Disc brakes

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Time traveller
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Disc brakes

Post by Time traveller »

Hello all, back again and still learning, however I am enjoying every minute with my 1968 traveller. I have just fitted new brake shoes and drums and now can a least stop. However I am just wondering if I should save up and put disc brakes on. I’m a big believer in brakes and tyres as these are the only things to stop you so I like them to be as good as they can and shy away from making money savings where safety is involved. Having said that I don’t like wasting money either. Typical Yorkshire man. Can anyone give me sound advise. Is this a job worth doing? Does it make a lot of difference? Finally which is the best kit to use? Thanks for all your time. I see now how easily it is to become hooked. Happy miles everyone, cheers Paul.
Last edited by Time traveller on Fri Sep 18, 2020 9:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
pgp001
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by pgp001 »

I cannot advise you to fit disc brakes in preference to drum brakes as I have never driven a Minor with drum brakes.

All I will say is that my Traveller is fitted with the Ford vented disc and servo setup and it feels just the same as my Skoda Yeti as far as stopping is concerned, it is very progressive and has good feedback just like any modern car.

Phil
Time traveller
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by Time traveller »

thank you Phil, obviously if they feel as good as a modern car then the change is worth it.
pgp001
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by pgp001 »

Time Traveller

I see from your original post you are a Yorkshireman.......Likewise.

What part of Yorkshire are you in ?
I am in Silsden, West Yorks

Phil
ManyMinors
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by ManyMinors »

For myself, I have no difficulty in slowing down and stopping my standard Minor 1000. It is important to fit good quality brake shoes and maintain the car properly but I have never found the brakes to be lacking. I also drive a modern car which has modern brakes and I have driven a Minor equipped with disc brakes but never felt the need update my own car. However, if you feel that fitting disc brakes will improve your enjoyment of the car and be financially worthwhile then I'm sure that there is no downside to doing so.
Murrayminor
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by Murrayminor »

My 1965 Minor was fitted with shocking brakes when I bought it, I changed the complete system to decent shoes and cylinders etc.
I found I could lock the front wheels when testing after fitting the new brakes.
Having said that a locked wheel is not going to slow you down so as long as the brakes are capable then for normal use drums are fine.
For peace of mind you could upgrade to discs and hold onto your drums in case you wish to revert.
Proud owner of my first Morris Minor
philthehill
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by philthehill »

If you have the 8" diameter drum brakes on the front and 7" dia drum brakes on the rear you will have more than adequate brakes for normal driving providing they are well maintained.
Unless you are going to drive hard there is little benefit to be gained from spending out on a disc brake conversion.
There is a relationship between tires and brakes and you can get to the point of the car being over braked as the tire foot print is insufficient to hold the car when the disc brakes are applied which leads to the additional expense of wider wheels and tires.
My own Minor has Marina disc brakes on the front and 8" Wolseley brakes on the rear but does not have a servo. It also has 8" wide wheels and sticky tires - when driven it is driven hard so does need the brake upgrade..

Time traveller
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by Time traveller »

pgp001 wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:59 pm Time Traveller

I see from your original post you are a Yorkshireman.......Likewise.

What part of Yorkshire are you in ?
I am in Silsden, West Yorks

Phil
I’m from near Scarborough.
kevin s
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by kevin s »

As said above good 8" drums with good quality parts will have enough stoping power, discs on the other hand need less maintainence and generay stay better balanced, also not affected by floods or fords as badly, discs do need a servo though as the drum design is self servoing.
ManyMinors
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by ManyMinors »

I wouldn't say that discs "need" a servo. In the past I have owned Austin /Morris 1100s, various Sprites and Midgets, an early Marina and an MGB all of which were fitted with disc brakes but no servo from new :wink:
philthehill
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by philthehill »

All a servo does is reduce the pressure required on the brake pedal to obtain the same pressure on the caliper pistons or wheel cylinder pistons as if no servo was fitted
When a servo is fitted it is very easy to lock up the wheels when braking hard. I have not fitted a servo to my upgraded brakes as I do like to have feel back through the brake pedal.
Feel back through the brake pedal, the steering wheel and seat of the pants to me is most important.

Chipper
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by Chipper »

I have a 1970 Traveller with the Ford Sierra/Escort ventilated discs up front, and find them a great improvement over the original 8" drums (which I kept, in case I ever wish to revert to standard).

The discs (with no servo) give excellent and easily modulated stopping power, with no fade and hardly ever need maintenance (still on the original pads after years, with little wear).

The original drums required frequent adjustment, cleaning out, new cylinders, shoes, etc, etc.

If you are going to fit discs, I would advise going for a disc kit with steel hubs, since the alloy hub ones can develop problems with the wheel bearings coming loose.

Don't forget, you'll also need to modify the master cylinder to remove the little non-return valve inside that maintains pressure on the drum brakes.
Maurice, E. Kent
(1970 Traveller)
King Kenny
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by King Kenny »

I fitted Owen Burton ford based disks in the 1990's. Vast improvement. I used my Traveller every day for work and I still have not needed new pads. Neither do I have a servo. My view is that servos do little to help on a minor and I can do without the added complexity. I feel a lot safer with the disks and they are moor reliable. It's your choice, as always, but I would say go for it.
1969 Traveller in Almond green. Owned since 1979.
kevin s
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by kevin s »

The other thing to bear in mind with discs is that they tend too move the brake balance to the rear this is not what you want, you want the fronts to lock up first, most cars with this set up will have a bias or pressure limiting valve, another option if you have converted to dual circuit is to fit a servo only to the front.
ampwhu
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by ampwhu »

I do love a drum brake v disc brake debate.

From experience, I would fit discs. Forget what people say about keeping drum brakes. They simply aren't up to the job when it comes to modern driving. I'm pretty sure no current day car manufacturers use drums on the front of their cars. That's all you need to know.

Drum brakes are a poor design and require additional checking/maintenance. Then there is brake fade. Fit discs and forget about all that stuff.

Having fitted discs 30 years or so ago, I've never fitted a servo. The cars don't need them unless you dont have strong legs. A correctly set up car with good front discs and drum rears is fine even for a 1275 powered car.

That's from experience, not what Bob said in the pub.
liammonty
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by liammonty »

ampwhu wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 6:56 pm I do love a drum brake v disc brake debate.

From experience, I would fit discs. Forget what people say about keeping drum brakes. They simply aren't up to the job when it comes to modern driving. I'm pretty sure no current day car manufacturers use drums on the front of their cars. That's all you need to know.

Drum brakes are a poor design and require additional checking/maintenance. Then there is brake fade. Fit discs and forget about all that stuff.

Having fitted discs 30 years or so ago, I've never fitted a servo. The cars don't need them unless you dont have strong legs. A correctly set up car with good front discs and drum rears is fine even for a 1275 powered car.

That's from experience, not what Bob said in the pub.
Are you suggesting that everybody else’s comments are actually the opinions of Bob? It’s perhaps a little unfair to totally disregard everyone else’s opinions. As that’s exactly what they are, whether they are yours or Bob’s :lol:
shoebone
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by shoebone »

My first Minor .. many years ago had what would now be called ABS .... Gawd knows how the kid I was, managed to stop at various junctions getting my new car home :oops: It was an old banger back then and suffered no more than .. no maintenance or very little at best. I overhauled the system, mostly replacing everything, the difference was obviously night and day and I was really chuffed to discover the handbrake now worked too, well enough to lock the rear wheels at 20mph, my point, a well maintained drum system is adequate for a sanely driven minor. My present Minor has ford discs but only because I occasionally pull a small but probably slightly overloaded trailer. :wink:
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geoberni
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by geoberni »

ampwhu wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 6:56 pm They simply aren't up to the job when it comes to modern driving. I'm pretty sure no current day car manufacturers use drums on the front of their cars. That's all you need to know.

I love it when a 'Always Fit Discs' enthusiast comes up with that statement.

If you want to do 'modern driving' then get a modern car. The brakes are of their generation, as with the rest of the vehicle.
Anyone is free to make changes to their own car if they wish, but to don't throw in the 'modern driving' argument like some sort of Trump Card.
You might as well criticise a 2010 Ford Escort for not having the performance of a 2020 Aston Martin or Ferrari because the supercar is more suitable for 'modern driving'.
You're driving what you have; you're not supposed to drive it beyond it's limitations. :roll:
Basil the 1955 series II

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ampwhu
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by ampwhu »

It's not so much 'you'll driving the car, it's the other incompetent drivers on the road. I'd rather stop quicker than have a closer encounter.

As I've said before if someone doesn't like something, it's for 2 reasons.
ampwhu
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Re: Disc brakes

Post by ampwhu »

liammonty wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 7:39 pm
ampwhu wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 6:56 pm I do love a drum brake v disc brake debate.

From experience, I would fit discs. Forget what people say about keeping drum brakes. They simply aren't up to the job when it comes to modern driving. I'm pretty sure no current day car manufacturers use drums on the front of their cars. That's all you need to know.

Drum brakes are a poor design and require additional checking/maintenance. Then there is brake fade. Fit discs and forget about all that stuff.

Having fitted discs 30 years or so ago, I've never fitted a servo. The cars don't need them unless you dont have strong legs. A correctly set up car with good front discs and drum rears is fine even for a 1275 powered car.

That's from experience, not what Bob said in the pub.
Are you suggesting that everybody else’s comments are actually the opinions of Bob? It’s perhaps a little unfair to totally disregard everyone else’s opinions. As that’s exactly what they are, whether they are yours or Bob’s :lol:
No. It's very simple to understand that discs v drums only has one winner. If you want to poodle around back lanes where there are no cars, stick to your original drum brakes. On the main roads, its different. I think people seem to forget it's not 1964 anymore. There is more traffic on the roads these days.
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