Hi all, I have recently purchased a mini that has been sitting for a while, we have replaced the rear wheel cylinders (as the old ones were leaking) and the hoses (not sure of their correct name - but the rubber ones at the back), the front wheel cylinders are not very old and look fine. We have bled the system and yet when I press the brake pedal, the travel is all the way to the ground and whilst the car stops, at speed it does not pull up quickly. Question - is this normal mini drum brake expectations or are there any other suggestions?

_________________
It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog!!

1976 Mini SS
1971 Mini Ute (Custom) - really hubby's but I will claim half
1976 Mini SS Shell
Oh and an 850 shell waiting for our dear son to start his resto!

Can we assume it is a Clubman with a split master cylinder and proportioning valve?
I would suggest the master cylinder probably needs an overhaul and some times the proportioning valves will also need an overhaul but they dont usually affect brake operation to the extent you are advising.
And a drum brake mini will stop very well when ALL parts are working as designed, but I have found over the years that with the quality of parts and the lack of use of my cars that the brakes will deteriorate over 12 to 18 months and usually need the wheel cylinders to be replaced over this time frame.
If you are unsure it would be advisable to take your car to a brake specialist as there is nothing more exciting than entering and intersection and trying to stop with the handbrake because the brake pedal has hit the floor

_________________
1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

Hi,

If it still stops but slowly and goes to the floor my money is on the fluid either compressing too much or air. I have found that drums OUTSTOP disks but tend to fade.

Couple questions:
If you are slowing down and pump the pedal does the pedal end up getting hard?
If you pull the parkbrake up and then press/pump the pedal is it rock solid?
Did you open the bias valve (or whatever its called) at the back on the front of the rear subframe? I found that I didnt (yes none at all!) have the valve/spring in there!

Did you bleed ALL the brakes or just the rear after replacing the cylinders?
It could be the master cyl, it could be the rear bias valve, it could be air in the system (yes I know it was bled - but trust me, sometimes you think its bled and its not)

Where are you located?

Cheers,
Peter

_________________

Click here for the Turbo Conversion Thread!

I had an issue with the brake pedal dropping almost all the way to the floor. The brakes worked fine, there was just a lot of travel. I had a tandem clubby master cylinder with the firewall mounted brake bias valve, and it was the valve that caused it. It just requires dismantling, cleaning, and a few o-rings replacing.

Does your pedal drop to the floor, and then suddenly become firm? If the pedal is just spongy, it's almost definitely air in the system. If it suddenly firms up, it's something else.

It might be an obvious question, but all the drums have been adjusted, right?

im with Irish Yobbo. I reckon it could be an adjustment issue. The back drums usually mess you around.

When i had drums they used to unadjust themself.

Ajust all brakes and then check your pedal.

Brenton

_________________

Ok, not sure regarding the master cylinder set up, the car is a 76, and the master cylinders are not the little metal type.
The pedal does not get better with pumping, I will give the other suggestions a go

_________________
It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog!!

1976 Mini SS
1971 Mini Ute (Custom) - really hubby's but I will claim half
1976 Mini SS Shell
Oh and an 850 shell waiting for our dear son to start his resto!

Peter, we are in SA

_________________
It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog!!

1976 Mini SS
1971 Mini Ute (Custom) - really hubby's but I will claim half
1976 Mini SS Shell
Oh and an 850 shell waiting for our dear son to start his resto!

Prisic...you cannot compress a liquid...only a gas.

When you press the brake pedal, you are only transferring the liquid from a large container[ the Master Cylinder] into the much smaller "cylinder [Brake pipe .]
...Hydraulics... not compression...which you find in the engine cylinders

"suck/squeeze/bang & blow in a 4 stroke.

_________________
1974 1150cc Leyland Mini S racer,
1975 No motor Leyland Mini "ute"
1991 IPRA Honda Integra (in the build)
1995 Land Rover Discovery 300Tdi

CAMS Scrutineer