Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing brake failure

Same on my 4/4!

Next time I'll think about to let rework the rear cylinder with ssteel pistons.

I read somewhere about a british company that does this work. Anyone who tried this before?

Regards Bernd

Bernd, I think it's the cylinders that they reline with stainless from memory.
I haven't done it myself but maybe someone on here has.

I was unable to obtain a replacement for the brake master cylinder of my Midas GT. The original was an AP Racing tandem dual circuit cylinder, made for Hillman Imps and Sunbeam Stilettos. AP racing said they had had a really good search round their stocks and could not find any and the computer was listing "no stock", plus they would not be making any more. I used a company called Past Parts to bore and reline the original cylinder with stainless steel. It was not cheap and from memory, around £100 or maybe a bit more and that was 13 years ago. http://www.pastparts.co.uk/index.php?route=common/home

Wilson

I had to replace the rear cylinders in my 85 as well. Did not feel a bit of change in the pedal as it was only the left one actually leaking.
MOT showed no brake force on the rear left...

So the two circuits did what the should.

This has been worrying me. I didn't see any warning light, even with the braking system clearly not working as it should. I must say, I haven't been in the habit of paying close attention to which warning lights illuminate when I turn the ignition on. I know the handbrake light works, as do the ignition/battery, high-beam and turn-signal telltales. It will certainly be part of the diagnosis and repair process to check the switch circuit and the warning lamp as well. It might have saved a bit of adrenaline if I'd had some sort of warning that all was not well.

The things you learn with hindsight...

There's no annual roadworthiness check analagous to an MOT here. I carry out a nose-to-tail inspection in the spring after the car's winter semi-hibernation, and a good shake-down road test to make sure everything's behaving as it should, but after this episode I think I need to cultivate more closely my relationship with a local garage, who may be inclined to allow me to use their brake rollers every once in a while...

I'm now worried that I must have missed early warning signs of impending failure. Did I not notice a low fluid level? Was there a warning light that I missed? Was I oblivious to increasing sponginess in the pedal? This whole episode has caused a bit of a self-examination of my somewhat lackadaisical "if it ain't broke don't fix it" approach to maintenance. Moggo's fist comment on this thread, while my first thought was that it was unnecessarily harsh, has made me stop and think

For older (40+ years old) cars e.g. my 1977 911 RSR, an annual MOT Test is no longer a requirement and one can "self-certify" as being in roadworthy condition. I can do most of this myself but I will still be visiting my very friendly local MOT station, to pay for a brake effort test. They picked up a few years ago, that the handbrake, which works on small drums in the middle of the large ventilated back rotors, was only working on one wheel. This was due to a severely kinked cable (probably hit by a rock on a gravel rally road.

Wilson

I would have agreed with Moggo if this had not happened to Me. It happened in My DHC brake pedal went to the floor. About 30 miles from a town I could get help. I was in the desert of Eastern Washington on a remote road. No traffic. I did as You did and nursed the DHC using the engine brake and hand brake until I came to the town limits and a used car lot. A salesman called a mechanic, the mechanic came to get me with a trailer, fed Me lunch, I paid for it and found a brake pipe fitting that I had been monkeying with for some reason that was fractured. I neglected to ask the mechanic what I did wrong? Just paid Him and got on My way I was late.

On the ramp at the Mot, the front to back brake pipe on my Gilbern split wide open.

The gearlever remote was just touching it, and on the road, that would have been nasty. That's why old cars need testing.

My MGB put all the fluid from the master cylinder into the servo. No white smoke, and the pedal went to the floor as I backed up the drive.

Another guardian angel moment.