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MG MGA - Brake Pads Dont Fit...

Have fitted new brake discs and brake pads and cannot now get the calipers into place, i.e the brake disc will not go into the gap between the pads

Have tried removing the bleeders and using a C Clamp to make sure that the pistons are fully withdrawn, but pads appear to be too thick to even go on.

Do you advise that I should sand the pads down, remove the non-judder coating on the inside or ...?????

Thanks

Aleks
Aleks Stojanovic

which supplier?
Art Pearse

mg spares - the new discs are about 10mm wide and the gap between the pads is only 7mm.

I cant see how I could withdraw the pistons any further as have used a C Clamp - although they are not flush - so maybe if there is another way of doing this more effectively....

Aleks Stojanovic

If it helps my LH disc is 0.346" (8.79mm) thick. Also I have a spare set of old used Lockheed pads and the steel backing on these is 0.235" (5.97mm)thick . The thickness, including friction material, of the least worn in the set is 0.472" (11.99mm)......................Mike
m.j. moore

Mike,

I checked and the manual says that the width of the disc should be 0.38" and should be changed if it goes below 0.33" - which is not much thinner than your LH disc.

Still think that perhaps there has to be a better way of pushing the pistons in so that they are completely flush - better I mean than using a C Clamp...

Aleks
Aleks Stojanovic

Aleks,

I've always used a c-clamp to push mine in - I put a small piece of wood between the c-clamp and the piston so I can press it all the way in (both sides). You should have plenty of room.

Gene
Gene Gillam

I believe the piston with dust seal in place should return to be flush with the caliper housing. If the piston is protruding after pushing it all the way in, then it is not all the way in, or it is the wrong piston.
barneymg

Aleks, I was giving you some dimensions so you could start the process of elimination. For example you may have been supplied with the wrong pads,etc. I can give you piston dimensions also as I have a spare pair.........................Mike

PS With my current annual mileage I have enough metal on my discs to last 20 years or more!!
m.j. moore

Did you remove the master cylinder cap
Graham
Graham V

Aleks,

After converting my front brakes from drums to disks I had the same problem. Brand new rotors and pads. The pads were slightly too thick. I removed the anti-squeal pads (non-judder coating) and was able to install the brake pads. I have not had any issues with brake squeal.

John
John Backman

Mintex pads and new Moss calipers - perfect fit
Also Moss pads and old MGA calipers, same good fit.
Art Pearse

Your piston should retract to be flush. Me thinks you are not getting enough travel. Have you checked or renewed the seals on the pistons?
Ian Pearl

Open your bleeders a bit when you press the cups back in.
Brian W.
ZBMan

I've reactivated this thread instead of starting a new one and saying all the same things. As you can see, I kinda went too far with my pad and rotor. I ordered a new kit from LBC/Moss that includes pads, rotors and some hardware. Everything looked beautiful until we tried to insert the pads into the calipers. No go. The gap between the fully depressed piston and the rotor is 15mm and the new pads measure 16mm thick. I see from above that the rotor is supposed to be 3/8" or 0.9525mm. My new rotors mic at 10mm. That's not enough to make the difference. I don't know what the original pad thickness was.

Anyway, I donned my hazmat stuff and started sanding down the pads. I sanded 1mm o0ff the face of each pad and they went in easily. I probably sanded off a couple of thousand miles of braking but that's the next owner's problem.

By the way, does anyone know why the pistons have the bottom half cut back?

Thanks.

Jud

ps: I certainly am not blaming LBC or Moss for this issue. I do hope that they might let their supplier/manufacturer know that the parts are still not correctly dimensioned.



J K Chapin

"By the way, does anyone know why the pistons have the bottom half cut back?"
I had always understood it was to reduce brake squeal, but I dont know the physics behind it
Graham V

This thread was discussed between 15/07/2015 and 30/07/2024

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