MG
The Classic Marque

Hi Colyn

The MOT test allowance is that the brake effort side to side must be within 70% of the maximum effort on the axle. From memory, my rear brake effort is usually around 150kgf. The fronts are usually 190/200Kgf. If you have a 100Kgf difference I cannot believe it is within the spec. limit of 70%. You would have to have a max effort of more than 333KGf on one side which is huge.

As Colyn reports, I always had problems with the balance of the rear brakes. the right rear is repeatedly under the force of the left. Last year I gave up and took it to a workshop who fixed the issue to the point that the safety inspection was successful. They said the issue was the mismatch of the shoe arc to the drum, even though swapping the entire shoe and drum had not changed the behaviou...

Hi Colyn

That sounds like a big difference but it might make it easier to diagnose. As Steve says is hand, foot or both?

Did you by any chance note the front brake readings as I would be curious to know how discs compare with drums for which I have my readings

I hope you haven’t been impacted by the floods in your area.

Paul

Other end Dave.

The bonnet hinges are fitted into the boxes in the bulkhead, so no room for movement. There aren't any spacers to adjust.

Chris,
have a look for Guy's explanation of placing washers between the bonnet hinges and bonnet to adjust alignment, the four, on each side, set screws.

The positioning of the washers is anti-intuitive but easier to understand once done - but I'll not be able to give a clear written illustration so leave it with Guy's.

Also do bear in mind these changeover points (if accurate any...

Yes mines a 1500. Its a 1975, so one of the first which shares some of the 1275 parts that were changed on the later 1500s.

Thanks for the replies, that is good to know as I was wondering how I was going to sort that out.

I have run out of the side to side adjustment of the rear edge of the bonnet. Even with enlarging the holes in the hinges I could still do with a further 1/...

Colyn

Was that on the foot pedal or handbrake? I am sort of guessing foot pedal from the way you described it.

Following on from what Nick says may be worth first swapping the shoes from one side to the other to see if the imbalance transfers with them.

Steve

ETA: Dave has provided more clarity to my post (as normal I was still typing mine while he posted).

Nigel, Chris,
I was going to suggest that Nigel also checks and if required adjust the bonnet buffers that close against the slam panel and hold the bonnet front, acting as feet and anti-vibration pads.

Two sorts, one is a screw with large rubber padded head plus lock nut to ho...

There were two different versions of bump stops fitted to the bonnet.

According to Moss, the change point was GAN6-183740.

The earlier one is item number 4 and the later one is number 6. Both are adjustable.