Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi,
I rebuilt my rear brakes on Elsie May about a month back, new rear wheel bearings and all.
Recently, on her first long trip since, I had a hollow rubbing sound coming from the N/S rear. As that drum had a tight spot I wondered whether it might be a bit 'oval' and want replacing.
It started when I was over half way there, so I completed my journey and took it easy on the way back, however it didn't present me with any physical braking problems, so I mentally put it on the 'to be investigated' list.
When I jacked it up today all tightness seems to be gone, plus she hasn't made the noise recently, so I'm hoping that has 'cured itself' (if not I have plenty of secondhand rear drums to try as alternatives).
However upon removing the wheel for closer inspection I noticed what appeared to be a small amount of oil on a section of the drums lip. So I carried on and removed the drum, to find that everything was covered in diff oil.
Now this wheel was done up tight, the nuts tourqued correctly and upon inspection the O/S rear is as dry as a bone (as you'd hope), so this is a fail for the gasket concerned. I put them on dry, so I don't know why one side is okay and the other leaked like a sieve.
Anyway, all this has been cleaned up / off with the aid of Standard Thinners (breath held) and a fresh new gasket fitted, with a smear of 'Gastite Blue' sealant this time for good measure and I shall keep any eye on things.....
My point really is that, given the quality of modern replacement components is constantly in question these days, it might pay for anyone rebuilding their rear brakes / axle's at present to check them after a few weeks use, just to be sure they are all still sealed up and dry.
Best wishes,
Mike.

The hub gasket in the above photo does not look to have been fitted recently - more like some considerable time ago.
I have never had need to use sealant - all I use is a smear of grease on the gasket faces. The grease helps to keep the gasket supple which helps the gasket seal.
Do you have the later hubs with the 'O' ring seal? If not the 'O' ring hubs are well worth fitting.

do you still need the gaskets with the ring type seals?

You do still need the hub gaskets with the 'O' ring hubs.
The nip of the bearing in the hub is determined by the thickness of the gasket paper. See various threads regarding how to determine the thickness of the gasket paper required.

philthehill wrote: ↑Sun Sep 05, 2021 4:12 pm You do still need the hub gaskets with the 'O' ring hubs.
The nip of the bearing in the hub is determined by the thickness of the gasket paper. See various threads regarding how to determine the thickness of the gasket paper required.

No it isn't. It is determined by how far the bearing is pressed into the hub. The gasket has nothing to do with it.

You do need to read Section HH.2 of the BMC wksp manual Pt No: AKD530L.

As you are fond of referring to manuals, kindly quote where it says you should use gaskets to account for bearing protrusion.

The bearing is pressed into the hub and its depth of fit into the hub is determined by the depth of the machined hole.
Therefore the only variable that can be used to achieve the bearing protrusion (from the gasket face) as specified in the manual is by varying the thickness of the hub gasket.
BMC did not put every minute detail of how to to do the job in their workshop manuals but they did expect the mechanics to have an understanding of what is required.
This is my last word on the subject & I will not continue with this conversation as we are getting nowhere.

OK.

Copy taken from BMC factory workshop manual might (or might not!) help.