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MG MGB Technical - Stiff brakes on 69 Roadster

Hello,
I have searched the archives and not found an answer that gives me a warm feeling I hope someone can help. My 1969 MGB RHD Roadster is really hard to push out of the garage and deffo will not free wheel. My car will move but all four corners seem stiff. Its like the hand brake is stuck on slightly, but its not. I have just finished fitting new floor Pans and it has not been on the road for 10 months. Before I go down the wheels off/bleeding route has anyone got any suggestions of the cause & cure.
Any ideas would be great. Please help a new joiner!
D SMITH

For starters the front discs will be corroded causing binding of the pads. Then after 10 months with the handbrake on, it is quite likely that the linkage has seized, so that releasing the lever doesn't release the rear shoes. There's no cause to start bleeding things. Check mechanical things first.
Mike Howlett

I replaced the discs and calipers for a pal as one was binding and had smoked the pads. He was using the car when the binding happened, but I didn't get to replace them until several months of inactivity had passed as he had been ill. On the test drive it was immediately apparent something other than the fronts were binding, which turned out to be both rear. As well as the shoes binding both adjusters were seized so it was a full-scale strip, clean and lubricate. BL handbrakes are notorious for binding, ineffectiveness or both unless they are cleaned and greased annually.

Bleeding on its own will do nothing, particularly if it is binding when cold, simply jack up up each corner and see what is binding, but it is quite likely to be both rears at the least.

Binding when hot that releases when you open a bleed nipple is a different matter but again bleeding won't cure it, this will be caused by a bad flex hose or some mechanical problem with the master or pedal.
PaulH Solihull

Many thanks for your valued comments gents, I will follow the points you raised and hopefully this will sort it. This was my first post on this site. I have been reading peoples posts for about 3 months and have gained lots of information and tips. I even got a reply from Paul MGB on my first post! (Legend)
D SMITH

This thread was discussed between 25/11/2010 and 26/11/2010

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