Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 M3W rear brake

While changing out the rear tire, I thought I'd take the opportunity to do other service and cosmetic work "while I'm there".

One of the things I've found is the rear drum brake has a manual adjuster. Not a big deal as I've dealt with these before. But the access slot for the adjuster is not at all accessible once the wheel is installed as the swing arm is in the way. Further, the access slot is mostly blocked by the alloy anti rotation arm for the rear drum, so the adjuster does not appear to be readily accessible even when the wheel is off the swing arm. Though it does appear it MAY be possible to tweak the adjuster with a cleverly bent screwdriver with the wheel off the swing arm, though to get a decent adjustment the spindle shaft would have to be installed and the wheel/hub mocked up to simulate running conditions.

Has anyone else figured out a way to get the brakes properly adjusted after a total disassembly?

The photo below shows the access slot for the adjuster. You can see the alloy anti rotation arm behind the backplate.

Wow, do Morgan dealers have a special tool? I am getting ready to change the rear tire to something more winter appropriate so I am sure this will be staring at me as well.

It's a self-adjusting mechanism, so just set it to minimum shoe diameter before fitting back into the drum and re-fitting the wheel. A couple of pushes on the brake pedal gets it back to where it should be. It would be handy to be able to release it before trying to get the brake out of the drum but this does tend to be a case of wiggling it till the shoes pass the lip that forms on the edge of the drum friction surface. It helps to clean this small lip off each time before re-assembly.

I know nothing about M3Ws but I have seen that oval slot in the past on cars. It looks like an inspection slot to check wear on brake shoes without dismantling the drum.

Ah, thanks, Calum. After some study I see the purpose of the top cross link and spring, seen in this photo. It appears this may be actuated by the handbrake movement, the actuating lever of which is hidden behind the rear (right) shoe.

Calum did a very good set of instructions for changing the rear hub a few years ago and this includes information on the rear brake as well.

https://www.mtwc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/M3W-Rear-Hub-and-Sprocket.compressed.pdf

The rear brake shoes are not the same thickness from new. It's easy to think that there is a lot of wear from a binding brake but this is not the case.