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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Hydraulic clutch release systems

I have just acquired a complete SCCR 'box, and it comes with a hyraulic clutch release mechanism. Anybody had any experience of these? Do I have to set them up or is it just fit'n'forget? Would it be easier to put my ordinary fork back in and sell the hydraulic one to someone who gets better use from it?

PO had an F3 clutch, mine's a 7.5" with Caterham cover using roller thrust bearing but has bare "fingers" without a central boss. Sorry not to be more technical.
Max T

Sounds like the co-ax/concentric kit Peter May sells for the F3 clutch.

I don't understand why Peter's kit can't be made to work with any clutch and having had a co-ax/concentric kit on my 5 Speed (Ford based) box I'd never want to go back to the lever.

I bet David Smith could get it working - either on your car or his - isn't he a near neighbour.

Or sell it to me a fiver.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

So was it fit'n'forget Daniel? Someone muttered to me about making sure hte throw isn't too much, which I why I canvassed opinion.

And you think I'd let David have anything for his car that has even the remotest possibility of making it faster than mine??? ;-) LOL!

I'd rather sell it to you for a fiver. Which I wouldn't do ;-)
Max T

Probably the throw might be too much but this is something you can measure and test before fitting.

You need to establish the max throw the clutch plate will have and the max movement of the bearing for a single full stroke of the clutch pedal.

If there is even a slight overthrow you can either weld a blob to the back of the clutch pedal so it bottoms out a bit sooner or make an adjustable clutch master push rod (Clevis eye from Burton and drill and tap the standard rod after cutting off the Clevis).
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Thanks Daniel. My clutch pedal is adjustable, it's a special 3-pot pedal box and there's an adjustable rod so that's the easy bit.

This looks like a nightmare of potential cock ups. Box in, box out, all the time *me* wielding a measuring stick.

How do I know the throw of the clutch? Why are there two pipe connections on the thrust mechanism? What happens if I push the pedal down too far in a racey gearchange, do I blow the seals on the master cylinder?

Oh no, that clutch fork is getting closer.........
Max T

Max,
When I installed mine I fitted the slave cylinder to the gearbox and then rigged up a temporary clutch line whilst it was all still on the garage floor. It is then easy to measure the distance moved by the thrust for a single pedal stroke and adjust with stops if necessary. Movement needed, IIRC, was 10 - 12mm.

The two holes on the slave are for feed and bleed.

Guy
Guy Weller

P'raps Daniel is right, let me do it :o)
David Smith

Thanks Guy, I'm going to cut and paste and file your tips away for when I get round to it next season.

David, there'll be a bottle of red afterwards :-)
Max T

Hi Max,

AP racing list the max throw of their covers and I guess if you haven't got an AP Cover it would be easy to ask who made it what the max throw is - so that part's easy.

What Guy said is correct and it's fairly hassle free as the clutch is REALLY REALLY easy to bleed.

Alternativly you could take a short cut and fit everything. Once you've found that the clutch travel is right at the TOP of the pedal it's obvious it doesn't need to go all the way to the bottom so adjust the master rod.

The real solution is to fit a different clutch master but it's not necessary to do so.

I bet the new parts weigh less than the standad ones - in case you need some inspiration.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

This thread was discussed between 22/10/2008 and 23/10/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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