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

You are a fine engineer Phil, how about designing a disc brake conversion for the rear?

Having dealt with a stuck brake cylinder piston in the rear brake of my machine (2nd time in it's 8 years life) I would really like to avoid dealing with the drum unit again.

As much as I hate to quote other websites....

https://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/APBRAKES.html#SAFETY

The rear drum setup is the same as the trad 4 wheelers, which means that the rear disc conversion I manufacture and sell for those, “should” fit...albeit only half of the kit will be needed

There is so much engine braking available you don't need to use the brakes that much, there have been several times when travelling in convoy on Swiss passes the car behind tells me my brake lights are not working, they are working it is simply I don't feel the need use the brakes if you are in the right gear. After 28000 miles my brakes are hardly worn at all.

The grey light of dawn is such a revealing environment! Even if one made the pitch of the ratchet greater it would still drop over to the next tooth if it was nearly ready to do so - no fix there then. I will be talking to Simon about his disc conversion asap!

Phil the M3W was originally designed with a rear disc brake, and I think a narrow drive belt, but as I understand it MMC then went to a wider belt which presented clearance issues and as result switched to a rear drum which allowed them to move the wheel over.

...they moved the wheel over a bit with the silver hubs to allow the drum brake vs the originally planned disc but the alignment did not work reliably hence the need for all of us with early cars to move to the black hub with the wheel positioned to manage the various trade-offs - alpha/beta testers unite!!

Look forward to hearing how the disc conversion might work

As usual, good sleuthing and analysis Phil! Rear brake overheating happened to a friend, we think due to a heavy map book sliding off his bag (which was in the passenger footwell) and resting against the handbrake lever. He also experienced the heart-stopping pedal to the floor moment. On that occasion we smelt the unmistakable odour of overheating friction material so left everything to cool down for 20 minutes or so before continuing our journey with trepidation. We didn't really understand what had happened at the time but did relocate the offending map book as a precaution. There was no reoccurance although the brake fluid was replaced fairly soon afterwards.

Incidently, I drove with a seized slave cylinder (and corresponding lack of rear braking) for quite a while without realising anything was amiss (until it was picked up at the next MOT). Therefore, I would just remind anyone who has stripped down the rear brake drum to add a smear of red 'rubber' grease around the slave cylinder pistons before reassembly. They are rather prone to rusting up, especially if driven irresponsibly.

Will you be marketing your "water cooled braking system" any time soon Andy???

Those of us that only do “dry miles” have had to lie down.

I may have only used my brakes a hand full of times doing the 11 mile "tail of the dragon".... Shifting is what makes driving the M3W fun!