Morris Minor Owners Club

My car recently failed her MOT again, issues being many holes and the handbrake not working efficiently enough. I'm hoping someone will be able to enlighten me as to what could be wrong with the handbrake.

The issue is that the handbrake doesnt seem to work on the nearside wheel. With the rear of the car in the air and the handbrake off, the nearside wheel is binding quite badly, but I can just about turn it. The offside wheel moves freely. With the handbrake on, the nearside wheel still moves in the same way, the offside locks up as it should.
After fiddling with the adjustment a little, the offside wheel still works fine, and the nearside wheel will not move at all, despite me now backing off the handbrake adjustment inside the car. I hope I havent been stupid.

My dad is adamant that the handbrake cable is shot and needs replacing. I was hoping someone would have any suggestion as to anything else I could try?

Thanks in advance!

Does the service (foot) brake operate correctly on that wheel? If yes, then handbrake cable is likely; if no then it's a seized (partially on) cylinder.

And don't forget when the cable and or cylinder(s) have been replaced, its important to back the cable adjustment right off before adjusting the shoes, then adjust the cable.

The nearside cylinder is seized, replace both of them, they are cheap enough.
Get your dad to unhook the cables and make sure they are both OK, I'm sure they will be

As above - my money is on the cylinder seized up. You can try to free it - but frankly a new one IS the answer. It is a possibility that the cable may (also) be seized - disconnect at the cylinders and test them out - and grease them!! Worry more about the holes first......if they can't be fixed - not much point worrying about the brakes.... And as above - the internal adjusters must be adjusted first -with loose cables - and only then, adjust up the cables.

I'm ending up replacing the cylinders at least every year, they werent replaced that long ago but i dont have very much luck when it comes to my brakes.
My dad suggested unhooking the handbrake cable from that wheel and seeing if it will spin freely then, so obviously if it still doesnt i'll have to look at getting new cylinders..

I've already got her booked in for welding at the local garage on Monday, where she will stay until she goes back in for ( and WILL pass!) her MOT. The panels replacing the holey ones are being delivered tomorrow Im hoping to get my brakes sorted before Monday, but i wont be able to get hold of any cylinders for a few days if it is those that have gone so that could set me back I have a spare cable sat in the car ready that my dad made me get. I just dont see the point in replacing it if it doesnt actually need it..

Thanks for all your help

It's an easy job to test the cable- or indeed to fit a new one. Try freeing off the rear cylinder - it can be done. Your local Autoparts place will get you cylinders 'tomorrow'. I always leave the rear brake adjustment slightly slack - so the cylinders move a worthwhile amount every time the brakes are used. Also - don't leave the handbrake on when the car is parked up at home !

I'm ending up replacing the cylinders at least every year

Use silicone brake fluid, I do and can't even remember when I replaced the brake system.

Buy "genuine" cylinders, they do last (and fit) better than the pattern ones. Swap to silicone fluid (but see other threads about doing it) and when leaving the car for more than a few days, leave it in gear with the handbrake off, wheels turned into drive edge / kerb / etc. These measures greatly improve brake life. BTW, is dad knowledgeable about Minors? If he has great experience then he might have a very good reason for suspecting the cable. I think that a cylinder is more likely, but we're all working from a distance.

If you go silicone (and realise NO modern car uses the stuff....) - then you first need to renew ALL the rubber parts in the system. All seals + flexi hoses....... Just bleed some new fluid through every year - it'll be fine.

get some red rubber grease and pack it in the back of the cylinder and then pack the rubber gaiter with the grease before pushing it on and that may make your cylinders last longer and remember to correctly adjust the rear brakes

Link http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/shop/pop ... p?pID=1744

So who's going to be first to say: "But my rubber is black"

Its fine as long as the outside paint is red and will contrast fine with a yellow or blue or black one

Thanks for all the advice.
Don't worry, i never leave my car parked up for a long time on the handbrake, i dont often use the handbrake at all, i always just leave it parked in gear because i cant trust it ..

I asked my dad for his opinion again when he got in from work...he never gets a rest! He used to be a mechanic when he was a young lad many years ago ... so, as long as he remembers rightly he is normally quite good, except he has broken and had to replace a fair few things on my car in the past so I dont always trust his judgement

I unhooked the handbrake cable from that side anyway to see if the cylinders were okay, and the wheel moved freely again no problem, so im happy its not the cylinders again! I just have to change the cable today which I am apprehensive about, simply because ive never done it before....im not very confident with these things, especially regarding brakes

If you know a friendly MOT testing station take the car along and ask them to test the handbrake for you. They will be able to tell you if it working correctly or whether it needs further adjustment.

The cable change is just a 10 minute job! Couldn't be easier. But do grease it well after it's fitted.

Well maybe 10 minutes once its jacked up, youve got the old clevis pin out and the right tools and another person as you need one inside the car and one underneath!

Why one inside??

Theres a nut at the heel board and you need someone underneath to hold the cable up while you get the nut on from above, easy peasy with 2 but a nightmare with only one

I just wedge it up with a bit of timber - anything like that -takes seconds!