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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Handbrake cable question (prediagnostic)

While parking the car, I appled the handbrake when something snapped and now the handle moves freely with no resistance and no effect on braking. Additionally the brake pedal goes nearly all the way to the floor before slowing the car and I find I have to pump the brakes a few times to get decent braking. havent cheked to see if the cable itself has snapped, if one of the linkages hve snapped, or if a pin fell out somewhere. I'm curious as to what the most likely cause was, how often this happens, and what I should do while adjusting the brakes following the repair.
S.A. Jones

ps. its a 1971 midget
S.A. Jones

SA Jones,
The bracks should work even in the absence of the mechanical handbrake. I'd be much more worried about the pedal going to the floor than the handbrake. Do yourself a favor and don't drive the car until you get the brakes fixed!
First thing I'd recommend is inspecting the wheels to make sure that you are not losing fluid anywhere. If the hydraulics works, than try adjusting the rear brakes and see if everything comes back. It's just possible that the parking brake was set too far such that you were getting a false setting at the rear drums. Then when the parking brake mechanism broke, you lost the setting and the brakes were very loose.
Set the rear brakes first, then set the parking brake.
Good luck - Brakes are more important than any system on the car.
B C Hamper

Im with BC.

My guess is the springs inside the drum broke, also (tho I doulbt it being the problem) look at the clevis pin in the clutch master clyinder, these things are notorious for wear. if not a broken spring in the drum, then definatly look at the hydrolics.

No this is not common, 1st time I have heard of this happening. most of the time brake problemss show up in other areas

keep us posted

Prop
Prop***The End in 2012

Sounds to me like the handbrake cable (or another part of your linkage) broke, and has somehow affected rear brake setup. Sitting here at work, and remembering the brake arrangement as best I can, it's hard to think how the one would affect the other. Guess you'll just need to pull the drums and see what's going on back there.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Hey gyrf,

Thats the reason I was thinking about those 2 springs nside the drum, thats the only connection I can think of between the braking system and the E. brake cable

Im certianly watching this thread with curiosity.

prop
Prop***The End in 2012

rotfl. It was a lot simpler than any of that. You see when I last adjusted thebrakes i didnt really know how to do it right, so I adjusted the handbrake first, then the drums. In otherwords that handbrake was under a lot of tension all the time and comprised most of my rear brake adjustment settings. I looked under the rear of the car this morningand guess what had happened. The rear clevis pin had pulled out and the cable was fine, but hanging there in the open. I reconnected it as best I could and the pedel travel got a lot better. I didn't get it back on 100% but I figure that if I dont use the handbrake untill I get a chance to get a better look at it this next weekend I should do OK. BArney has this to say

" If you try to use cable shortening to adjust the rear shoes, then every time you apply hydraulic brakes it puts a full mechanical load on the hand breke cable. Adjustment sequence should be to loosen or disconnect the hand brake cable, then adjust shoes at rear wheels, the reconnect and adjust the cable."

Remember this for next time, everybody. At least nearly everything is still in one piece!
S.A. Jones

Thats great news SA,

that one was a real brain teaser

prop
Prop***The End in 2012

This thread was discussed on 16/03/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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