It's good to know previous owner was a good mechanic

[alan_thomas]

Unfortunately this was not the case for my car. Never needed to touch the rear brakes, handbrake worked and always passed MOT (always a shock) well today decided to check on the shoes and couldn't move one of the self adjusters.
Previous owner had welded the mechanism together, well why not it's only the brakes, it's not even a good weld!
I'm greatly relieved that I completely rebuilt the front struts, axles, brakes shortly after buying the car .

Anyone else got any PO horror stories to tell? - Alan

IMG_5623.jpg

[Fortyfiver]

One rear repair panel over another, not life threatening though
Alan

[DJT]

Some people should not be allowed anywhere near a set of tools.

[mike@thenook]

Good grief, those discoveries defy belief!

[trunt]

On my MGB, one front wing was replaced, I think due to a bump, but they could not be bothered to remove the windscreen so had cut the old wing in a semicircle around the screen and also cut the corner off the new one.. then spot welded it over the old piece, job was completed with lashings of filler!!

I took the windscreen off and fitted another new wing. It’s fine now.

Terry

[singapore stag]

How about this.....
1. Prop shaft fitted with short bolts, which were not tightened up.
2. Sump bolts all loose.
3. Gearbox to engine bolts, most were loose.
4.Drag Strut bolts both needed tightening very loose horrible noise and car drove very unstable.
5.Gearbox fitted without the overdrive wiring connected and other wiring unconnected.
6.Chrome cam covers fitted wrong, left was on righthand and righthand on left.
7.Top mount castle nuts very loose as all parts were new so never tightened or forgot to tighten.
8. Don't know what happened when PO had car resprayed......the paint was coming off every time it was washed and polished, now properly resprayed.
9. Still finding faults as I go along SIGH

[fussydave]

How about this.....
1. Prop shaft fitted with short bolts, which were not tightened up.
2. Sump bolts all loose.
3. Gearbox to engine bolts, most were loose.
4.Drag Strut bolts both needed tightening very loose horrible noise and car drove very unstable.
5.Gearbox fitted without the overdrive wiring connected and other wiring unconnected.
6.Chrome cam covers fitted wrong, left was on righthand and righthand on left.
7.Top mount castle nuts very loose as all parts were new so never tightened or forgot to tighten.
8. Don't know what happened when PO had car resprayed......the paint was coming off every time it was washed and polished, now properly resprayed.

Did you not look at the car before buying it? Did you not drive it before buying it? Or did you get it at a bargain price because of all those defects?

[MandM]

Chain guide bolt to short , think it was carried out by a specialist for the previous owner

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[singapore stag]

How about this.....
1. Prop shaft fitted with short bolts, which were not tightened up.
2. Sump bolts all loose.
3. Gearbox to engine bolts, most were loose.
4.Drag Strut bolts both needed tightening very loose horrible noise and car drove very unstable.
5.Gearbox fitted without the overdrive wiring connected and other wiring unconnected.
6.Chrome cam covers fitted wrong, left was on righthand and righthand on left.
7.Top mount castle nuts very loose as all parts were new so never tightened or forgot to tighten.
8. Don't know what happened when PO had car resprayed......the paint was coming off every time it was washed and polished, now properly resprayed.

Did you not look at the car before buying it? Did you not drive it before buying it? Or did you get it at a bargain price because of all those defects?

No, it was not drivable, engine needed carbs, alternator , leads , seats, slave cylinder, oils, coil, etc, etc. But it was a bargain and looked good. How on earth was I suppose to know about hidden defects like bolts and nuts etc.
Anyway I put it all back together. Its a 1 owner car 34.000 miles on clock genuine checkable, heritage certificate, new Gearbox and overdrive, engine rebuilt, new diff, steering , new brake pipes, new suspension, new sills ,wings.........but the aforementioned defects.

Running sweet as a nut now, all work done by myself and help from forum members..without whom it was not possible.

[richardthestag]

Big part of the adjuster is the wrong way round, what sort of ham fisted gibbon works on these things

Have seen all sorts though and mostly stupid rather than downright dangerous.

This time last year I was working on a stag where the copper brake lines were more flexible than the ancient flexi pipes to the rear corners.

More recently a Land Rover where is appears that the brake flares were created by pushing the pipe through the ferrule, bending it a bit and then doing it up really tight..

Same car had a length of steel rod in place of one of the fuses

[alan_thomas]

So if anyone has spare pair of the adjuster plates hanging around that they want to exchange for a beer token let me know.
can only buy these as a kit for around Ł90 !
Alan

[DJT]

B9D4BB5D-51E8-445F-96C2-365E5B0828E2.jpeg Alan,

I have a box of “used but good” brake parts. Let me know what you want and your address (PM) and I’ll pop them in the post.

Dave

[alan_thomas]

B9D4BB5D-51E8-445F-96C2-365E5B0828E2.jpeg Alan,

I have a box of âused but goodâ brake parts. Let me know what you want and your address (PM) and Iâll pop them in the post.

Dave

You’re a Gentleman Dave! PM sent

[ukbiggles]

Previous owner had welded the mechanism together, well why not it's only the brakes, it's not even a good weld!

Snap! My PO must have used the same mechanic as I had the same "solution" of welding these parts together. Unbelievable! New SOCTFL parts fitted now and work perfectly.

Gord

[marshman]

It's not just on Stags. I have seen this "mod" of welded auto brake adjusters on a few modern cars as well - most recently on Peugeot 106's and Citroen AX & Saxo cars. They have the same mechanism and even poor quality new shoes/adjusters some times jump/slip and won't hold the adjustment, it makes the handbrake a struggle to get through the MoT so I assume the "mechanic" pressed for time takes the easy route of setting the adjusters than adds a dob of weld to make sure they don't slip. Works fine until the shoes wear a bit and then the handbrake won't hold and the next guy has the job of sorting the mess at the next MoT. Not the worst or most dangerous bodge I have seen by a long, long chalk. Remember the "good old" days of newspaper covered in underseal over rust holes in the sills