23-06-2019, 01:18 PM
Fixed the handbrake properly, working on and off over the last week.
I was at the Scottish Austin Seven Club's gathering at Thirlestane Castle a week ago. As I was just leaving, stopped at the toilet block before heading home. As I applied the handbrake there was a loud bang and it stopped working.
This is uncoupled brakes and the handbrake is a simple affair bolted onto the chassis cross member in front of the the brake cross shaft.
The brass part that holds the adjusting bolt that is riveted onto the top of the cable carrier had parted company.
On inspection this had happened before and it had been partly (and crudely) brazed back on.
I fabricated a heavy gauge steel bracket to go round the adjuster and tapped it to take bolts replacing the rivets. While I was at it I refaced the pawl and fitted new ratchets.
The result is very good and the handbrake is more positive than it has ever been.
However it was much more difficult than I had imagined. It is very awkward to get at, being between the cross-member and the brake cross shaft and also close to the prop shaft. In addition a very oily place and not having any means of raising the car available I was lying on the floor.
However I'm very pleased it's done.
I was at the Scottish Austin Seven Club's gathering at Thirlestane Castle a week ago. As I was just leaving, stopped at the toilet block before heading home. As I applied the handbrake there was a loud bang and it stopped working.
This is uncoupled brakes and the handbrake is a simple affair bolted onto the chassis cross member in front of the the brake cross shaft.
The brass part that holds the adjusting bolt that is riveted onto the top of the cable carrier had parted company.
On inspection this had happened before and it had been partly (and crudely) brazed back on.
I fabricated a heavy gauge steel bracket to go round the adjuster and tapped it to take bolts replacing the rivets. While I was at it I refaced the pawl and fitted new ratchets.
The result is very good and the handbrake is more positive than it has ever been.
However it was much more difficult than I had imagined. It is very awkward to get at, being between the cross-member and the brake cross shaft and also close to the prop shaft. In addition a very oily place and not having any means of raising the car available I was lying on the floor.
However I'm very pleased it's done.
Jim