Brake help needed....

Posted: May-21-2008 09:27AM

if the car has disks  I have seen excess rotor out of true  keep knocking  back the pads  which means everytime you put your foot on the pedal it pushes them forward,    i would in order

bleed the brakes real well ,    check for disk runout, check all  cyclinders and pistons are free and moving back and forth ( remove drums /wheels and press pedal and release the brake pad/shoe should move out and come back .  then adjust rear brakes )( easy way to check rear brake adjustment is pull on hand brake slightly if peddle gets better your rears are too far backed out ).

Posted: May-21-2008 08:32AM

Hey Todd, you are an inspiration.

I have a 73 Canadian 1000 which has had the same problem you described. I have been chasing it for years. I got used to funky brakes but will try again with the notes I took on Moffet's  suggestions and the others. I have taken notes on this topic which has been posted many time, some with great photo's of the 'correct' layout of the shoe's on the backplate. I think this will be my fourth attempt and with your success, I should be able to get it too. Once and for all. Nice brakes are, well, nice.

Todd

Portland Oregon 

Posted: May-15-2008 07:59PM

I had the exact same symptoms a couple weeks ago and through the help from the guys on this site, I just finished fixing it tonight! (Special thanks to Dan Moffet?)  I have a '66 Austin Cooper-S.  One of my rear wheel cylinders was corroded and the piston wouldn't return home.  This caused my shoes on that wheel to wear so even with the adjuster I couldn't get rid of the problem.  I replaced both rear wheel cylinders (you will need a circlip pliers to install the new ones) and brake liners and springs.  I ended up replacing the metal pipe between the flexible hose and the wheel cylinder too because mine were so corroded the fittings would not release but instead twisted and broke the pipe.  Additionally, one of the new wheel cylinders had "defective" threads and stripped out when I tightened the bleed nipple, but Mini Mania was good about exchanging it, just lost another week in time.  I bled all four brakes tonight.  There was a time when pumping the pedal produced no bubbles or fluid at one of the rear brakes, but I switched to the other one and all went well.  Had to go back to the first one and it worked fine. 

I am only a "shade tree mechanic" wanna-be, so if I can do it, I bet you could too.  Only problem (at least in my case) is the mini will be up on blocks for two weeks waiting for parts and time to put it all together.   Really a great sense of accomplishment to feel them work correctly on my hot lap around the block tonight!

Thanks again to those who took time to offer advice to me a couple weeks ago!

Todd (in Southern Idaho) 

Posted: May-15-2008 09:47AM

Make it idiot proof, and someone will make a better idiot....

Posted: May-15-2008 06:49AM

Try adjusting the rear drums.

willy

Posted: May-14-2008 07:45PM

Hello. I am located in Simi Valley (CA 93063) and having a bit of issue with my 67 mini brakes.

 I decided to daily drive it the next few months, and give the other toys a rest. I am doing 65 miles round trip with it daily. As I am on freeway speeds, and exit, the brake pedal goes quite "deeper" to the floor than previously (from memory).

 If I release the pedal, and press on it RIGHT AWAY, then it the pedal doesn't go down as much as the first push.

 Car has front disks.

 Any of you local people can lend me a hand and help out? Or any where local I can have it checked?

I work in Camarillo, CA