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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Rear brake piston

Anyone got any useful tips on how to get the meaty circlip correctly placed into the groove of the protruding rear brake drum actuating cylinder lug?

Fought with the nearside one for well over an hour, not really located well as the actuating cylinder was a bit loose......

Mark O

Hey ho Mark its my gripe of the moment as well.

1) I filed the opening down to make it larger and less of an angle.
2) I put it on concave side next to the backplate.
3) Used mole grips on hub to hold cylinder in place allowing two hands free.
4) Started with finger push then got old socket placed edge on edge of E clip and hit with hammer.

Worked for me.

However I wouldn't do that again I would do what Gryf suggested in his answer to me last week ago or so and use C or circlips. The reason is that when the E clip is on, its in the way of the bleed nipple, so I have filed the edge of the E clip for clearance (yes I have taken them on and off - yippee) and now that is done I have had to buy a cranked 1/4 spanner to fit because the clearance of the nipple by the clip is rubbish.

Gryf's stuff is in one of my threads further down this list on technical, and is called 'Rear Cylinder Fitting' the thread in general has some great advice from him and others. Well worth the read.

Good luck. I had to seriously resist getting very cross yesterday and it was all caused by using this clip which I now judge to be a serious mistake.
Dave Squire - Notts

Remove the roll pin from the slave and tap the hole 2BA or 3.16unf and leaving the circlip off secure the slave with a suitable bolt.
Alan
Alan Anstead

Dave

Many thanks. I did similar except point 1 - which I think I will do for the other. I left off the nipple whilst fitting, and it seemed to clear the clip when (ahem) bashing it back in, but yes, the clip does cover the backplate clearance hole for it.

Alan - like the tapped idea!

Cheers again

Mark
Mark O

"Remove the roll pin from the slave and tap the hole 2BA or 3.16unf and leaving the circlip off "

Amen to that.

Although I've always managed to get the E clips on, they're a bloody pain that's for sure.
Lawrence Slater

I didn't even bother trying the circlip but went for the drill, tap and bolt. If memory serves me M5 seemed to do it. I used the old cylinder for practice and to measure the drill depth first.
This was my first ever "engineering" job on my midget and as it turned out an extremely satisfying piece of cake.
Matt1275Bucks

Another here for the drill and tap method.
Used it for many years.
Gives a much more positive location of the cylinder, and much less swearing during the fitting....
JB Anderson

Drill and tap - M5 screw. Job's a good 'un.

(Ignore the nay sayers who will exclaim - "By drilling and tapping, you'll loose the 'play' that enables the wheel cylinder and brake shoes to self-centralise."
I simply don't believe the brake set-up was designed with that in mind. Apart from anything else, the 'play' is so slight that it really doesn't add anything to the design).
Andy Hock

I agree with that Andy. I've often wondered why they weren't fixed by bolt in the first place, -- precisely to stop them rattling around, -- just like they are on some other cars with essentially the same cylinders.

Maybe with the right tool, the E clip is easier and quicker to fit and remove than a bolt? But who's got that tool?
Lawrence Slater

I never had a problem with the E clip. Just hold one end down with your thumb and lever the other ear on with a flat blade screwdriver. Simples! One thing - there is a very small slot between the backplate and the end of the axle casing and the back side of the E clip needs to go into that slot. If you don't locate it in that slot then it is wrongly positioned, forced to hard against the cylinder boss and very hard to spring into position.

That said, I have mine drilled, tapped and bolted on these days! I did it because I found that the rubber dust seals were wearing away with the "floating" arrangement. But in retrospect, I suspect that was because the modern dust seals are thicker and fatter than the originals.

I think also that a certain amount of "float" does help the shoes to centralise properly. Since bolting the cylinders in I find that when adjusting for a close clearance there is a tendency for the drum to scuff quite hard for just part of the rotation. If I back off the adjuster to stop this, then the brakes are too slack.
Guy W

E clip all the way!!
It is not that hard.

And it is not bolted because there is some designed play with out rattles so it gives the shoes the space to seat properly.


Now here is the how to.

-get 2 flat screwdrivers
-bend one of the end points of the E clip up
-hook the 2 other points of the E clip in the groove (as good as you can)
-stick one screwdriver between the 2 point that are in the groove in the groove
-take screwdriver 2 and stick it in between the middle point and the free point in the groove.
-now wiggle screwdriver 2 to fold the free point down.

And within 5 minutes you have fitted the rear wheel cylinder as AH intended.
Onno K

Arrg Guy posted while I was typing.
A real Nigel moment ;)
Onno K

This thread was discussed on 26/11/2012

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.