As far as I can see it all stems from two years ago when the car was taken to a classic vehicle welding firm who shall remain nameless for now to have some new inner and outer sills welded in. They asked why the panels were required and I told them it for for its imminent mot. They suggested putting it in for its mot and see what it fails on. I was buoyed as they were just completing a Cooper restoration of a similar year.
The list was emissions excessively high, hazards not working and rear brake on near side showing little or no effort. No rust failure.
I told them to fix it - what a mistake!
First the bill was just shy of £400 which included the mot and retest. New rear wheel cylinders, brake shoes, hazard light switch and a full engine service using synthetic oil!
I paid it and left with the car. It drove ok but was a little lacking at higher revs.
I wanted the panels put in as it had oversills on and I wanted rid of them knowing what was lurking underneath. My other son suggested an acquaintance he knew and told me to see him.
I took the car along and he looked under the back often car. It rolled away as he leant on it so he told his mate to put the handbrake on. His mate shouted it was on. He placed one finger and thumb over the rear bumper and was able to push the car backwards and forwards with practically no effort. Anyway he quoted me about £300 to weld the panels i’d supplied in and he’d have a look at the rear brakes as well.
I went to pick the car up a when he rang to say it was completed. Apparently the rear brakes were simply adjusted at the handbrake lever and not at the rear wheels.
I looked at the car and was immediately shocked at what I saw. He’d taken the supplied outer sill and welded it onto the lower half of the already fitted oversill by chopping off the upper half. The inner sill - well to this day I still don’t know what he did with those as they certainly aren’t in the car. He apparently used his own metal (stainless steel sheet) and patched those in instead. I told him that was not what I wanted done and his attitude was tough. I reluctantly paid him to get the car back off him and decided I would sort it all out myself.
I took the car to Samson’s in Ferndown, Dorset (who I point out are a quality garage and they know minis. I have hat the car tuned previously by them and I am happy with their work). They said the mixture had been turned down too far. They were also shocked at the standard of work considering what i’d paid. They also confirmed my question about the type of oil used on the unnecessary service.
Anyway my son used it for work and it’s next mot was due. The mot tester couldn’t believe the state of the welding and when it told him it was a supposedly professional welder who’d done it, he just sighed and looked dumbfounded, although he did suggest another profession involving a broom.
The rear brakes just made it though the mot and I adjusted them up when i got home.
This year they failed again, so I had a look at them. Although the shoes are new, they don’t appear to be wearing in the same place as the originals and just wont lock the wheel when assembled. I purchased a new handbrake cable and new drums and fitted them. Although it’s a big improvement, I can still turn the wheel(with some effort) with the handbrake full on.
Then I wondered if the shoes were in correctly so I searched images on google.
There seems to be a difference depending on which picture you look at and watch the video on YouTube.
Even the Haynes manual does not show a clear picture of the assembled brake set up.
I’m almost certain the shoes are upside down hence the poor braking efficiency.
Has anyone got a good photo of their correctly installed shoes?
By the way, I did contact the garage who first changed them and the mot garage. The garage said drop it back and they’ll adjust the brakes and emissions (even though they didn’t have an emmissions tester) again for free- yeah right.....like I’m going to let them touch them again. And the mot garage said the mot tester was on holiday for 2-3 weeks and the mot certificate would not have been issued without the brakes working properly and they said the other garage must have reworked the brakes gain afterwards. I asked them “why would anyone readjust a set of perfectly working brakes and make them worse?”. They didn’t answer that and told me to take it up with the garage concerned. I pointed out that they were accountable as they’d issued a certificate on a car with faulty brakes and they just hung up.
The car is not going back on the road until the rear brakes are fixed properly.
Edited by Brigbeale, 29 May 2018 - 11:07 AM.
