We have been preparing this 1956 100M for a client. We put in a new aluminum radiator and fancy steel head gasket and studs to make sure head gasket issues would be rendered non-existent.
But a road test this week revealed an important problem which we were lucky to notice. The brakes were pulling slightly. The IR temp gauge confirmed the left front brake was overheating. Further inspection revealed herringbone front brake hoses. And that’s our subject this week… if you find you have these herring bone type hoses anywhere on your car, make sure to remove them as soon as possible. They have not been made for more than 20 years, and by now will have swelled internally, which, in this case, resulted in a sticking caliper.
We replaced the hoses with modern ribbed units, and the problem evaporated. Brake hoses swell internally. This prevent fluid from returning to the master cylinder, which leaves residual pressure on the brake and causes it to drag.
We replaced the front wheel cylinders too and now this car is also almost ready for departure.
Check your brake hoses, and make sure they are from this century. If you need new disc or drum Sprite hoses, you can find them in our catalog by clicking here. We also have hoses for nearly every other British classic, call or email if you need them for something non-Spridget.
