Morris Minor Owners Club

Can anyone advise me on where I might get a special tool to remove and refit beehive brake shoe safely? My attempts with long nose pliers and a screw driver produce varying success rates! Going back 25 years plus I seem to remember a special tool when I worked at Appleyards Leeds. Any advice would be appreciated

If you put Beehive spring tool in the search box ( top right ) you will find some help with your query.

Here is the link as I could not find a result using the search facility.
Ignore the Mercedes reference - the tool fits and I purchased one myself to make sure. The tool has a Minor beehive spring on it slotted end
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326205006995

See here: viewtopic.php?t=79527

You can always make one from an old socket and 1/4" drive...

geoberni wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 5:13 pm See here: viewtopic.php?t=79527

You can always make one from an old socket and 1/4" drive...

It depends on your skill level, donor parts, facilities, time, patience, etc. For me, the lack of many of these made the £5.41 price (inc P&P!) of the Mercedes tool a no-brainer .

mike1864 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 14, 2026 12:24 am

geoberni wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 5:13 pm See here: viewtopic.php?t=79527

You can always make one from an old socket and 1/4" drive...

It depends on your skill level, donor parts, facilities, time, patience, etc. For me, the lack of many of these made the £5.41 price (inc P&P!) of the Mercedes tool a no-brainer .

Only putting it out there for those that might be interested, or have the parts and 'skill'.
I needed a tool, had a rummage in the garage, made it in a few minutes, didn't have to go anywhere or more importantly wait several days for delivery from Fleabay, so could continue with completing the task that day.
No financial cost apart from about 30 seconds of electricity to power the grinder.

So from my point of view, which is the No Brainer....

Don't get me wrong, Berni. As an engineer, I'm a strong advocate for skills and inventiveness, and the (justifiable) sense of achievement it brings. But in my case the "Mercedes" tool was for future use; so Neccessity didn't have to give birth to Invention.
Sometimes it does: My brake pedal return spring snapped in France, leaving the pedal disturbingly out of line with the others. My box of Odds and Sods provided me with a strong elastic band, to wrap round the pedal arm and then around a Bulldog clip attached to the parcel shelf. I was proud of that one
Or cost can be a factor. Fifty years ago my screenwasher pump broke, the snapped commutator "brush" being a tiny flat blade. As it resembled a watch spring, I (a poor student) popped into a local jewellers and asked to rummage through his box of old watch springs. I found a suitable one and asked how much; thinking perhaps a pound or two? He asked what I wanted it for. I explained the repair I was undertaking. He was so pleased to encounter such a practically-minded youngster "in this day and age" that he smiled and gave it to me for free.
It packed up again last month but was irreparable with corrosion. A new one was only £7; probably less £££ than I'd paid for the first one in 1972

mike1864 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 14, 2026 11:24 am

All OK, no worries Mike, hence the 'Wink'.
I was just showing that it is a simple little item to devise your own version, if so inclined.
An old screwdriver could also be readily adapted in a few minutes.


I spent most of yesterday working out which bits of my Mk 1 Kuga needed to be taken apart in order to get the Alternator off.
I couldn't even find a video on the 'tube that worked.
There were a couple, but my engine seems to be a Friday Special in the order it was assembled and I couldn't follow the video example.
Had to devise my own list of bits to remove....
Fitted the new one upon it's arrival this morning.

When I'm really old and downsizing on cars in the family, the Minor is the one I'm keeping just for ease of doing 'stuff'.

Perhaps the difference between two professions?
An Engineer is inclined to make a tool.
A Project Manager would buy one.
Neither is wrong (I've been both)

philthehill wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 4:06 pm Here is the link as I could not find a result using the search facility.
Ignore the Mercedes reference - the tool fits and I purchased one myself to make sure. The tool has a Minor beehive spring on it slotted end
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326205006995

What a great tip! I have found one here albeit not from Neilson but a no-name. €10,99 inkl delivery.