Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello One question about brakes: What is the better solution mount one disc brake kit or 8" front drum+servo? Regards José Luis

8" Front drums and NO servo are perfectly satisfactory for any sane Minor motoring. If you fit discs - that's when you will likely need a servo, and a remote fluid reservoir - and a new modified master cylinder.... Budget for ~ £600/800 .

Personal preference depending on driving conditions - lots of steep hills or trailer towing will be easier with discs as they will not suffer brake fade so quickly, but as Roy says, drums are adequate for a standard Minor driven normally - a well maintained standard system can lock all four wheels, at which point your can't really do any more (and should release them slightly to get maximum braking anyway).

Drums stop you eventualy , discs will need a servo ,I had a servo on my truck with drums when i first owned it , mmm ok .It used to burn brake fluid ,then I fitted discs with no servo , It was no better than drums ,
Fitted a servo and now it stops well

Disc brake pads are made of a much harder material than drum shoes therefore need a servo to supply enough force to clamp the pads to the discs.
If you want to find the stopping power of discs with no servo try switching off the engine and applying the brakes a few times to get rid of the servo assistance, then try stopping without servo assistance

Hi, when 8" brakes are mounted is necessary to change the shoes adjusters?
Best regards

The 8" adjusters are slightly larger - but essentially the same as the 7" , so you may well get away with it - the adjusters will be turned well up though!

having owned four moggies three with 7 inch brakes I've never had brake fade and only last week went down Slack Hill between Matlock and Chesterfield,Derbyshire, not a hint of fade,even with four up.
That is one mean, big steep hill

As long as you don't apply the brakes - it will be fine ! But you are dead right - IF the brakes are in good condition they work just fine - people who complain about their drum brakes are generally in need of doing a good overhaul - that's all!

the larger adjustes should be fitted since even with new shoes you will soon run out of adjustment with the 7 ",and then need to get the larger ones . May as well do it right from the start, allthough 7" work,well just ok,you will suprised by the increase in braking efficiency with 8".

Provided that you hold the speed downhill by selecting a lower gear then drums are perfectly adequate for any additional braking which may be required

Yes 7" are OK but if you are at the point of full overhaul ,drums ,shoes etc,may as well upgrade to 8" for the extra cost of second hand backplates,they are much much better,I wan't sure with mine ,but have a small trailor which I use ,rarely,and the difference was very noticable.