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MG MGB Technical - replace circlip on wheel cylinder

hi and help !!
79mgb

replacing rear wheel cylinder circlip on
new rear wheel cylinders.

question: how, in hell, do you get the circlip back on, in place ?
it's part 73 , 326-720 in the mossmotor catalogue, page 55.

there must be a relatively simple routine , i just can't figure it out, i gave up after an hour or so.

thanks a million times in advance.

john

john sutter

John I did the exact sam job.It is difficult. The new wheel cylinders only just 'present' the groove where the circlip goes, once on the back plate. And the new circlips are nice and tight! So you cannot simply push them in. One thought I had is; can one 'grip the circlip and top end of the wheel cylinder and squeeze the circlip in place so to speak? I had not got any thing like that to hand,a big G clamp doesnt work not enough space. you might something else? In the end I resorted to a piece of wood, of suitable length, brought the end of this to the placed circlip, then rapped the other end of the wood with a hammer.The piece of wood was narrow, no more that an inch by half inch hard wood ( a spare piece of Merbau decking.) That worked, but you have to tap quite hard to cause the spring to open and move. A light tap does not do this, rather it shoots across the workshop floor! Once I got the hang on one side the other wet in first go! Good Luck! Mike
J.M. Doust

John,

Almost impossible to slide on and it stretches the clip. Best way is to put open ended legs into the groove in the cylinder with the circle lying over the cylinder (as if near it's final position. Then, using a screwdriver, lift the closed end over the cylinder and into it's grove. Need a picture really !!! Also, curved profile of clip goes towards cylinder, i.e. middle touches back plate. Good Luck. Andrew
Andrew Walton

I gave up on the "real" clips many years ago and just use regular circlips instead. You can fit them in seconds without personal injury or mechanical damage.
Miles Banister

Try this:
REAR WHEEL brake cylinder

You'll need:

a) one 3/8" x 24 (NF) x 2" bolt, nut, and washer.
b) a small screwdriver.
c) medium-sized Vice Grip pliers.
d) a socket that'll slip over the threaded brake line boss on the wheel cylinder. The lip of the socket must be able to reach slightly past the groove that is on thread brake line boss on the wheel cylinder. I use an 11/16" socket.
e) a lightweight hammer and a long drift.

=================

Here's how: (it is actually easier than it sounds as written, here). Note the clips are “handed”-the outer ear tabs should face away from the back plate to allow the “spring” of the clip to keep it secure.

1) Clamp the pair of Vice Grip pliers onto the axle wheel flange - so that the back of the Vice Grip braces the wheel cylinder against the brake backing plate and holds it there.
This'll free both hands for the "real work".

2) Hold up the E-clip so that the centre tab is nearly seated in the groove on the wheel
cylinder, the ear tabs should face away from the back plate - while using the small screwdriver to pry on one of the ear tabs onto the groove of the wheel cylinder.

Be gentle, and try to do as little bending as you can get away with.

3) Try as best as you can to pry the second ear tab into the groove. You'll never be able to get all three tabs seated fully home - but do as best as you can - then step away and relax.

4) Place the socket over the brake line boss that is on the wheel cylinder.

5) Thread on the 3/8" nut fully home onto the 3/8" bolt and slip on the washer after it.

6) Install the 3/8" bolt & nut & washer assembly onto where the brake line would normally go on the wheel cylinder (this will all be placed through the 11/16" socket). No need to torque the bolt tight.

7) Once the bolt is seated, turn the 3/8" nut & washer against the socket. This will push the E-clip home. Do this until you see all three tabs engage the groove on the wheel cylinder.

8) Give the E-clip a few gentle taps with the lightweight hammer and drift in order to
ensure that all 3 tabs are fully seated and properly engaged.

9) Remove the 3/8" bolt and socket, and Vice Grips.


Michael Beswick

I have replaced the E clip with a std. circlip on numerious B's without the hassle and without any problems.

Rgds Trevor Burnett
t burnett

There's a tool for fitting these, this one's on a Mini site but they're the same (I believe) http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?ty=pb&pid=37917 I made my own version of it.

Bob
R.A Davis

John,

Forget about using the supplied circlip.

Go to your local hardware store and pick up two circlips (also known as e-clips). They slip right on and cost pennies.
Steven 67GT


hi, again
still a 79mgb

about the suggested circlips called E-CLIPS
they are obviously new to me.

i googled them, they look just like the circlips that came with the replacement wheel cylinders.
so, please tell me more about their ease of fitting.

i am not doubting your suggestion, it's just that the mg is not driveable without rear wheels, and right now, walking to a hardware store in d.c. would be painful.

thanks again for letting me be a pest.

john
john sutter

John - standard E clips are flat, whereas the clips that come with the wheel cylinders are curved. That is what makes them so hard to install. Cheers - Dave
Larry Kanaster

Ditto as to what Dave said and take the wheel cylinder with you to the hardware store for a test fit.
Steven 67GT

Read this from Paul Hunt
http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/braketext.htm#eclip
Mike Howlett

Using vise grips on the wheel flange to hold the wheel cylinder in place is a very good tip. I use this and make sure the groove in the wheel cylinder is completely through the backing plate.

I place the eclip onto the grove so that the center and one leg are in the grove at the top of the cylinder. I then use a pair of channel lock pliers with one jaw on the bottom of the cylinder and the other on the top of the eclip. I can then close the channel locks forcing those two legs all the way into the grove.
The other leg will usually need to be tapped on its face into the grove with a punch or screwdriver and a small hammer.

I recently did this and it took me about 5 - 10 minutes per side. The key for me was using a good pair of channel locks, actually they were the channel lock brand.

Using a c clip might work just as well. I tried this once and the wheel cylinder seemed to be a little loose to me. Might not matter though as the anti rattle springs and clips likely keep every thing in pretty tight.
John Lifsey

Gentlemen, your all going about this the hard and long-winded way. use your teeth, Oh, and come and visit me afterwards! Mike
J.M. Doust

I just used a small screwriver to ease the clip on and then a larger one to lever the clip down so that it snapped into the groove. I used the old clips - the new ones i bought looked correct but seemed too tight.
It only took a couple of minutes.

On my first attempt I trawled through the archives looking for help but had no luck at all getting the clips on. Then I went to our local MG expert and he told me to use screwdivers and take it slowly - it worked

John
John Minchin

Check Paul Hunt's website, below.

Herb

http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/braketext.htm#eclip
Herb Adler

This thread was discussed between 22/09/2011 and 27/09/2011

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