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MG TD TF 1500 - Servo Installation

I would appreciate advice and plans for the installation of a servo in my mgtf 1500 (1955)
I understand that a number of TF owners have installed them.
I would appreciate any advice .

Martin
New Zealand
J.M. Chappell

Why? To me, it's a waste of money! Nothing wrong with the brakes on the car as long as their properly maintained. But if you must spend the money, I've seen one installed to the chassis under the side screen box in the rear. If you go that route, you should also put in a duel master cylinder, which to me is much more important than the booster. Just my thoughts on the idea. PJ
Paul J

....for the weight of the car, new shoes and a well bled system seems to work well for me.... check and make sure your shoes aren't glazed or oily first.....
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

I spent the time to rebuild wheel cylinders new shoes and a careful bleed of the system. Braking is very firm and reliable. I think a 2,000 lb car is well stopped with standard MG brake syste.
Peter Dahlquist

Martin, see http://www.ttalk.info/TinkerServo.htm Bud
Bud Krueger (TD10855)

wow...all that and you still have a single circuit drum brake system??? i fail to see the point. regards, tom
tom peterson

I have a 1954 TF 1500, second season driving it after some years of hibernation in POs dry garage.

Brakes were not up to standards last season, but now, after freeing four stuck wheel cylinders and relining dot 4 inpregnated front brake shoes I find the brakes to be more than adequate, actually they are very good!

For piece of mind one could wish to have a dual circuit system, but then, single circuit hydraulic systems were considered to be sufficient for almost half a century, so who are we to judge?

regards,

Jan
Jan Kristoffersen

Power brakes? For what its worth, I modified a dual circuit master cylinder for the safety aspects (most important!) and went with 3/4" master cylinder as opposed to 7/8" (which multiplies foot effort quite a bit). The TD twin leading shoe front brakes are about on par with discs (I did go MGB discs plus proportioning valve, too).

I would not mess with vacuum servo; just a matter of tastes.

Power steering anyone (25" steering wheel!)?
Jim Northrup

What good is a sevo you ask...well it doesn't change the braking...which is more than adequate...but what it DOES do is make it easier to apply the brakes...which in my case, with a bad back, is something that will help me drive the TD more often. I have found if I drive the TD a little spirited as I am wont to do, it takes a bit more pressure on the brakes which twinges the back...I hope to install one this year...I think there may even be an article coming soon in TSO about using the servo from the Mini...
Bob Doc
Bob Dougherty

Excellent response, Bob.
Gene Gillam

When I bought my car last Sept it was fitted with an MGB servo. My wife drove me to pick it up. I was following her down the road when she pulled up at a junction. I put my foot on the brake and nothing seemed to happen. (I found out later there's 1/2" free travel before the brake works). So I pressed a bit harder and all 4 wheels locked up and I nearly ran in to the back of her.

Be careful how you go about fitting servo assisted brakes! In my experience they're digital! Off or full on. I only drove the car 100miles before I dismantled it and they were very careful miles. The servo is not going back on!

I read somewhere that servos' need to be matched to the master cylinder bore size for them to work properly. It seems to me ramping up the pressure in the braking system is more likely to blow the seals.

AJ
A R Jones

This thread was discussed between 13/04/2011 and 15/04/2011

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.