Spent a largely enjoyable afternoon in the garage fitting the offside new brake disc and I also planned to fit green stuff pads.
I took the caliper off and noted some weeping from it that I had not previously observed. It seems that the dust cover was "brittle" and crumbled as I touched it on one side and on the other there was a small "tear". The seals seemed largely OK.
I got one piston out with the air compressor for pumping up tires by screwing in a plastic fitting to where the brake hose would go.
The second was well and truly stuck (perhaps it's been like this for a while?), the air trick (to 150psi) would not shift it. A quick google search suggested using a grease gun. I fitted a grease nipple where the brake hose would normally go, refitted the first piston, secured it with a metal strap, c-clamps and a offcut of wood (see photo). I pumped the grease gun and the stuck piston came out.
Once the stuck piston was out with some persuasion I could pull out the other piston.
The caliper took some cleaning up but looks OK, the pistons are OK, minor pitting at the upper edge in on location on each where the chrome (?) has come off. More like a speck.
Luckily I had a caliper service kit (seals, dustcover and clip) that I won on ebay a while back. I fitted up to the piston I re-fitted to use the grease gun and seems perfect.
I have also fitted up the brake disc and refitted this to the car. I checked for "true" and it was within 2 thousands of an inch so I am quite pleased.
Tomorrow I will reassemble the caliper and fit it back up. Then for the other side!
I think it was. When I used to spin the front wheel for about 20-30 degrees of the rotation the pads would rub against the disc, I always assumed a slight warp in the disc (but never noticed at the steering wheel), perhaps it was the piston being stuck?
Frist one did - I was surprised that my "Heath Robinson" lash up worked. I have a small tire pump that runs off the car battery, so I started up the tin top, screwed in a plastic adaptor (for I guess a airbed or something) and turned on the compressor. Sounded like a shot gun when the first came free!
I guess using a grease gun makes sense when you think about what PSI they can reach....
Not piston related but brakes of the Caparo variety on a 2009 4/4 Sport. At around 20,000mls the car would tend to want to jump into the hedgerow under braking. I stripped the calipers down armed with new pads and discovered that one of the offside pads had delaminated from the steel backing plate.
A lot simpler solution than I was anticipating.
2009 4/4 Henrietta 1999 Indigo Blue +8 2009 4/4 Sport Green prev 1993 Connaught Green +8 prev
Nice work Richard! I see you have ventilated (perforated) disc! Did you ever considered other calipers, e.g. 4 piston calipers? I recently decided to upgrade my front brakes to 4 piston calipers and in addition servo assistance fitted as well. As I am not so handy as you are, my Morgan is now at my agent who will work on it during our winter. The disc themselves could remain the same!? Do you recommend other discs as well? We intend to use our Morgan more with trips outside the Netherlands, e.g. Italy and in the mountains, as the dolomites this spring.
Ruut Bianchi Morgan PlusFour 2023 Bentley Midnight Emerald Morgan 4/4 4-seater 1990 Royal Ivory
Rut, my old discs were the standard undrilled ones. A fellow Morgan owner from WA ordered these for his +8 and a drilled set for a 4/4 were delivered by mistake. The supplier sent him the correct set and I brought these without the postage costs to WA. they may make a small difference to my brake performance but I doubt a great deal.
Not piston related but brakes of the Caparo variety on a 2009 4/4 Sport. At around 20,000mls the car would tend to want to jump into the hedgerow under braking. I stripped the calipers down armed with new pads and discovered that one of the offside pads had delaminated from the steel backing plate.
You're blessed with hot weather at this time of year. It's 'brass monkeys' here. Venturing into the garage risks proking a quote from Captain Oates "I may be some time" not due to the pleasant distractions thrrein but the onslaught of hyperthermia!
