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MG MGB Technical - replace or refurbish?

Dear All,
happy new year, and many of them. quick question - i have a leaking rear wheel cylinder. so, first question - do i replace the cylinder or have a try with new seals?
question 2 - there has been fluid leaked into the drum - however, after a clean up, all is grand looking - the shoes have lots of life left in them, so can i still use them, or do these need replacing (they seem fine to me but best to check).
thanks in advance
mick
mick

Replace brake cylinders with new. I believe the drums and pads will be fine.
Lewis

Mike, if there is to much oil in the linings you will get a shudder when braking. If it stops smoothly, all is well.
John H

Mick. New wheel cylinders are relatively inexpensive. I have never rebuilt one successfully myself, nor do I know anyone who has. The last "professionally rebuilt" wheel cylinder I had locked up out in the middle of no where and presented me with an interesting problem since I was on the side of a mountain trail at the time. Now, I replace wheel cylinders rather than try to save the relatively few dollars involved.

The brake linings can be cleaned with brake cleaner in most cases. This was commonly done in the past when either a wheel cylinder began to leak or the rear axle seal leaked. However, the rear shoes are also relatively inexpensive and I tend to replace them rather than try to clean and re-use shoes contaminated by brake fluid or gear lube. The slightly greater expense of new shoes and wheel cylinders is off set by the fact that I have an increased expectation of only having to do the job once.

Les
Les Bengtson

The only benefit of replacing seals rather than the complete cylinder is avoiding the dreaded E-clip that holds the cylinder to the backplate, but it is best to gird your loins and replace the cylinder as a whole.
Paul Hunt 2

Mick I've just had the same problem-replace it all its only £25-30. For E clip fitting if you've not done it before, theres a current thread over on the MGOC board
HTH M
Michael Beswick

Dear All, many thanks for your advice. followed to the letter, now have superb brakes again. couple of points to note for all novices like myself (i had never seen inside a drum brake till the last couple of days):
1. save the used e-clip. i knackered the new one, but the old one was such a brute to get off, that it was very serviceable, and twice as micuh of a brute to get back on.
2. dont give up - the e-clip will go back on. it took me 1.5 hours of fiddling/swearing/despairing - then a victory lap round the garden after completeion (on fot - not that big a garden).
3. I have in the past been told that MGBGT brakes are crap at best. this is utter rubbish - mine, now that i have completely services front and rear, are as good as any fancy modern car you care to name.
4. dont be as useless as me - i bled the brakes on my own using a one-man kit (chaep crap). i then noticed that the brakes were always better on second application. blamed air, rebled. ad infinitum. it was the rear adjusterment to blame - forst stroke was getting the shoes there, rapidly followed by second stroke to get the top brakes. did the adjustment with more bravery and hey presto, great brakes, and working handbrake.
5. remember, you have 10 knuckles, 2 backs of hands - some of these must be sacrificed in order to appease the wrath of the great, all powerful e-clip - brake fluid really nips in cuts!
cheers for all the advice - as a total car novice i am just loving the sense of satisfaction that is coming from not going to the garage and sitting back with no skin on knuckles, awash with the knowledge that at last i understand and no longer fear the brakes.
mick
mick

Amen to all that, there is nothing like dismantling and (successfully!) rebuilding it to understand something and have confidence in it. MGB brakes are *not* crap, if you can't lock them up with gradually applied pressure (they will lock much easier if you suddenly bang the pedal down because the weight doesn't have time to transfer to the front before they lock) there is something wrong with them ... or your leg muscles. However the BL handbrake system has always been weak and needs comprehensive cleaning and lubrication at each service. Even then in no way does it represent an 'emergency' brake as North Americans often refer to it, but is merely a parking brake. If you suddenly discover your front brakes have failed, then pulling on your handbrake will be about as much use as Wile E Coyote flapping has arms when suckered over the edge of a cliff by Roadrunner. It is unlikely to lock, let alone bring you to a halt anything like soon enough.
Paul Hunt 2

This thread was discussed between 03/01/2006 and 07/01/2006

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