On Fri, 09 Aug 2013 18:09:09 +0100, harryagain wrote:

Some had rear brakes which had a variable pressure limit according to
the suspension are position, ie weight proportionate.

That they did.
If no-one ever rode in the back, the rear brakes never worked and the
disc rusted up.

Kinda. The caliper got a bit sticky, and the disc surface got a light
coating.

Big problem for the MOT.

Not a big problem. Either lob your toolbox or a bag of cement in the boot
for the week before, or just spend ten minutes with a wire brush and
copaslip before the test.

At least, that's the theory. Which is why, when I bought a GSA with an
MOT fail sheet that only consisted of "NSR brake ineffective", I wasn't
bothered.

Until I tried to remove the wheel. It wouldn't come out the arch easily.
Suspension on high, and wangle it out. Some numpty had unbolted the hub
nut, and levered the brake disc out, bending the caliper's bracket so the
caliper was 45deg to the arm. Then they'd unbolted the disc from the hub,
put the hub and wheel back on and flogged the car.

It only had one rear disc. That was why that brake was ineffective...