Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Centre wheel nut very hot

Has anyone tried getting the pistons converted to stainless ? If so was the cylinder life improved?
Have been thinking of getting a set made up. Mine must be about to fail again even with 2 yre fluid changes.
(Were seizing every 2 -3 yrs when car not being driven much. Now a daily driver so fingers crossed)

I just drive the car & then the seals fail. :banghead

AlyMatt, this is a photo of your drum brakes to help

The auto adjustment ratchet / pawl mechanism is situated just below the marking of Y47 you can see, there is a corresponding access hole in the backplate, pop a narrow screwdriver in & gently lever the teeth apart and it should allow the shoes to retract, otherwise the drum will be a bu66er to get off

Indeed it is becoming ever more common in trads. When I was last at Techniques, James was saying that rear wheel cylinders have almost become a service item for cars that are not being used for long periods.Expensive too at MMC prices.

The issue is made much worse if the handbrake is applied during these periods of rest , because the exposed part of the pistons corrodes and eventually won't slide inside the cylinder , stainless sleeves will obviously help here, and this is the route I would take rather than stainless pistons. Leave the car in gear , or with chocks if it is not being used.

I now back off the adjustors, remove the drums and have a good look at the cylinders at each service. I also find it is worthwhile to deglaze the shoes lightly. I inspect the pistons for any sign of corrosion and use brake grease on the exposed metal surfaces under the rubber caps.

In light cars like ours the rear brakes do not provide much of the stopping power, so the pistons don't move much at the best of times (competition cars excepted of course) so it pays to keep a watchful eye on them.

On my android phone no signatures show even on desktop if you're signed in. If I'm not signed in they do show!

Excellent advice from Andy as always, but this bit always amuses me when I see it. It's standard advice, I see it a lot, but I do find myself wondering just how many Morgans are kept in garages with sloping floors? All our cars just sit in the garage in neutral with the handbrake off, I've never noticed them rolling anywhere

Obvs for those that have to live outside parked on a hill, it's different kettle of poissons. In gear with the front wheels pointing downhill and turned towards the kerb would get my vote.

Depends how free rolling the car is Tim. I lowered mine from ramp onto scaffold boards, themselves on laid concrete garage floor (essentially flat) and it promptly rolled backwards somewhat to my surprise

That's very strange Gordon. Can only imagine it's some privacy setting on your account causing it to only happen when signed in?

There's a bit in 'Preferences' where you can select if you see signatures or not.

Many thanks for the picture and further advice, it will be interesting to see what the issue is as the car had been regularly used (at least once/week) since new and always left chocked and handbrake off at home) with 10k miles over the 2 and a half years since new..