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MG MGB Technical - Rear Brake Shoe Retainers

Hi everyone,
Has anyone got a neat trick for removing, and especially, replacing the rear brake shoe retainers? I always struggle mightily with these things and usually end up pinging the damned cup washer across the garage into the darkest most inaccessable corner.
Mike
Mike Howlett

..insert the 'nail' through the backing plate, rotate it so that the tangs are vertical and hold in place with one hand.
Place the spring on the nail and 'wind' the spring down the tang to maxiumn engagement. Pick up the cup by the last groove of a pair of utility pliers ensuring that the slots are vertical. Push, twist 90 degrees and BINGO !! Also, speciality tool companys do make a handy screwdriver tool with a slotted cup for just this purpose. I have seen them in the rotary tool racks at parts stores.
FWIW,
Ed in 'ple Virginny
Ed Meadors III

I just compress the spring by pressing on the cup with a pair of pliers then reach round the back of the back-plate with my other hand and rotate the pin through 90 degrees. Same for replacement.

PaulH.
Paul Hunt

Mike,

Both Sykes-Pickavant and Facom make the tool which Ed described. A branch of Halfords will either have the tool or be able to get it for you.

I found that on odd occasions when I've used combination pliers the retainer has either been pinged into orbit or my face or else has been bent out of shape. That's why I went over to the Facom tool.

Cheers,
Jim
Jim Aitken

As others have mentioned one can either use a pair of pliers (or a socket) to press the cup retainer,
then reach around and twist the retaining pin 90*. If you work slowly and carefully, you can pretty
much do this without having everything shooting across the garage.

...if you think that's hard...wait'll you try to remove and replace that "E" clip which holds the rear brake
slave cylinder onto the backing plate. Now that's real fun!

I know that there's a special tool for this, but I don't know how effective it is.
Daniel Wong

Thanks to all - I succeeded with pliers, patience and swear words. Daniel, I know what you mean about the E clips. I had experience of them on my midget. They are just about impossible, and never seem to hold the cylinder tight. I found that by quoting the original part number at my local Rover dealer, he could produce a packet of the original circlips, which, with a packing washer, are a nice snug fit and easy to install. Who the hell designed the E clips? They should be ashamed of themselves.
Mike
Mike Howlett

This thread was discussed between 06/09/2001 and 07/09/2001

MG MGB Technical index

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