Just a little bit of maintenance, the front (Nearside for me RHS) wheel had some excessive wobble. I looked like the lower king pin bush was worn, but on investigation, its the axle eye with a bit of slop in it. Tightenig the KP cotter took the slop out of it, but I don't know for how long!
After a good grease all round, decided to see if the brakes would improve with a "tune up". With the car all up on axle stands, started with the LH rear, then RH and back to the front. Got it about the way I wanted (adjusting the "Tri Corn cable adjusters) although there was too much slack in the brake pedal. After a few gentle brakings, I did an "emergency stop". BANG, brakes sort of still worked but pulled to the left. Got out, released a bit off the LH rear cable, still pulled, backed off a bit more until it started to get silly.
Back home jack up onto stand all round, adjusted LH back to about OK, but no adjuster for the RH side !! Set off on the push bike and found the brake adjuster in the middle of the road !! A bit bent but straightenable.
I couldn't take the slack out of the brake pedal as for some reason, there isn't space between the chassis and the ears of the Austin wing nut adjuster. Don't know why no space, but made a half cup washer and after removing the complete rod, replaced the wing nut with a couple of 5/16 BSF nuts. Not that it could be necessary, but put a split pin in the end of the brake rod (Austin original) in case the nuts slackened off completely.
Now the brake light is playing up !!! Job for another day
Yesterday's job was to cure a slow drip from the 22FZ B carburetter, (I had recently replaced the corks on the petrol tap and cleaned the carb filter and jets etc). After reading the Zenith handbook, which says Do Not attempt to cure a "ridged" float valve needle, and the Pitmans book that says "Polish" out a ridged needle, Set the needle up in the lathe and took the ridge off using a very fine stone, followed by Brasso polish.
Ah, success at last - Happy boy, little did I know what I would find the next day!
After a good grease all round, decided to see if the brakes would improve with a "tune up". With the car all up on axle stands, started with the LH rear, then RH and back to the front. Got it about the way I wanted (adjusting the "Tri Corn cable adjusters) although there was too much slack in the brake pedal. After a few gentle brakings, I did an "emergency stop". BANG, brakes sort of still worked but pulled to the left. Got out, released a bit off the LH rear cable, still pulled, backed off a bit more until it started to get silly.
Back home jack up onto stand all round, adjusted LH back to about OK, but no adjuster for the RH side !! Set off on the push bike and found the brake adjuster in the middle of the road !! A bit bent but straightenable.
I couldn't take the slack out of the brake pedal as for some reason, there isn't space between the chassis and the ears of the Austin wing nut adjuster. Don't know why no space, but made a half cup washer and after removing the complete rod, replaced the wing nut with a couple of 5/16 BSF nuts. Not that it could be necessary, but put a split pin in the end of the brake rod (Austin original) in case the nuts slackened off completely.
Now the brake light is playing up !!! Job for another day
Yesterday's job was to cure a slow drip from the 22FZ B carburetter, (I had recently replaced the corks on the petrol tap and cleaned the carb filter and jets etc). After reading the Zenith handbook, which says Do Not attempt to cure a "ridged" float valve needle, and the Pitmans book that says "Polish" out a ridged needle, Set the needle up in the lathe and took the ridge off using a very fine stone, followed by Brasso polish.
Ah, success at last - Happy boy, little did I know what I would find the next day!