MG Car Repair: 1975 MGB Problem, handbrake lever, handbrake cable

Question
I am having an intermittent power problem with my MGB.  We live a the bottom of a mountain and sometimes it does not seem to have enough power to get going.  We have tested the compression and it looks fine.

We adjusted the brakes lately and it seems to me that the brake is not releasing and the brake is dragging.  If I pull the hand brake on, it seems to ratchet up but maybe is not releasing completely.  The car has been in storage for 5 years.  I can not see very well the hand brake stuff since it is in between the seat.

Is there a way to test the release of the brake or could I be looking at the wrong problem?

Answer

MGB Handbrake expander Hi Richard.  I think you have the right idea, but you are looking in the wrong place.  The handbrake operates on the rear wheels.  The end of the cable attaches to a small arm that is visible at the back of the left hand brake drum.  My guess is that when you pull on the handbrake lever this arm moves towards the middle of the car, but when you let the handbrake lever off this arm is not fully retracting.  It is a common MGB problem, especially after a car is unused for a few years.

If I am right, you will have to jack up the car, remove the wheel, and then remove the brake drum, which is located by two small Pozidrive-headed screws.  To remove the drum you will also have to free off the handbrake adjuster, which is a small square-headed protrusion at about 10 o'clock as you look at the wheel.  

Inside the brake, there is an expander lever which is operated by the handbrake cable.  It has a pivot on it, and this pivot fills up with rust until it locks solid.  If you drip 2 or 3 drops of thin oil onto the pivot, and then operate the external lever a few times, it will probably free up.  If not, you will have to take the shoes off and remove the expander lever in order to free it or even replace it.  These levers are handed, so if you need to do the same to the right hand drum, remember to mark the expanders so you know which is which.

I attach a photo so you can see the part I am referring to.