Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Plus 4 2011 handbrake locked on.

After not using my 2011 plus 4 for 6 days I found that I couldn't back it out of the garage. I think the hand brake has jammed on. The engine started fine but wouldn't budge it.
Has anyone any suggestions of where to start on fixing the situation. Thanks John

Sometimes if the brakes are wet/damp when the car is garaged the brake shoes/pads will stick on.

For that reason I always leave my mog in gear and hand brake off. Wooden block also placed behind wheel just to be safe.

If it is this and its drums, then it's wheels off and tap the drum whilst applying a turning action with a lever.

If it's pads (and you could try this with drums but I have known it to cause damage) it's brut force with revs and clutch.

This happens every time with the Plus 8: the discs rust and the pads stick to the disks.

As has been suggested, a little gentle use of power, rocking the car, preferably with so that the car is being driven towards the exit and not the wall...!

And yes, never leave the handbrake on when the brakes are wet. As advised, leave the car in gear, again in either reverse or first, depending on which way you park the car in the garage.

I am fortunate in that my garage floor is flat, so I have no need to put either the handbrake on nor leave it in gear - which makes it handy for nudging the car forward or back a bit if I need to.

As has been suggested, it is probably your pads sticking to the front discs. I continually had this problem with my 4/4. I've resorted at times reversing out of the garage with locked front wheels until the pads released with a bang!
I got to the stage where I would go into the garage every day and rock the car back and forth to stop them sticking.
Changing the discs and pads on the Roadster means I don't have the problem any more, the discs don't corrode, but it's an expensive solution.

This does not only occur with Morgans. The rear brake shoes (rear drum) on our daughters Renaut Clio stuck on after washing the car. Only noticed when starting to drive off but this sheared the brake lining from the shoe, jamming internally. Car would not move and could not get the drum off. had to get it collected and taken to garage.

In my view, not enough is made of this problem (for any car) and routine parking of our cars on the drive (which is level) is now with handbrake off but in gear (1st or reverse). Morgan is in garage with wood block behind rear wheel.

Cleaning the cars has to be done on a slope and handbrake is on then - but pads on discs on cars have also stuck on - released by very gently rocking back and forward. Often releasing with an almighty bang!

Every Morgan is different, but most cars have the hand brake working on the rear wheels?

Another common way of breaking the lock on the drums is to jack the car up at the rear with hand brake off obviously then to quickly remove the pressure from the hydraulic jack so it descends quickly the weight of the car is more than a tap on the drum with a mallet a couple of times should be enough

After washing drive the car a very short distance at low speed while applying the brakes with your left foot. This will dry the discs and drums. Park with the handbrake off.
Don.

I look forward to checking these out in the morning.
I do recall washing the car last time I used it too. We had just completed a 5000k trip to the far north of New Zealand and back from Queenstown. It needed a good wash. The Morgan performed admirably and we intend repeating it again next year.
Thanks guys.