front brake cable conversion.

[Toby]

Just to add... The original cable set up on my 32 tourer has proved adequate but dated! One thing that possibly pushes people towards improvement is the use of modern linings, these are too hard and designed for modern brakes, they don't grip well with the limited effort available on cable brakes. This gives the false impression of poor brakes. Whatever you end up doing with the cables, make sure that the shoes are lined with a soft material suitable for older cars-I believe that some companies don't understand this.

[Ian Grace]

A few points to add to a very useful and important discussion.

I have always assumed that the M Bowden cables wouldn't fit the Minor because the M has the cross-shaft mounted further aft (on the chassis side rails) than the Minor, so they would be too long. Has anyone actually tried to fit M Bowdens?

I have the original OHC 180 degree pulley system on my Semi-sports and took time to renew everything - they work fine and I'm not sure that Bowdens would improve the braking measurably. The only mod. I have is that I am using SV Minor levers which are angled over more than the OHC levers. It is virtually impossible with the early ones to remove enough play in the system so that they don't pull past the vertical. I have one J lever which is angled over even more - around 45 degrees, and would fit it - if I had three more!

I have seen levers which have had extensions welded on the end to make them longer, the owners thinking that this would add more leverage. But the reverse is true - it would be better to lengthen the levers on the cross-shaft.

If you do fit Bowdens, you have to take great care with the cable lengths and routing - particularly locating the aft end of the outer on the chassis side rail. If you don't get the geometry right, they won't work well, and you can also run into problems on full lock if the outers get strained by poor routing ro if they are too short. You also have to make sure that the front end of the outer is lined up perfectly behind the levers so the inners pull straight.

[DF9053]

Whilst DF had Bowden cables when I bought it they were getting a bit stiff and the cables were not pulling back properly leaving the brakes on a little.

Following discussions with other Minor owners I bought and fitted the Sports and Vintage M type Bowden cables on the front of DF, I also use the MG brackets that bolt on with the brake back plate and hold the wheel end of the outer cable. The other end of the outer fixes to the chassis allowing the cable to loop forward and outward and to move with the wheel as you steer. You have to get this mounting point in the right place and at the right angle so the inner cable has a smooth straight pull. The outer section is quite rigid but I don't have any problems with this catching or pulling too tight.

There is plenty of adjustment and the fork ends have a couple of locating holes to take out large amounts of excess length.

Never having driven a Minor with original cables I can't say if these Bowden ones provide improved braking or not, with any brake set up on the Minor there is always room for improvement!

cheers
Jeremy

[Ronald]

with any brake set up on the Minor there is always room for improvement!

cheers
Jeremy

Sorry, are Minors supposed to have brakes...... ours just has retardation devices......LOL!!!

[Ian Grace]

Well, I guess they were considered adequate if not good when new. And they are certainly better than the Seven, which had uncoupled front and rear brakes on the earlier cars and all of them had that awful v-shaped single cable at the front pulling at some horrible angle on the levers. And only 7" pressed steel drums.

Having said that, the Seven's brakes wew also deemed adequate originally and, in large part, got a bad name when the cars reached the 'student hack' stage and when the system was completely worn out. Which means that they shouldn't be judged unless the system has been properly rebuilt and set up.

As with any cable braking system, continuous adjustment is needed for best efficiency and I still like to test mine by hard braking a few times and feeling the temperature of the drums. Tighten up the cables to the cold drums and vice versa. Much better than balancing the car on a pile of bricks as shown in the Owner's manual!

[Mike Stubbings]

WELL! I certainly started something with that discussion. The only place it leave,s me is even more confused than when I started. I am not sure what to do now. Has anyone tried making a clamp for the wheel end of the Bowden which incorporates a small pulley and would fit on top of the kingpin, as did the originol pulleys. Mike.

[Toby]

Mike, are you still trying to source brake shoes? I may have a solution!