Mick adjustment is a bit of a fiddle but if you enter "BRAKE ADJUSTMENT" and look under that heading you will get some good advise.

Location: Piddle Valley

Reading up about brakes requires some care. A lot of info is not specific (or directly applicable) to the Girling setup. For Girling, the handbooks assume that the cables are correct lengths and do not cover adjustment of, whereas it is mentioned for the previous where it is part of maintenance.

It pays to study the later cross shaft (or drawing) to grasp the balance mechanism in particular. When all else and that is correctly adjusted, the handbrake operates the rear brakes initially, whereas the foot brake is more evenly distributed.
Assuming the handbrake parts are ok and the hub adjustments have not run out (ie you can still adj to lock the wheel) the cables seem too long. Sort the rear without the front then adj the front cable to centralise the balance beam with firm foot application.

Before getting involved with the somewhat tedious adjusting of cable length, ensure the cams are correct, levers are in correct position off, moderately more acute than a right angle, influenced by cotter pins around the right way etc. Also levers on right way around with the front lever balls facing the backplate.

With a low power Seven dragging brakes are to be avoided. To be sure this requires cables free of kinks and slack, involving generous brake travel, so do not be too keen for short handbrake travel. The hub adjusters compensate for wear. On Girling cars, the footbrake adj should not be holding the cross shaft part operated. Beware adequate thread remains engaged for the rear cables.

Jack the car so weight is on the axles.

Location: Auckland, NZ

On reflection, and it being a few years since I last did the job, I have a feeling the penny washers are 3/4".

Just setting the record straight for others in the future.

Location: North Herts

Thanks Peter - I always check earlier threads first and the answer is generally there to be found. There was nothing specific to the ARR Ruby set-up in this case and Bob picks up on this in his helpful post (thanks Bob).

Nick, thanks for the correction - I thought penny washers would be overlarge but understood the intent - even a ha'penny washer might be too large, but a farthing measures 3/4"(apologies to the younger reader)!

Like our ex-Chancellor, I've got about 6 jobs to do today (unpaid, unlike our ex-Chancellor), but the Ruby brake job does not feature. I'll have to return to it later on in the week and I fear a parts order is in the offing.

Location: Doncaster