Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi Everyone! Hope all are well. I was hoping to ask some advice if I may….

I have a fairly stock-standard 1958 Morris 1000 that’s recently developed some fairly scary brake issues. When pressing the peddle, the car pulls pretty strongly to the right, to the point where yesterday the front right tyre locked (and screeched!) and almost slewed the car around! Like I said, pretty scary!

OK, it’s not the drums, coz my dad adjusted them properly last weekend, and the brake pads look fine also. There’s no brake fluid leaking down the inside of the tyres, or onto the ground that I can see. Dad said to ‘scrub’ the brakes whilst driving as it could’ve been a bit of grease or something on the drums. That seemed to work for a while. Now the car is still pulling right though - although not when the brakes are very gently applied - there’s a slight metallic rubbing noise when the brakes are applied, and they’ve started to squeak, which they’ve never done before.

My dad thinks that it’s a case of the front left not braking and all the load being transferred to the right, although he hasn’t had a chance to look at it yet though. Does anyone have any ideas/advice? I would really appreciate it! I’m not the most comfortable of drivers, and it’s kinda freaky driving the car right now

Thanks and have a great day! Nell.

The front left hand cylinder(s) may have seized - I wouldn't risk driving it like that if I were you. You need to take the drums off and have a look at the condition of all the slave cylinders and shoes.

Hey, thanks for that! Dad says it'll be the first thing he checks over the weekend...

Exactly - I agree it seems as if the left front is not doing any work. Best plan is the renewal of all 4 front wheel brake cylinders and fit a new set of brake shoes (not 'pads' - unless the car has been fitted with discs ??). This will give you brand new brakes at the front for what in modern car maintenance cost terms will be very little indeed. Then - I would advise doing the same at the rear - new cylinders and shoes - now you have excellent 'new' brakes all round. No more worries there, for a while!

I'm with bmcecosse with regard to the cylinders. I had a similar problem with an imbalance and the car pulling to the right. Found the LH cylinders seized and renewed them. This did not completely fix the problem, so then renewed RH cylinders, they were almost seized, hey presto - straight line braking.
If you renew the shoes just be aware they take a few miles of use to bed in to the drums giving the odd anxious moment!

yep sounds like sticky or seized cylinders

If it pulls to the right then the left hand front brake is suspect. Go for at least a mile ride, stop the car,leave it for at least five minutes (for the heat to
soak into the front wheel), and then feel the two front wheel centres. If one
side is very much hotter than the other then it is that side which is failing due
to brake fade caused by the excessive heat. Several of us have had this
problem which is caused by the wheel cylinders not returning properly to their rest position. In most cases renewing just the wheel cylinder rubbers did NOT
cure the problem and the only cure was to fit new wheel cylinders. This was after checking/changing flexible hoses, brake shoe springs etc.

The 'fading' thing usually shows as an initial pull to one side, then as heat builds up in the good brake, and it fades, the car then pulls the other way! The answer is all new cylinders and shoes - and clean up the drums of course. Cost - minimal.

Or fit discs

Pete

Thankyou so much everyone! Sorry I haven't replied sooner but I've had a big few days working the Robbie Williams concert up here in Brisbane. I really appreciate the advice and it's very reassuring to know I'm not alone with these problems! All the best, and I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and a happy New Year.

bmcecosse wrote:The 'fading' thing usually shows as an initial pull to one side, then as heat builds up in the good brake, and it fades, the car then pulls the other way!

Ah-ha! So that's what it is! Wifey's Trav has been pulling to one side at the start of the journey, then balancing out after I brake regularly for the first part of the journey.

For the life of me I couldn't think of why it could randomly pull one way or the other. Ta muchly.

The 'fit discs' idea is all very well - but not exactly minimal cost or easy - although the thread on Polo discs does offer a less expensive way forward. Discs of course are not immune to pistons sticking and brakes 'pulling' either !