Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Handbrake Ratchet Failure?

I have a 95 +4 4 seater and the rear brakes seem to be locked on.

On further investigation it seems my handbrake ratchet no longer seems to operate.

Is this a common issue? Any idea how you get to the handbrake ratchet? It’s a R380 Gearbox so as per +8

Many thanks
Will

Search in GoMog. The link is here

Hi, Fly fisher, Are the rear brakes locked on or is the handbrake fully on! ie. is the handbrake fully working or has the mechanism had a disconnection yet the ratchet quadrant is still engaged.

So first check is does the handbrake mechanism release the cable tension. check this at the rear hoop top edge where the H/brake adjuster is.

If the cable is slack at the adjuster then rear wheels off and if both are not rotatable a nylon hammer to the drums may free off stuck shoes. If that doesn't work then remove the oval rubber bungs on the rear back plates and using a screwdriver pull the self adjusters down to release shoe pressure on the drums... GoMog will show you how.

The hand brake actuator is directly below the handbrake in the transmission tunnel and the cable runs down the length of this too, you don't describe the failure to function problem so it's difficult to assess what is happening there ie. what is the handbrake actually doing. last question is has the car been parked after being out in the wet or for any length of time with the handbrake left on?

Just as an aside, if an handbrake cable quadrant has worn and won't engage in the on position new quadrants are available. Yo can sometimes re file the teeth to improve the function but its better to buy new as access often requires a bit of work!

Yep Sewin, you are so right the removal of the tunnel is relatively straightforward forward, UNTIL you encounter MCC’s mastic goo. I had a devil of a job getting the “stuff” to release from the sound proofing. Having put it all back together using neoprene strips my guess would be a 10 min job once the seats have been removed. I have still used the wood screws as hopefully it will not be removed a lot, but a friend has used rivnuts for easy access.

I flippin' love Rivnuts, also threaded inserts for wood. I fit them wherever I can, they make life so much easier wherever there is restricted access to the far side of a fastener. You do need a decent fitting tool though to ensure they don't come loose.

I love rivnuts too! and yes you are so right in regard to the fitting tool, so many problems with Rivnuts come down to fitting them, love timber inserts as well!

I must admit I redesigned the trans tunnel/gearbox cover fitting too, after going through that removal process I certainly did not want to repeat it again! Reminded me of the battery access panel in the rear bulkhead six wood screws , who thought of that!

Probably the accounts dept, as they'll never personally have to take it back apart

So it seems to of fixed itself this morning… rear drums were free and brake and handbrake worked on the rear drums as normal.. will take it for run tomorrow and see if issues reoccur.
TIA
Will

Had it been parked wet with handbrake on ?

Sounds like it.