Self Adjusting Brake lever - NLA - Options

[gary1725]

Hi folks,

What are the options for the Self Adjusting lever operated by the handbrake - I do not see them new listed on either Sunbeam Specialties nor Classic Sunbeam websites!

Not sure if anyone else has experienced this but on my drivers side has so much wear on the rear handbrake lever that the leaver is actually allowing the shoe to "slide" away from the piston face when the handbrake is applied so that that it eventually does not land back on the piston when you release the handbrake. I had a very odd experience with the brakes and upon investigation the end of the shoe that actually locates on the end of the lever was bent! presumably because the piston was actually pressing on the handbrake pivot arm and not the edge of the shoe - I had no idea what the "issue" was until I removed the drum and found the shoe was not resting on the piston - I had a spare shoe and fitted that thinking all would be well but in simply watching where it sat naturally after reassembly I can see that it's right on the edge of the piston - a couple of handbrake pulls (with drum on) and its slid off the piston completely leaving the piston to eventually hit the handbrake leaver itself.

So can we get new handbrake adjuster leavers (I am not talking about the toothed adjuster wheel but the pivoting lever wedged under the brake cylinder that operates that toothed adjuster wheel and the handbrake)

thanks

Gary

 

[Gordon Holsinger]

Hi folks,

What are the options for the Self Adjusting lever operated by the handbrake - I do not see them new listed on either Sunbeam Specialties nor Classic Sunbeam websites!

Not sure if anyone else has experienced this but on my drivers side has so much wear on the rear handbrake lever that the leaver is actually allowing the shoe to "slide" away from the piston face when the handbrake is applied so that that it eventually does not land back on the piston when you release the handbrake. I had a very odd experience with the brakes and upon investigation the end of the shoe that actually locates on the end of the lever was bent! presumably because the piston was actually pressing on the handbrake pivot arm and not the edge of the shoe - I had no idea what the "issue" was until I removed the drum and found the shoe was not resting on the piston - I had a spare shoe and fitted that thinking all would be well but in simply watching where it sat naturally after reassembly I can see that it's right on the edge of the piston - a couple of handbrake pulls (with drum on) and its slid off the piston completely leaving the piston to eventually hit the handbrake leaver itself.

So can we get new handbrake adjuster leavers (I am not talking about the toothed adjuster wheel but the pivoting lever wedged under the brake cylinder that operates that toothed adjuster wheel and the handbrake)

thanks

Gary

MGC used the self adjusting brakes look on Guestie’s garage

 

[Jay Laifman]

I posted a bunch about the self adjusting brake recently (search for them). I originally had non-self adjusting. But when I restored the car 25 years ago, I thought the self adjusting was a good idea. This was before the internet where I see how much trouble people have with them. Including the MGC guys - and of course including Rootes who ditched the idea in less than a year. I never got them working really well. Then I kept having problems with them. I tried really hard to get them working correctly. I got all the right parts. I installed them meticulously. I just kept having issues. So I gave up. I still have all my old non-self-adjusting parts. I also purchased the disc brake kits offered here by Dan. For good and bad, I have't had time to make the swap yet.