The T-Series braking system is simple, effective drum braking, and, kept in good order, perfectly adequate for the performance. But it is old technology that relies on regular adjustment and fresh fluid, and it has a handful of familiar faults. Here is how the system works across the TC, TD and TF, and how to keep it safe.
The system
The post-war T-Types use hydraulically-operated drum brakes on all four wheels, with a master cylinder fed from a reservoir and a wheel cylinder expanding the shoes against the drum at each wheel. It is a straightforward single-circuit system, which means there is no back-up if it fails, so condition is everything.
Adjustment
Drum brakes need periodic manual adjustment as the shoes wear, to keep the pedal high and the braking even. The T-Series has adjusters at each backplate; set them by the book, jack the wheel, tighten the adjuster until the drum locks, then back it off until the drum just spins free. Even, correct adjustment all round is what gives a firm pedal and a straight stop.
Fluid and hydraulics
Brake fluid is hygroscopic, it absorbs water over time, which lowers its boiling point and corrodes the system from within. Renew it every couple of years. A spongy pedal usually means air in the system (bleed it) or a failing master or wheel cylinder; a pedal that slowly sinks to the floor means a leaking master cylinder. Seized or leaking wheel cylinders, perished flexible hoses and a tired master cylinder are all age-related jobs to do, not defer.
Common faults
- Pulling to one side: often a seized wheel cylinder or adjuster on one side, a contaminated shoe, or a collapsed flexible hose acting as a one-way valve.
- Oil or grease on the shoes: from a leaking hub seal or a weeping rear axle seal, cure the leak and fit clean shoes, do not just clean the old ones.
- Grabbing or juddering: worn or contaminated shoes, or drums worn out of round.
- Seized adjusters and a slack handbrake: free them off and lubricate; the handbrake works on the rear drums and goes slack if the mechanism is neglected.
Upgrades
Many owners fit the period-style front disc-brake conversion to the TD or TF for stronger, fade-free braking, a sensible, in-keeping upgrade if you drive the car hard or in modern traffic. That said, a well-maintained drum system stops these light cars perfectly well.
Always confirm adjustment figures and fluid specifications against the workshop manual for your model.
*Written for the T-Series Archive. Brake specifications vary by model, confirm against the workshop manual, and treat brakes as safety-critical.*