How to free up siezed brakes?

[Fatboy]

Hello everybody!

Plank that I am, I have negelected my poor Mini for over 2 years!!!! It hasn't moved (I turned the engine over every so foten, fortuneately!), sat languishing at the back of the garage and as a result, the brakes have seized solid.

How can I free them off? I was thinking tie a tow rope to the back of my mate's transit, and drag it forward? Any easier/better ways???

I will be rebuilding the whole braking system before she goes back on the road (assuming this irritation known as 'work' allows me some free time to finish everything else I need to do and can start work on the Mini), so not too worried if I mak knacker the drums etc, but I'd rather avoid damaging anything if possible...

Cheers!

[miniman]

Stick it in gear and turn it over?

[CarMac]

Take the wheels off.....place nuts back on the studs....jam a bar between two of them and apply moderate turning force while banging around the outside of the drum with a copper mallet !

[Fatboy]

miniman said:

Stick it in gear and turn it over?

As long as that won't shag the starter, I'll give that a try...

CarMac said:

Take the wheels off.....place nuts back on the studs....jam a bar between two of them and apply moderate turning force while banging around the outside of the drum with a copper mallet !

If the starter doesn't work, I'll try this!

Cheers Guys, I'll have a bash tommorrow and see what happens...

[terrym]

On occasions when my car has been stood for a while with handbrake on and brakes have been seized, a short burst in revearse geer usually does the trick!

[Christabel]

Have a bash?! :O

Easy tiger!!

Don't forget you will need to drive and brake it HARD to stop it seizing again... and I'd thoroughly recommend replacing pads... mine's been standing for 6 months and getting it back in commission is involving living with brillo noises from the discs/pads, until next week when it goes in to the garage for a bit of pampering and replacement of bits pre MoT.

[Fatboy]

Christabel said:

Have a bash?! :O

Easy tiger!!

Don't forget you will need to drive and brake it HARD to stop it seizing again... and I'd thoroughly recommend replacing pads... mine's been standing for 6 months and getting it back in commission is involving living with brillo noises from the discs/pads, until next week when it goes in to the garage for a bit of pampering and replacement of bits pre MoT.

No worries there mate, I don't plan on re-using any of the current brake components! I've got some MG Metro calipers to fit (after I recodition them) and I plan on fitting all new minifins an backplates at the rear, with goodridge hoses all round!

I'll probably fit new brake lines as well, while I'm at it!