PLUS = SAFETY BRAKE WATCHPOINT
The brakes on the Morgan have remained the same since mid-1993. They are made by a UK company called AP Racing. The rears closely ressemble those of other British cars. Here is a diagram from a 1970's Austin Princess upside down which seems a match for the AP Racing system.
The springs are much harder to install than the older (Triumph) brakes. You have to put one on both shoes and then hold the other (lower?) spring just right to have it slip into its slot...then push the shoes into place. After 1/2 hour of frustration you will get the hang of it. When you do, try to remember how you did it because I promply forgot the next day. (sad smile.)
Here is what I have. Please remember that the diagrams and pictures will seem bottom side up. I will contact AP Racing and see if they have anything more helpful for the fronts, the hydraulics and the rears./font>
There is another watchpoint for all with later brakes.
The Morgan braking system was changed in June 1993 from Girling to AP Racing. In the rear, the compensator bracket was removed from the rear of the axle and the shoes became self-adjusting. The earlier Girling required regular manual adjustment.
Sadly, Agents and owners complain that the self-adjusting feature does not seem to work poorly. This stemmed from a lack of an original proper setup, from the Factory. It can be cured fairly easily.
What has happened is that Factory, for many years (still?) had been connecting the hand brake cable before filling and bleeding the hydraulics. By doing so, the handbrake prevents the self-adjustment feature from working properly.
The proper sequence is to first fill and bleed the hydraulics, pump the brakes and ONLY THEN connect the handbrake system.
To cure and properly setup the rear brakes, fully slack off or disconnect the hand brake cable at its adjuster (located in the rear just off the "hoop" at the rear...(loosen and remove the outboard nut.) Then simply pump, the brakes slowly until the clicking from the rear drums stops. (3-4 pumps). Each click indicates the adjuster is adjusting to do its job. (This will resolve many issues, from the squeaking many have experienced to uneven show wear and a bevy of other issues in between.)
Now you must tighten the hand brake cable until it works when engaged and doesn't when it is not engaged. This may be a bit of a hassle.
The new handbrake cable (FAR superior to the Girling one) was made to engage after as much as 7 clicks at the handbrake lever. The Girling had a rather bizarre set up where the lever was straight upright when unengaged and required only 4 clicks backwards to stop the wheels. The AP was designed by the Development department to be engaged at 7 clicks and can backwards like a normal handbrake lever when doing so.
Sadly the Production department interpreted this new proper angle as too far back as they were used to the Girling system. To compensate and get it back to the Girling position, they shortened the handbrake cable/space between the bracketry section at the rear. This may make reconnecting the adjuster difficult. (It likely contributed to the improper set-up of the brakes as well.)
I was able to get mine back in but for those who are having a hassle, simply remove the cable at the inboard "stop" (bolt is underneath) reconnect the cable/adjuster by threading it just a bit, and then reconnect the cable at the stop. (The short cable problem can be permanently cured by bringing the stops together about 1" to create the proper slack.)