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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Squidgy brakes

Despite having relined the shoes, turned the drums, rebuilt all cylinders, and bled several times with new DOT3 fluid, I still find a TD's brakes to be somewhat soft.

It is not possible to lock the wheels and skid and the pedal travel seems to be more than recommended, about 2" before pressure is felt.

Perhaps the old flexible pipes are expanding. Does anyone have any other suggestions?
G.E. Love

Just adjusted mine this morning (they were new shoes a week after Gatlinburg...2years ago?) Anyway... turned all 6 adjusters what was about 2 clicks, then back 1. The pedal now makes contact within an inch and stops as well as my Mazda (of course more pressure is needed)...
Did you read the previous posts about brakes and cylinder direction?
gblawson(gordon)

Yes, did all that.
G.E. Love

Considering that the bleeders on the T series cars, bleed the lines but not the cylinders, it is very difficult to get all the air out of the cylinders. I have found that the most fool proof way to get the air out of the cylinders is to fill the cylinders with fluid before attaching the brake lines to the cylinders. I have filled them before using a syringe to squirt fluid into the cylinders, then attaching the brake lines to the cylinders. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

How old are the rubber hoses? If any doubt, change them. Do you have 2" travel before you feel any resistance? There should be only about 3/4" totally free play before the pushrod hits the MC piston,then not much after that.
George Butz

Thanks for all the comments.

I think Dave has hit the nail on the head. I was certain I had pre-filled the cylinders before installation, now I am not so sure. I wonder if they can be topped off by removing the banjos and perhaps injecting fluid with, say, a hypodermic syringe?

I fully expect I am going to have to strip all the drums off and start again. Hey, ho,as off.....
G.E. Love

The brake setup on the MG is typical of the shoddy engineering that hastened the decline of the British car industry.I found that by filling the assembled cylinders on the bench with a large syringe and then blocking the cylinder fluid inlet with a grease compatible with the fluid (in my case silicone) the cylinders stayed full during assembly. Also useful was a pressure bleeder made from a small pump up spray unit connected via a hose barb let into an old master cylinder cap. regards, Richard.
R Payne

This thread was discussed between 23/08/2008 and 25/08/2008

MG TD TF 1500 index

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