Hey, ive got a 1971 Clubman, just wondering if theres anything i should know about bleeding the brakes or just do it as normal?? It has a single piston Master Cylinder, just not sure of the valve in the rear subframe any tricks?

Also How does one adjust brake shoes?

Just so you know im not going to do these and expect to drive it on public road, it's just so i can park it on the tandem comfortably on Monday to take her to the mechanics.. Cheers.

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1971 Mini Clubman 1100
1968 Morris Mini Deluxe 998

http://www.facebook.com/geelongminiclub

"Everybody should drive a Mini, everybody should own a Mini at some point, or you are incomplete as a human being." -James May, about the classic Mini.

Brake shoes I presume you mean their contact with the drum?
There is 2 adjusters on the fronts and 1 on the rears. They are on the drum backplates. Jack up the car, tighten 1 until the wheel locks, then back off so it spins nicely. Repeat on next adjuster opposite on the backplate.
As dr mini told me, you have to do this quite frequently! (Every couple of months min) I got the shits and put discs on.

G'day Sam.

The valve at the back is the proportioning valve. It limits pressure to the rears to prevent lockup.

For bleeding start at the rear left. Open the bleeder and have someone push the pedal to the floor - close the bleeder and raise pedal. If the pedal goes first and the system pressurises, the proportioning valve will close off and bugger all fluid will pass through.

Do the right rear next, then the front left and lastly the front right.

So it's:
1 - Open bleeder
2 - Push pedal
3 - Close bleeder
4 - Raise pedal

That's it mate! Have fun.....

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Cheers,
Rod.
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'63 Morris 850 (Old Secondhand CAR)

Aha! thats what i did wrong. I bled them as normal by pumping the pedal til it pressurised and then opening the valve, so by pressurising the system the valve would've closed thinking i was slamming on the brakes...

I just thought it was my wife not following directions whilst she was in the car...

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1971 Mini Clubman 1100
1968 Morris Mini Deluxe 998

http://www.facebook.com/geelongminiclub

"Everybody should drive a Mini, everybody should own a Mini at some point, or you are incomplete as a human being." -James May, about the classic Mini.

Pumping the pedal as you did aerates the fluid and is not a good idea.

Another not good idea is tipping the spent fluid straight back into the MC.
My bro' found this out the hard way after several hours `bleeding' on his Hillman Imp.
If you must re-use it, let it sit overnight so the tiny air bubbles get out.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

thanks guys! I'll try again this weekend as the car is booked in for a RWC on Monday i was just going to get them to do it but i'll just get them to check it still.

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1971 Mini Clubman 1100
1968 Morris Mini Deluxe 998

http://www.facebook.com/geelongminiclub

"Everybody should drive a Mini, everybody should own a Mini at some point, or you are incomplete as a human being." -James May, about the classic Mini.

I am a big fan of the "gravity bleed" method, just have a nice topped up master cyl and bleed in the same order as already given.

All you do it just crack the bleed nipple, put a tray under and let it dribble. After a while it will have bled all the air & old fluid, nip it up, top up the master cyl and move onto the next wheel.

easy peasy as a certain well known mini mechanic might say

edit: & as the Dr says, always new fluid! And be ready to clean up, this method is a little messy sometimes

cheers,

Jacob

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'72 Clubman Van - 1022cc, 295 head, 731 cam - Daily Driver
'69 Morris 1100 S - Dinged by a bus, in shed under repair
'64 Morris 1100 - Early 1100, long term project