Hello All,

After 40 years of wanting one, I have just bought a '94 4/4 1800. It's every bit as good as I imagined and I can't stop grinning. However, the fly-off handbrake defeats me. I know how it should work but I seem to have to push it forward to release it and it does not "catch" on hard enough to hold the car on a slope. Any advise would be appreciated.

Welcome to the forum Punch.
First of all, without touching the button on the top, will the lever move freely fore & aft? It should feel the same as doing this with a conventional handbrake with the button held in. You should be able to feel the return pressure from the brake linings.

If it's not reasonably free then you need to look at the base of the lever and lubricate it. This should be possible from underneath with the car jacked up and secured safely. You should be able to see the base by looking down the side of the gearbox. You can also get at it by lifting the tunnel from the inside, but that's a longer job.

The second issue is whether or not the cable is partly seized. Look at the handbrake levers on the (rear axle) backplates and make sure they are free and lubricated. If possible, get somebody to pull the handbrake lever on and off while you look at what happens at the backplates. If there's a grease nipple on the cable, grease it or oil it. If that doesn't solve it, then either the cable will need replacing, or the ratchet at the base of the handbrake is worn and needs replacing.

Good luck.

Thanks Dave, I will try your suggestions tomorrow. There doesn't seem to be any 'feel' in the lever at all, so it may need lubricating. The car is still under gaurantee so if it becomes more than a lubrication issue, I will get it sorted by the garage. However, it will be good to look underneath and see how it works for future reference.

Punch
This is the bottom of my handbrake lever...(05 Roadster)...mounted on the nearside of the centreline.
You can see how simple it is. The bracket is bolted to the chassis, and there's a return spring. Just above the spring you can see the cable, and the switch is for the handbrake on dash light. Yours may vary slightly, being a bit older.



I'd forgotten about the lever return spring. If the cable is sticky, when you take the handbrake off, the cable will bow out instead of returning down the outer.

Hi Punch,

welcome to the forum,

first off Morgan hand brakes are all rubbish, I've driven hundreds and there not to be trusted, ALWAYS and without fail leave the car in gear when parked.

Having said that the handbrake should work better than you describe. It sounds like either the cable needs adjusting up or your handbrake pawl (toothed rachet bit that the lever locks into) may be worn, this is normally due to incorrect application of the handbrake.

When applying the handbrake, pull the lever towards you, then and only then push the button down, if you pull the lever towards you with the button pressed this results in premature wear on the pawl. To relise the handbrake just pull the lever towards you and it should release (fly off !), it may need to be pushed forward gently to get it all the way forward into the off/rest position.

If you are adjusting the cable the nuts on the adjuster are Whitworth, and do it with the wheels off the floor so you can check that the rear wheels still spin freely when you've finished.

hope this helps

Jim

P.s. your not married to a Judy are you ?

Welcome to the Forum, Punch.

Just to add my Ha'peth. It was recommended to me not to leave the Handbrake on when garaged at home for any length of time. Both of our Mogs have been young so I hav'nt experienced any brake problems so far (touch wood).
The 'Fly Off' Handle is great once you get used to it (provided it works properly.
Low mileage cars of some age often suffer from sticking parts due to lack of use. If yours fits that bill then it may be worth getting the whole brake system independently checked over. I found our 1st year old low mileage 4/4 went like a rocket but it felt under braked at times.

Welcome Punch,

And once you've sorted those problems out, don't forget to periodically check the button on top of the handbrake lever is screwed down tight.

More than once I've pulled the brake lever to release the handbrake, only to watch the button fly off into the passenger footwell

When sorted, the handbrake is quite capable of holding the car on a reasonably steep hill for hill starts etc. However, as it's the fly-off type, what Jim says is correct - always park in gear.

Enjoy the Morgan...

Cheers,

Lots of good information - looks like I've found a good forum.

Dave, thanks for the photos - I have had a quick look underneath today (raining) and access is more restricted than I thought. I will get it up on ramps as soon as weather permits for a better look.

Jim & Frank, thanks for the operation tips. It is low mileage (7000)so it may be 'stiction' I suppose. No, I'm not married to Judy (Jackie is the better half). Punch is an old (RAF) nickname!

Graham, thanks for the tip. I've checked the button on top of the lever and it is screwed on ok.

Can anyone suggest a workshop manual for future reference?

You won't find a Morgan Workshop Manual as such
You can get very basic info from the owner's handbook If there wasn't one with the car, then try this and other sites, people may be able to help you ith a scanned/ photocopied version. Also, if you take a look at the Brands Hatch Morgans site there are some copies set out there.

You will get info from any Workshop Manual for the relevant Ford car(s) which uses your engine and some similar anciliaries ( eg Haynes series on Escorts etc) but remember that MMC will have sourced a lot of items from other makes and models. (Just to give a simple example, the steering wheel cowl on my 2000 4/4 is a Land Rover part and you may well find many other Austin Rover or BL parts such as wiper motors)

Another useful source is:

http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/allmorgan.html

Last, but by no means least, take a look at the 'How to' threads by Dave W on this site ( Mr Wellings is not paying me commission to say that- he's from Yorkshire!)

Hope this helps

G

Although I was born in Yorkshire, my maternal roots are in Nottinghamshire. My paternal roots are in Herefordshire, so God forbid I may be part Welsh and related to Gerwyn.............

Another good reason for not paying commission..... HA!