Morris Minor Owners Club

This may have been covered before but I can't seem to find the answers in a search. Just to make it clear I am fitting disc brakes I am just after advice on the options available.

I have a 1098 Traveller and I am not upgrading the engine so don't need massive stopping power.

I am thinking of going with the Marina kit but wondered what the advantages/disadvantages are compared to the vented ford kit?

With discs does the servo need to be connected to the front and rear or just the front?

I know the master cylinder need modifier so would I be best to buy a new one and modify that rather than the old one?

Thanks

The Marina kit has been around for a long time and seems to have a good reputation. With the smaller 1098 rear cylinders, it gives a good balance between front and rear braking effort. I don't have any data on the Ford kits, so do not know how they compare on brake balance.

Vented discs give more resistance to fade under repeated heavy braking, but it sounds like that is not where you will be?

The servo definitely needs to be connected to both front and rear brakes, otherwise the brake balance will be virtually all front biased, which is better than all rear, but not desirable. It means having a second 'T-piece' at the front to provide the connection from the servo to front and rear brakes. It also means disconnecting the existing rear brake connection and blanking off the port in the banjo fitting on the master cylinder.

Unless you know that the master cylinder is in pristine condition, as it has to come out to remove the residual pressure valve, I would replace it as well. Make sure that you get the later, smaller bore master cylinder that is standard for the 1098 braking system.

I've heard good things about the 'Mr Grumpy' conversion.

On a cost benefit analysis the Grumpy's Marina disc brake conversion is the best disc brake upgrade and is a reasonably easy to install upgrade with very few if any pitfalls when doing so.
Only if you are using the disc brakes so hard as to be approaching the fade factor constantly do you need to consider fitting vented brakes.
I have a Grumpy's Marina disc brake conversion on the front of my Minor and I am more than happy with the conversion.
As above - the recuperation valve (top hat) needs to be removed and the servo need to be effective on all four brake units.
I do not run with a servo and the stopping power for me is more than adequate.
I would suggest that if you fit disc brakes (of whatever type) you try the brakes without a servo and if you find the brake pedal pressure required excessive - retrospectively fit the servo.
The servo does not make the brakes better but reduces the effort on the brake pedal.

Thanks for the info. The servo is for the wife's benefit so will be fitting one. I had a servo on another minor and she preferred it

Generally, a different grade of pad material used to be required for servo operation, rather than non-servo. Is there a choice these days?

You definitely don't need the vented discs - and fitting a servo is not particularly easy due to the front/rear split at the master cylinder. Hope you are good at making up new pipes - and don't be tempted to use 'copper' pipes- they should be kunifer - or the original bundy tubing. Frankly - I'm sure a good overhaul of what's on the car is all you need - remember these cars were driven by 'little old ladies' and district nurses without any problems. The drum brakes will easily lock the wheels - for better stopping you need better wheels and tyres!

Thanks for the advice all, Marina discs it will be. I am replacing the brake pipes with kunifer while I am at it.

Are you getting the ESM kit GMP050? It is better than the original Marina-based conversion as it uses bearings that fit without using a sleeve on the stub axle, AND a Minor 4" PCD stud pattern.

IslipMinor wrote:Are you getting the ESM kit GMP050? It is better than the original Marina-based conversion as it uses bearings that fit without using a sleeve on the stub axle, AND a Minor 4" PCD stud pattern.

Yes thats the kit I am going to get