. The quality of modern replacement parts leaves much to be desired.

I am using pre greased sealed bearings on the front hubs, no more grease over everything when I take the brake drums off

Where do you get these from Mike? Does the grease not wear out over time?

From my local bearing suppliers. The bearings are sealed which stops grit getting in and they reckon that they will last longer. I have had one side in for about three years with no problems.

Usually it's the same bearing number with '2RS' added after the number 2RS = 2 Rubber Seals
You don't tell us - did the gravity bleeding do the job ????

FWIW, Sealed bearings in machinery are typically called for to be replaced every 25,000 hours.

Happy New Year to all, Ken

25,000hrs at 30mph = 750,000 miles. That's long enough for me

Yes it did Roy but it took quite a long time. I finished off with a few "push and hold" releases just to make sure.

That's when I have my coffee break...... Glad it worked anyway!