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MG MGB Technical - handbrake turns in an mgbgt

can you do handbrake turns in your mg?

my handbrake does not appear to be strong enough to lock the wheels at 30mph with the clutch depressed. is this the norm?
dave

Yes you can, your handbrake is mal-adjusted.

Tony
Tony Crossley

No problem. Make sure that you have a good well greased cable and a well adjusted foot brake. Most important of all ensure that the handbrake link inside the drum is not seized as it usually is. Dismantle it and free it off, re-assemble and lubricate all metal to metal with a very small amount of copper grease. This includes the brake shoe pads on the backplate.
Iain MacKintosh

i've been waiting for someone to ask something like this! how about doughnuts?

joe
J P Connor

Converting to a 'fly off' type ratchet makes it easier. Details were posted a while back on another thread, check the archives.
Bill Young

I don't know about grease on the cable, I have always found that snow on the road is the key.

Joe, if you want an MGB to do doughnuts you need to contact Gunpowder Jim and his supercharged V8. Often to be found on the V8 or supercharged section of this board.

Years ago I used to take part in the California Cup autotest at MGCC Silverstone meeting. The midgets were much better at handbreak turns than the Bs.

David
David Witham

Joe, the problem with trying to do doughnuts is the diff. The MGB has an open diff as standard which means it'll just spin up one wheel. This usually means you can't get the car rotating, (expcet maybe in snow).
You realy need an LSD, that'll allow both wheels to spin and then your having a larf.
Plus, you need a decent amount of grunt.

Tony
Tony Crossley

nice. sounds like an LSD is the way to go then! bit pricey but worth it! does anyone supply rebuilt back axles with LSD's fitted, if so what sort of price are we looking at?

joe
J P Connor

I posted the pics of the differences between the flyaway and normal handbrake here:

http://asciimation.co.nz/pics/flyaway/index.html

I was going to use a old second handbrake and grind the new flyaway pawl from the base part of it. That way I don't have to grind the teeth.

Simon
Simon Jansen

Thanks Simon, Iv'e been looking for a fly-off handbrake conversion for some time.


Mike
M Barnfather

I'm starting a metalwork nightcourse soon so I'll have access to decent tools. I might give it a try then. Hardest part I think is drilling a hole through the steel. I suspect it is hardened.
Simon Jansen

On dirt maybe, or maybe just the inside wheel in a curve. On dry tarmac and a straight line I reckon even a correctly setup handbrake will struggle to lock the wheels, especially the GT with its extra weight.
Paul Hunt

This thread was discussed between 11/02/2005 and 12/02/2005

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.