Singer 9 Sports and Le Mans Brakes
What can I say about brake repairs on the Nine. It’s one of the simplest and, if you’re lucky, one of the least expensive restoration procedures you’ll have to deal with on your Singer. 
Your first step will be to remove the shoes and cylinders. This is a pretty elementary and self evident procedure - not much to screw up, but you’ll likely need to spray everything with penetrating oil in advance to free up all those rusted bolts. Take the opportunity to loosen the bleeder screw before the cylinder is removed from the backing plate and use a socket or box wrench to do it.
Next step is to dismantle the cylinder. Gently pry the two boots away from the cylinder. Inspect for damage and renew if they have deteriorated and will no longer keep out dirt. If the piston inside the cylinder is not seized, simply press in on one piston to force out the other piston, cup and spring.
If the piston is seized, it will have to be forced out. Make sure everything is well lubricated with brake fluid. I find a hammer and a 7/8 “ socket to distribute the impact works pretty well. The piston will probably sustain some superficial damage, but burring can be readily sanded out. However, as the piston is aluminum, it will not damage the cylinder as it is forced through.
Wash the wheel cylinder, pistons, and spring in clean brake fluid or brake cleaner, not varsol. Inspect the cylinder bore and piston for scoring and pitting. Cylinder walls that have light scratches, or show signs of corrosion, can usually be cleaned with emery cloth, using a circular motion. Wheel cylinder bores and pistons that are badly scored or pitted ideally should be sleeved – an operation that can be carried out by a machine shop or specialist such as White Post Restorations ( http://www.whitepost.com/ ). However, if the pitting is not too bad the cylinder can be honed out quite successfully using a drill and wheel cylinder hone. Move the hone fairly quickly. You want about a 45-degree angle to the hone pattern. Clean the cylinder with brake fluid or brake cleaner, not varsol, after honing.
You will need to renew the cups. These are standard 1” diameter cups available at any automotive parts supplier. You will also need to renew the brake linings. These can be done at any clutch and brake lining company in about a day. I recommend using an organic brake lining, rather than embedded metallic to preserve your drums as long as possible. Metallic linings are really only for high speed stopping and heat dissipation, neither of which applies to these cars.
Speaking of drums, take them to a machine shop and have them turned. Cost is about $15 per drum and they'll probably only need to take off a thou or two. A little bit of powder coating will make them look better than new.
Your first step will be to remove the shoes and cylinders. This is a pretty elementary and self evident procedure - not much to screw up, but you’ll likely need to spray everything with penetrating oil in advance to free up all those rusted bolts. Take the opportunity to loosen the bleeder screw before the cylinder is removed from the backing plate and use a socket or box wrench to do it.
Next step is to dismantle the cylinder. Gently pry the two boots away from the cylinder. Inspect for damage and renew if they have deteriorated and will no longer keep out dirt. If the piston inside the cylinder is not seized, simply press in on one piston to force out the other piston, cup and spring.
If the piston is seized, it will have to be forced out. Make sure everything is well lubricated with brake fluid. I find a hammer and a 7/8 “ socket to distribute the impact works pretty well. The piston will probably sustain some superficial damage, but burring can be readily sanded out. However, as the piston is aluminum, it will not damage the cylinder as it is forced through.
Wash the wheel cylinder, pistons, and spring in clean brake fluid or brake cleaner, not varsol. Inspect the cylinder bore and piston for scoring and pitting. Cylinder walls that have light scratches, or show signs of corrosion, can usually be cleaned with emery cloth, using a circular motion. Wheel cylinder bores and pistons that are badly scored or pitted ideally should be sleeved – an operation that can be carried out by a machine shop or specialist such as White Post Restorations ( http://www.whitepost.com/ ). However, if the pitting is not too bad the cylinder can be honed out quite successfully using a drill and wheel cylinder hone. Move the hone fairly quickly. You want about a 45-degree angle to the hone pattern. Clean the cylinder with brake fluid or brake cleaner, not varsol, after honing.
You will need to renew the cups. These are standard 1” diameter cups available at any automotive parts supplier. You will also need to renew the brake linings. These can be done at any clutch and brake lining company in about a day. I recommend using an organic brake lining, rather than embedded metallic to preserve your drums as long as possible. Metallic linings are really only for high speed stopping and heat dissipation, neither of which applies to these cars.
Speaking of drums, take them to a machine shop and have them turned. Cost is about $15 per drum and they'll probably only need to take off a thou or two. A little bit of powder coating will make them look better than new.I also took the time to clean up the shoes themselves. CLR (bathtub calcium, lime and rust remover) worked well at brightening the aluminum shoes.
Assembling Wheel Cylinders:
1. Before assembling the pistons and new cups in the wheel cylinders, dip them in clean brake fluid.
2. Coat the cylinder bore with clean brake fluid.
3. Install the expansion spring in the cylinder. Install the cups in each end of the cylinder with the open end of the cups facing each other.
4. Install a piston in each end of the cylinder having the flat face of each piston contacting the flat face of each cup.
5. Install a boot over each end of the cylinder. Use care not to damage boot.
6. Reinstall the brake shoes and drum. Adjust the brakes and then bleed the wheel cylinders. Have someone hold pressure on the brakes and make sure there are no leaks.
Assembling Wheel Cylinders:
1. Before assembling the pistons and new cups in the wheel cylinders, dip them in clean brake fluid.
2. Coat the cylinder bore with clean brake fluid.
3. Install the expansion spring in the cylinder. Install the cups in each end of the cylinder with the open end of the cups facing each other.
4. Install a piston in each end of the cylinder having the flat face of each piston contacting the flat face of each cup.
5. Install a boot over each end of the cylinder. Use care not to damage boot.
6. Reinstall the brake shoes and drum. Adjust the brakes and then bleed the wheel cylinders. Have someone hold pressure on the brakes and make sure there are no leaks.
posted by Peter at 4:48 PM
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