Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Rear Brake Shoes

How many miles or kilometers do the brake pads of the rear drum brakes last approximately? Say on a 4/4.

On a 4/4, unless it's used for racing or extremely hard driving, they will last a very long time indeed. I would conservatively reckon to replace every 10 years / 50k miles / 80k Km, but they would probably last twice that so long as they don't get contaminated and are adjusted properly. I last changed mine in 2011 and they were absolutely fine when I checked them this winter.

This are my drum brakes left side. The right side looks like the same.
https://www.tm-img.com/images/2020/04/12/20200412_0905221.jpg

Now with 20.000 km the second time corrosion on the Cylinder.
Never drove in wet conditions, because in Spain we have nearly no rain. LOL
I really confused to be honest. I guess when I want to fix the breaks, I have to replace all components. Maybe also the drum. Have to measure it.
That’s why I thinking about change to disc. I am still not Shure, if I will give the drums a third chance.

Thank you for the Link Graham.
Maybe i will take at first the cylinder out of the break and have a closer look to the Pistons.

Thanks for the info, Hamwich. My question was intuitive because my son and I have been doing all the inspections ourselves for years and I always hear that the drum brakes don't need to be checked very often if they are working properly. But mine are getting 80.000 km old now, so it's worth a closer look.

Dani, I would join the camp that says that 4/4 rear disc brakes are too strong and complicated to install and also complicated in brake balance. This is of course based on my experience that I never had any trouble with my drum brakes. But one thing was very obvious, we bled the brakes in autumn with new brake fluid. It was astonishing how much air was in the rear right of the system and how much better controlled the brakes worked afterwards.

Agree with above. My 2011 +4 at 34,000 miles had a minimum thickness of 2.9mm.
Regards Dani’s issue, to prolong brake cylinder life, changing of brake fluid every couple of years probably helps. Also regular use? (20,000 km over 9 years, i.e. a little over 1000 miles a year, suggests the car is often sitting idle. That’s how things seize up!

Its true the first owner drove just a few km. Now I have the car since nearly 2 years and I drove it 14.000 km. The brake liquid is changed after the last change of cylinders. I have all tools to do Break service things also a checking tool for water in the brake fluid.
But they are rusty again. Nothing else is rusty. The car is always indoor never used the car in rain. Maybe that’s the problem. It’s a British car and it has to be used in Rain. LOL
I really don’t know. The Original Drum break is so huge. I guess it’s from a Little truck
Called Ford transit or not?. So, a little calliper will break stronger?
For the drum break I think the problem is the not existing quality of Metal of the cylinder
Pistons. Ok I can buy some stainless-steel inserts.
But also, the self-adjusting mechanisms is just cheap. I found in the web. That I have to grind there 0,5mm off.
Still I am not Sure what to do. Now I found the pricings of new drums (I think, I need them)
Each 200 GBP + VAT WHAT! + +++ and I am near to the disc swap.

You have to remove the interior of the car to fit the new handbrake cables, when you swap to disc brakes...

It adds significantly to the labour time and cost

Simon@sifab.co.uk
Sifabtemporary @gmail.com

The Gomog remedy for sticky brakes worked on my brakes , mark the rod as the article states and file to your mark, Try 0.5 mm
, don't go mad .

That’s for sticking handbrake of course and isn’t going to address rusty slave cylinders.