Bitumen Boy

Looking good, Nick. The grot I have in the rear edge is just going up from the corner and doesn't stretch as far as the reinforcing piece - at least I don't think so at present...

Nick, do you think a similar solution would work going up the rear edge of the wing, below where there's a reinforcing piece? Mine will need doing at some point and, as you say, that folded edge is the problem. Your solution avoids that troublesome small cavity and is, I suspect, unlikely to give problems again.

If you hold brake hoses up straight to the light you should be able to see through them. Well worth doing even before fitting new ones as like most parts for our cars they aren't always the best quality these days, I've seen a few new ones that were only fit for the bin.

I don't believe there's any way at all to check the condition of the master cylinder in regard of the sudden failure fault I described. It just lets go without any warning and even dismantling the cylinder after the event doesn't necessarily reveal anything obvious, IIRC. The only way to be sure about it would be to replace the master cylinder as a precaution, and only you can decide whether that's worthwhile. As I say, I think it happens at around 80,000 miles, but it's been a few years now and I'm not 100% sure. If you do decide to replace the master cylinder, then assuming you can get hold of a new one it isn't a terribly difficult job. Your main problem is likely to be corroded bleed nipples at the wheel cylinders and calipers making it hard to bleed the system afterwards.

That's a good idea about grinding the drum for a quick and dirty fix, though it would be much better done on a lathe. I'm concerned about the soft pedal, however. I guess it could be down to new linings bedding in - assuming new linings were fitted, but from your description it puts me in mind of another, much more serious problem. The Acclaim's master cylinder is prone to sudden failure after a certain mileage which, if memory serves, is about 80,000, though I'm willing to be corrected on that figure. The fluid doesn't leak out but the hydraulic circuits won't pressurise to operate the brakes. At first the problem is intermittent, and pumping the pedal may make the brakes operate, but obviously if you can't rely on the brakes you effectively have no brakes. The only cure is to fit a new master cylinder, though these were at least available for a sensible price the last time we encountered the problem. If I'm right about that 80,000 mile figure, bear in mind that's for a manual car. It would be reasonable to expect Triomatics to suffer earlier as the brakes inevitably see more use with any sort of auto 'box.

Apologies for my memory here, it's a few years since I worked on an Acclaim and I forgot the important part. I have a feeling none of the manuals mention this, though I could be wrong there. For the self adjuster to work properly when setting up with new parts - assuming it isn't seized or missing its spring, but it sounds like it's fine  - you have to slacken off the handbrake adjuster that Ferny mentions (14mm spanner, IIRC). Slacken it right off then apply the footbrake hard a few times, preferably while taking it for a short run. Then go back under the car and retighten the handbrake adjuster to get the handbrake right - you should be able to get it to hold on the third or fourth notch, but make sure the brakes aren't dragging with it off. Incidentally, a useful trick with the self adjuster is, once you've freed it off, to heat it up and melt some copper grease into the pivot. The quadrant part must be able to move freely and this technique helps stop it seizing up again.

Apologies for my memory here, it's a few years since I worked on an Acclaim and I forgot the important part. For the self adjuster to work properly when setting up with new parts - assuming it isn't seized or missing its spring, but it sounds like it's fine  - you have to slacken off the handbrake adjuster that Ferny mentions (14mm spanner, IIRC). Slacken it right off then apply the footbrake hard a few times, preferably while taking it for a short run. Then go back under the car and retighten the handbrake adjuster to get the handbrake right - you should be able to get it to hold on the third or fourth notch, but make sure the brakes aren't dragging with it off. i have a feeling none of the manuals mention this, though I could be wrong there.

Pawel, I feel your pain having struggled with worn drums on Acclaim rear brakes many times in the past. Yours sound even worse as I always found that much whacking with a big hammer would eventually shift the drum. I never did damage a drum or anything else by doing this, and think they are probably tougher than you give them credit for so try hitting it, if you haven't already. Of course if you have managed to source new drums and intend to change them anyway, you always have the final option of cutting the old ones to wangle them off... 😲 John, the Acclaim rear brakes don't have manual adjusters, which makes the drums a pain to get off once they're a little worn. Instead they rely on a fiddly automatic adjuster mechanism, which is all tied up with the handbrake mechanism just to make it interesting. These are also a pain as they love to seize up solid, especially on cars that don't see a lot of use.

My '64 1200 has it along the back of the rear crossmember, though I know it isn't the original pipe there's no reason to assume whoever changed it didn't simply copy the original as it goes straight into the 3 way union - the front to rear line was the original and I had an afternoon's fun removing the male/male connector further towards the front and cleaning it up for reuse. I don't think the routing matters much for the MOT, as long as the pipe is secure and not likely to be damaged.

If you're not hung up about it being exactly the same one piece jobby, various seperate fans and pullies are available from these guys: http://autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product_list/167

It's a good few years now since I changed mine to negative earth, but I have a feeling that was the case with mine as well. Unless of course it had been the wrong way round to start with...

As for the hydraulics, yes, I'd suggest some work would be in order in the interests of reliability. Master cylinders contain several small parts to do with the valve seal that do wear eventually, and if it's the original then I would suggest replacement. Not a cheapy one, I've heard they're not very good, but I recently stripped and inspected (before fitting  ) one of the "original type", TRW ones which compared well to the original Girling. Slave cylinders, however, are much simpler animals, and so long as there's no obvious wear to the bore or piston and the spring doesn't seem excessively weak, it should be fine with a clean up and some new seals.

I wonder if that was the same "well known supplier" that I had a pair of recon assemblies off early in my Herald ownership, as those didn't last long either (strangely a recon gearbox from the same source has, touch wood, never given any problems). I got a hub puller and learnt to do it myself, much cheaper and longer lasting... 🙂 Mind you, I do think they take much more of a battering than they were intended to stand from the bad roads of today.

I would suggest giving the whole thing a good clean, then taking your time and working carefully, applying vaseline to the raised parts with a fingertip - you don't need very much at all. After that, apply a few coats of black spray paint, and put it all aside for a few days to make sure the paint goes off thoroughly. Once you're sure the paint is cured, it should be an easy matter to remove it from the raised areas. I used this technique on my old pressed numberplates a few years back and they came up a treat, so much cheaper than new plates too... 🙂