New owner..

[Robert Leigh]

When adjusting Ruby brakes with the semi-Girling system I have found it very useful to get all the wheels off the road using blocks to support the axles after jacking each end in turn. In this position you are better able to judge the effect of each adjuster by turning the appropriate wheel. If you start with two clicks taken up on the handbrake and adjust fronts first until just beginning to bite, then take up another notch on the handbrake and do the same at the back, then you will be somewhere near. But if the kingpins are badly shot the front brakes will not neccessarily behave ideally. it is essential that all cables move freely.

[Bob Culver]

The wandering can be improved. The darting on certain contours due bump steer effects is something you adapt to as most on here instictively have. It will improve your driving skills generally! As above a light steering grip allows the wheel to move which absorbs some of the deflections.
Hopefully the kps will not be loose in the axle.....
Advice on here supercedes some in the original handbook; notably oil levels and hub greasing. Search should reveal.

[David Stepney]

Thanks for the replies and the welcome.
David, I taken a big screwdriver and levered the shackles and could detect no movement. So with any luck are okay.  You mention the radius arm attachment to the chassis.. Honestly  I've no idea what they are what they look like, sounds important!!  However no point in going off half cocked ... Doug Woodrow's manual is now 1st on my list..Thanks Howard for pointing me in the right direction.
After work tomorrow I will see if I can look at the brake shoes..
Thanks chaps

The radius arms run from each side of the axle beam back to the chassis crossmember just behind the engine and gearbox, where they meet a ball rivetted onto the chassis. The rearward end of each radius arm contains a brass cup, the ends being secured to the ball by a through bolt with a tensioning spring and locknuts.

   

View under the front of the car. The radius arms can be seen running back to the central ball attachment

   

View from the nearside. The head of the through bolt can be seen towards the right of centre of the picture.

Sorry about the poor quality. (a) I didn't realise how grubby the car was under there and (b) The photos were taken at 10.30pm!

[Colin D Smith]

Just thought I would take a qiuck look before going to work.. David!! Dam good effort at any time let alone at 10:30.... well past my bed time . That's something else i need to inspect..
I'm starting a list.
[Hopefully the kps will not be loose in the axle.....] Bob.. you know I've got to ask! What is the KPS, and how to check it loose or otherwise.
I would just like to say that I really appreciate everones help and responses, its very refreshing in the modern world we live in.
Anyway Time for work.
Regards
Col

[Bob Culver]

hi Colin
kingpins

[John Cornforth]

Hi again Colin

1936 was the changeover year between the ARQ Ruby and the ARR New Ruby. It would help to know which model you have, as various improvements and changes were made from one to the other. The car number (body number) should be on a plate on the passenger side of the battery box. Failing that, the ARR had more rounded window surrounds, deeper sides to the front wings and larger hubcaps (though the last two may have been swapped in its life !).

In case you haven't already seen it, there is an A7CA online resource where you can look at pdf copies of the owner's manual, chassis parts list and body parts list. These have illustrations which can help, as long as you allow for a bit of draughtsman's licence here and there. Here are some examples, you will have to find the exact version once you know your car model:

http://archive.a7ca.org/collections/hand...rts-lists/

http://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploa..._1400A.pdf

http://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploads/PL_1406.pdf

http://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploads/PL_1521.pdf

Regarding brakes, bear in mind that the Austin Seven grew in weight over the years, and although the brakes were progressively improved they sometimes didn't keep pace. The early ARQ Ruby is probably the least well braked of the models, the later ARR had a "Semi Girling" arrangement which fares a bit better. All the cars were designed and used when speeds were low, traffic was light and people expected to slow down with the gears and only really use the brakes for the last bit of stopping. You should be able to get something respectable like 0.5 to 0.6 G, but only with a mighty shove on the pedal.

[Robert Leigh]

My experience is that when the brakes are in good order on the semi-Girling system .75 to .8g can be achieved by pressing hard on the pedal.

[Colin D Smith]

Of course.   Yes they are knackered.

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Kingpins

[Dennis Nicholas]

When doing the king pins you might want to check if the faces of the stub axles are parallel and at 90 degrees to the kps axis..they may need grinding or cutting with a cutter and pilot if they are worn; likewise the top and bottom faces of the axle ends.
Your next saga may well be with the so called "hour glass" steering box and its internals .......see recent discussions.

Welcome to the world of sevens......I used to do the every other weekend trip of 200 miles each way home then back in my MK1 ruby......but then I was young and in love. The drive was not scary.....just a little boring at times.......60 + achieved quite often.

[Colin D Smith]

Good evening good people of the forum.
John I had a look and the plate you mentioned it was there ARQ32185 thought to look for the engine number M242980. I had the brake drums off the front and the shoes and drums look in very good shape.
Dennis with regards to the what you were saying about the kingpins, stub axles and steering box, I think your right as the wheels will push to the right but not to the left. At the steering wheel moving from left to right there is a very subtle kind of stiffness from full lock to the center.