Morris Minor Owners Club

I need some help.
My recently aquired 1969 Traveller has new rear brake cylinders, new shoes and recent drums, but even with the adjuster on maximum the brakes wont bind. The previous owner is no longer avialable to ask what he has done, or where he got the parts from.
Has anybody had similar problems and what did you do to remedy ity?
Many thanks
Andy

I would think about getting a new Pair of brake drums as the old one could be worn out or the previous owner had them skimmed and they took to much off.
Check out the Minor parts specialists on the net

Hi and welcome to the forum. Take the drums off and measure the diameter. They should be 1780mm and your linings should be about 5mm thick. Also rest the shoes inside the drum and see if you have any gaps between lining and drum surface.
Post a photo of the shoes with the drum off and someone may be able to spot something amiss.

'Recent drums' - so there won't be any problem there... usual problem is incorrect method of adjustment.... You MUST - first slacken off the handbrake cables at the handle - really loose. Now - adjust up the mechanical adjusters till the shoes are dragging lightly - and then adjust up the cables to put the handle where you want it. It's also possible that the shoes are 'rubbish' material - remedy obvious - and have you checked the cylinders are moving freely?

beero wrote:Hi and welcome to the forum. Take the drums off and measure the diameter. They should be 1780mm and your linings should be about 5mm thick. Also rest the shoes inside the drum and see if you have any gaps between lining and drum surface.
Post a photo of the shoes with the drum off and someone may be able to spot something amiss.

1780mm??-that is stopping power!

The shoes have 1/4" on them, one of the drums has only covered a few thousand miles( both wont bite on full adjustment). I cannot feel a ridge on the drums as if they have been skimmed and the cylinders are reasonably new. An 'old school' mechanic friend has had a look and he was stumped. Are there different size adjusters?
I guess a trip to David Manners and get new shoes and drums and see if that sorts it. I hope so as I am suffering from deep pocket and short arm syndrome.
Cheers Andy

Apparently there are different sized snail cam adjusters... the early ones are different to late ones

Have you adjusted them as I described ? This IS what's wrong!!

Declan_Burns wrote:

beero wrote:Hi and welcome to the forum. Take the drums off and measure the diameter. They should be 1780mm and your linings should be about 5mm thick. Also rest the shoes inside the drum and see if you have any gaps between lining and drum surface.
Post a photo of the shoes with the drum off and someone may be able to spot something amiss.

1780mm??-that is stopping power!

Sorry 178mm

Thanks for all your advice, but I'm confused !!
Untill I get the chance to buy new shoes & drums, I put the brakes back together (the adjuster on full and no bite) and retightened the hand brake cable..........and the rear brakes locked. What is the reason for not binding the rear brakes with the hand brake adjuster and then slackening of the adjusters at the hub?................have I missed something?

When you say the adjuster is on full does the next click take it to unadjusted again?
If not, a little copper slip on the adjuster teeth ans a bigger screwdriver may find another click or two.

Hi Andy.
I think you need to put a couple of pics up of your rear brake assembly,so we can see if anything looks wrong!
PS
Where are you located,as there maybe a local MM owner willing to pop round for a looksee over a cuppa and bikkies!

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Not sure if the pictures down loaded or what ever they do.
I live in Redditch Worcestershire if anybody is free, and likes small dogs. Plenty of tea, biscuits and homemade wine!!!!

We need better photos, that only shows half the picture.
With adjustment, go back to BMCecosse's instructions in an earlier post. I think you are misunderstanding them.

It does look like the piston is out of of the cylinder a bit.

Why would you slacken the adjusters?? And yes - piston is extended - which means the foot brake can do nothing...... Slacken the handbrake cables right off - and make sure the pistons retract in to the cylinders....... If they are jammed - get new cylinders..........

SORTED........I replaced the drums, shoes, adjusters & masks and put on the missing beehive springs.......and unsnagged the handbrake cable that kept one of the cylinders open. Next job the judder on the front disk brakes, who said a Minor was cheap motoring ??

Thanks for all your words of wisdom

Andy

That cable was the problem.....bee-hives do nothing useful.

New drums, shoes and adjusters plus releasing one handbrake cable that was caught in the car floor sorted the rear brakes.Now what to do about the judder on the front disk brakes ????

Thanks for all your advice
Andy