MGB Rear wheel locked

[SystemOfAFrown]

My father has an early 70's MGB he bought as a rolling restoration and recently tried to move it, having not driven it for a week or two to find it stuck solid. The previous time he drove it he said it felt like there was an out of round rear wheel, but couldn't see any tyre damage. With the rear axle jacked up, the nearside will turn freely, and turns the prop shaft. The offside will move maybe an inch or so at the perimeter of the tyre and then locks absolutely solid even with considerable force applied. Applying the handbrake locks both wheel solid as expected and there is no excess travel on the handbrake. The car is always chocked when not in use, with the handbrake left off.

He has jumped to the worse case scenario of a diff problem, on the B it's not unknown for the roll pin that retains the diff pin to break and allow the diff pin to slide out, and the spider gears can also break up. However I cannot imagine any possible scenario where this could result in one wheel locked up but the diff assembly still rotating and allowing the other wheel to turn freely. I have a feeling that either the friction material has parted company with the shoe (though hand brake still seems to work) or the wheel bearing has partially locked, allowing a very small amount of motion. I'm going to give him a hand to investigate this, but would like to hear any thoughts.

[GreenV8S]

Handbrake lining detached and corroded onto the drum is my first thought, but the symptoms last time it was driven do make me suspect a wheel bearing or diff output bearing failure.

My first step would be to take the wheel and drum off on the affected side. Either the problem is staring at you, or you know it's a diff problem.

[Jordie Barretts sock]

This ^^^^

[stevieturbo]

Least likely scenario diff.

Just pull the drum off it, something is messed up in there.

[E-bmw]

^^^^ Wot 'e (they) said.

Just because the brake comes on more doesn't mean that there isn't something adrift in there.