6 replies to this topic

[dschwartz1957]

I am doing a full brake job on my 1968 Mini Traveller. I ordered genuine AP / Lockheed parts from MiniSpares, including 6 wheel cylinders, a set of four "genuine AP" brake hoses, plus new nuts and shake proof washers. I installed new rear wheel cylinders, brake shoes, hoses, and pipes yesterday. Today I am working on the front brakes.

The left front brake hose was attached to the subframe with an very tall nut that doesn't match any parts diagrams or currently available parts. The attached photos show the tall nut and shake proof washer next to the new ones. The new washer is twice as thick as the old one and has more teeth. 

 

Does anyone know if the tall nut is factory original? It was easy to access under the radiator with an open ended wrench, so I am inclined to reuse it. Old fasteners tend to be better quality than modern parts. When old parts are not too rusty or pitted, I clean them with a wire wheel and reuse them.

 

I took apart one of the front wheel cylinders and was not surprised to find the inside filled with black slime. The seals and/or rubber hose definitely deteriorated. Ditto for the left rear wheel cylinder. So it is good that I am replacing all six wheel cylinders and all four hoses.

 

Thanks,

 

David

 

 

Attached Files

•  FrontHoseBolts1.jpg   29K   0 downloads
•  FrontHoseBolts2.jpg   36.84K   0 downloads

[nicklouse]

Washer is a more cost effective version of the old one.

 

big nut. Some used them most did not. I would say not original but robbed off another BL car of the same era. 

[Spider]

The Early UK cars (and our local production to the end) did have that tall nut on the LH Hose, why I could never work out, but I don't like them. They end up taller than the thread on the hose, so some water inevitably ends up sitting in there, with all the joy that that brings.

If you'd like to retain originality, you can clean up your old washers and have them re-plated, though again, I like these latest ones.

[timmy850]

My 850 has the bigger nut on the LH front. As you’ve said it makes it easier to get it undone through the little opening in the panel

[stuart bowes]

for grotty old fixtures / fittings / brackets etc a good long soak in concentrated white vinegar really helps to get them nice and clean again, followed with a quick brush up to finish

[dschwartz1957]

They end up taller than the thread on the hose, so some water inevitably ends up sitting in there, with all the joy that that brings.

 

Yes, water and dirt had accumulated in the tall nut. Of course the steel hard line and threaded brake union were extremely rusty.

 

If I use the shorter nut, I can tighten it with a socket wrench. Though I was planning to install a replacement hard line before completely tightening the the rubber hose.

[Spider]

If I use the shorter nut, I can tighten it with a socket wrench. Though I was planning to install a replacement hard line before completely tightening the the rubber hose.

 

There's no right or wrong way to 'get there' with this, however, the Hose is normally screwed in to the Brake as that will then dictate it's final orientation, the other 'loose end' is then put in to the subframe and locked off so as to not have any twists in the hose, then the hard line is screwed in and done up as it's not flexible and needs to be done up in to fixed points. With the Hose Nut loose, it's not a fixed point. I've always found them much harder to work with in that state. Granted, with the engine in, that one under the radiator is a real fiddle to get to, I've seen some home made short tube spanners that will do it.