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 Posted: Oct 1, 2018 10:06AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mediumcool
I am a sponge when it comes to learning the old Minis and I appreciate the advice!
I am assuming you are referring to the lug nuts.

 
yes

 Posted: Oct 1, 2018 09:40AM
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I am a sponge when it comes to learning the old Minis and I appreciate the advice!
I am assuming you are referring to the lug nuts.

 

 Posted: Oct 1, 2018 08:02AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mediumcool
That is excellent instruction, thank you. I am pretty good with a wrench, but just like to be prepared before-hand.
I am more used to American "Star-Wheels".
I do have a 5/16" standard wrench, but am careful.
Not directly related to this thread, but since you are more used to American cars, do note that the wheel nut torque setting really is as low as the manual says. Don't over-tighten!

My apologies if you already knew this...

 Posted: Oct 1, 2018 07:57AM
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That is excellent instruction, thank you. I am pretty good with a wrench, but just like to be prepared before-hand.
I am more used to American "Star-Wheels".
I do have a 5/16" standard wrench, but am careful.

 Posted: Oct 1, 2018 07:42AM
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GB
Quote:
Originally Posted by mediumcool
So it is alright if the wheel can only be spun by hand one revolution before it stops?
In other words, after I make the 1/4 turn adjustments and feel the flat spot I spin the wheel
and let it go on its own until it stops at one Rev? Then after both rears are complete, adjust the
hand brake?
Essentially yes - I would recommend completely slackening off the handbrake cable as well before you start, to ensure that it is not interfering with the shoes.  Pre-load on the handbrake can cause a long brake pedal.

 Posted: Oct 1, 2018 07:14AM
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See DkLawson's post on the 21st.

 Posted: Sep 30, 2018 09:54PM
 Edited:  Sep 30, 2018 09:55PM
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So it is alright if the wheel can only be spun by hand one revolution before it stops?
In other words, after I make the 1/4 turn adjustments and feel the flat spot I spin the wheel
and let it go on its own until it stops at one Rev? Then after both rears are complete, adjust the
hand brake?

 Posted: Sep 30, 2018 08:08PM
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GB
At the rear the adjusters are simple screw-in to tighten - clockwise on both.  As it starts to get tight you'll know instantly what we mean about going one flat or 1/4 turn at a time, and you'll feel the reistance drop off as you wiggle the spanner to find the flat spot.
(Front drums are a bit trickier).

 Posted: Sep 30, 2018 03:56PM
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Does it matter if I turn the adjuster clockwise or counter clockwise to adjust the shoes in closer to the drum to compensate for the wear?

Also, how will I know when the cone is seated in the right position? These are the two mysteries that occur to me when I get under the old '68.

 Posted: Sep 30, 2018 02:47PM
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GB
If you don't go the full 1/4 turn and settle the adjuster on the flat of the taper it WILL back off again, seen it many times.  Setting the cone on the cant will work short term though.


Hopefully the picture will help you assimilate what's going on inside the drum - as you screw the cone inwards it pushes the tappets and the brake shoes out closer to the drum.

 Posted: Sep 29, 2018 09:07PM
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My slight adjustment with the shoes coupled with the slight adjustment of the two hand-brake cables resulted in better braking and an E-brake that holds with three clicks. 

What works, works.

I thank you all! 

 Posted: Sep 26, 2018 06:18AM
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CA
Quote:
Originally Posted by h_lankford
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Moffet
Harvey: I believe you. It may also have been a sticking brake cable.
Dan, my mini stays in a level garage. I never leave the parking brake on there, just leave it in gear.
Harvey, I did say I believed you! Your experience with Minis tells me you'd know what you are writing about. I was just relating a similar story.

  My garage is also dead level. However, I do use the handbrake every time on all our vehicles. I ascribe to the theory of keeping things moving so they don't stiffen up. The lady I referred to probably didn't use her's enough and it got stiff with lack of use. (I think she admitted so.)

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Sep 26, 2018 04:40AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by h_lankford
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Moffet
Harvey: I believe you. It may also have been a sticking brake cable.
Dan, my mini stays in a level garage. I never leave the parking brake on there, just leave it in gear.
I also never use a parking brake, the area I live in is on an ancient ocean bed and is mostly flat as can be. But it sure is important if you only have a single circuit brake system, as a last chance to get the car stopped.

 Posted: Sep 25, 2018 03:07PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Moffet
Harvey: I believe you. It may also have been a sticking brake cable.
Dan, my mini stays in a level garage. I never leave the parking brake on there, just leave it in gear.

 Posted: Sep 25, 2018 02:21PM
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That makes sense Dan. As I mentioned earlier, That first drive home, I was so pre-occupied with the carb adjustment and dealing with the typical behavior a decades old car exhibits after sitting for months, I left the hand brake on several miles before noticing it. I guess I'll need to get new drums at some point. For now the rear brakes seem to work a little better and I do not feel any pulsating. I think like most drum brake set ups, the front brakes do most of the work. The weird thing is, I felt no drag going forward with the handbrake on, but I smelled burning rubber. Needless to say I feel I know a lot more about this classic Mini than I did on day one. I took 4 years auto shop in high school and my first job was a used car mechanic. I have had old American classics and built them from rusted hulks so that was just a rookie mistake made by me, an over-confident and forgetful old fart.  

 Posted: Sep 25, 2018 01:59PM
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CA
Harvey: I believe you. It may also have been a sticking brake cable. When we lived in an apartment with a large parking structure, as we were getting to our car, we could hear a continuous tire squeal approaching us. The VW Rabbit stopped near us for the garage door to open and the car was very reluctant to move. I spoke to the driver, telling her she was dragging a wheel. She had left it parked with the handbrake applied. I told her to pull up as hard as she could on it and then release it. That "cracked" the stuck cable free and she was able to drive. I advised her to not use it again until she got it seized.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Sep 25, 2018 01:49PM
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It may not be apparent to a first-timer, but the working end of the adjuster is a square-ish pyramid shape with the edges rounded off. To do the adjustment properly, it needs to be a multiple of quarter turns so the shoes rest on the flat sides, not on rounded edges.
The "swoosh-swoosh" sound indicates your brake drum is not perfectly round. One cause of this is leaving  the handbrake on while the brakes were hot. It souldn't be much of a concern unless you feel pulsation or judge when braking.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Sep 25, 2018 09:25AM
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When i jacked up the '68 and rolled the rear wheel (I did one side at a time), each wheel made a "shoop.....shoop" sound and the wheel stopped after about two and a half revolutions. Shoop....shoop meaning drum contact, then no contact, then contact. 

The adjuster nut is in perfect, albeit slightly rusty condition so that tells me no novice ever adjusted the brakes. I bought a 5/16" wrench and used that. However i could not get the wheels to stop after a half turn so i left it alone so I would not get in over my head with the adjusting.

The rule of thumb seems to be you should not have to turn the nut but slightly. Then I adjusted up the hand brake and after three clicks it now holds. Sorry to sound like an idiot, i am a pretty good "spannerist" otherwise.

Any thoughts on this? 

 Posted: Sep 21, 2018 05:38PM
 Edited:  Sep 22, 2018 04:53AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mediumcool
I need to sand down my rear shoes on the '68. When I first drove it home I left the hand brake on and there was little drag, but the smell of burning rubber stamp (I used to work in a print shop) commenced until after a couple of miles before I let off the hand brake. I'm not an idiot, but felt like one at that moment. The brakes had been professionally replaced five years hence and the car was barely driven after that. 

I will use 80 grit and readjust after the sand-off. Does my '68 Austin Mini (not a Cooper) have any sensitivities I need to be aware of other than just turning the adjusters? Do I positively need to turn the drums and what would indicate they need turning again if they were turned at the last brake replacement?

I had something happen like this last year that was caused by rear brakes shoe material swelling while the car sat in an unheated humid garage for one month. 

It was so tight that I had to power the car out of the garage dragging the rear wheel, one worse than the other.

I backed off the adjustment 3 or 4 notches. Later, when the weather dried out, I rechecked the rear brakes. They were as loose as could be, so I re-tightened them back to where they originally were. It happened again with another humid /rainy spell. I have had to leave them a looser than the usual adjustment recommendation because of this. 

Some of you may not believe this story.

 Posted: Sep 21, 2018 05:20PM
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And remember that "adjusted" does not mean free spinning.  You want to adjust the rear brakes until they lock, then back off one "click" at a time until you can hear a bit of brake drag and when you try to spin the roadwheel it should stop in a little over one revolution.  Leaving the shoes loose will result in excessive pedal travel.

Doug L.

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