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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - 1500 handbrake adjusting

My car failed it's MOT on parking brake lever has no reserve travel. It is the last job to do now to get it through the retest but when I went to adjust it today thinking a 5 minutes job. How wrong I could be it is adjusted to the Max already. The best I could get the hanbrake to work on was about 7 clicks. Does this mean I need a new cable?
n Allen

Are the rear brakes shoes properly adjusted?
Dave O'Neill 2

Yes That was one of the first things I did
n Allen

Do you have the early 1500 set-up with a compensator and two rods, or the later type with the cable going directly to the wheels?
Dave O'Neill 2

is your 1500 handbrake the early one with 2 rods off a pivot on the axle, or the late one with a cable to the LH side and a single rod across to the right?
David Smith

David, you need to type a bit faster!
Dave O'Neill 2

It is the late one with the single rod
n Allen

I am interested in this question too.

I have the late 1500 signal rod hand brake too.

I just rebuilt the brakes all around. The shoes are adjusted so that the wheels just spin free of the when I back off of the adjusters.

If I move the bolts down on the threaded rod of the emergency brake(move the rod closer to the front of the car)the back wheels will no longer spin freely.

Ken
K Samen

The rod is too long to give enough adjustment. I ordered 2 cables and they were both as bad.

If you take the cable assembly back off, cut the rod down about three quarters of an inch then drill and braze the nipple back on (or braze a nut on) you'll correct the problem.

Not sure its down to bad manufacture or worn mechanisms in the drum but it seems the same with any cable and the mod unescapable...
Bob T

Bob... Does it matter which side of the rod is altered??

Ken
K Samen

Thanks everyone. I cut the rod down today by about 1/2 an inch and everything is now fine and working well. Just got to book in for the free retest.
n Allen

Did the samething... now works great... Thanks
K Samen

This thread was discussed between 19/03/2011 and 20/03/2011

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