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MG TD TF 1500 - Another brake drum question

Unlike Chris Malcolm and (apparently many others), my problem isn't that I can't get enough adjustment on the shoes, but rather that I have a great deal of difficulty fitting new shoes, both front and back, because they're too tight.
The drums I am using have been skimmed but even so when I fit new shoes there isn't the clearance between the shoe lining and the drum to get the drum onto the hub. This has resulted in me either removing some of the lining, which seems daft, or filing the adjuster slot and front edges of the shoe, which is equally crazy.
Can anybody tell me why I'm having this problem?
Also on my TD, there is no clearance between the front brake banjo connector bolt and the steering arm on both sides. I replaced all the brake cylinders some years ago and have always wondered if I was sold non-standard parts.
Any comments will be welcome.
Thanks and Merry Christmas.

Mike.
Mike Christie

Mike,

Here is a picture from my website from the suspension section. It shows the clearance between the parts in question.

Can you post pictures of your set up on a site like 'webshots' or here on the forum?

warmly,
dave


Dave Braun

Mike - Make sure that you have the shoes fitted in the right direction and that they are centered. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Mike I can answer your query regarding the banjo bolt coming in contact with the suspension arm. The drum back plates have been put on the wrong sides. I know this through experience because I had the same problem when I rebuilt my TD. I changed the backplates over and hey presto the position of the cylinder is in a slightly different position and the banjo bolt becomes clear of the suspension arm as per Daves photo.

With regard to the drums fitting over the shoes I can only suggest the shoes are not fitted centrally and need some adjustment side to side or up and down to allow the drums to fit over. I usually do this by tapping the shoes with a copper hide hammer and keep trying the drum till if fits over. Once the drum fits over you can usual then centre them properly by operating the brakes.

Hope this helps Chris
C A Pick

Mike at last I'm not crazy I've been suffering the same problem I had to grind the ends of the shoes slightly, I . Only the rear shoes are spot tight that when I got them on with full adjustment and grinding they still drag I intend to run them around as to wear down a bit. My question is there a difference between front and rear drums. And my drums appear to be different from others, they have a central piece and are bolted to the outside rim. Bud Krueger has seen them and said they were early two piece drums. All four of mine are the same but I haven't seen any others in all the threads or sites. Rear drums are still dragging intend to run them in next week, if something wrong some advice or direction would be appreciated.
Jon Levine

John, I have a couple of the two piece drum/hubs (rear) in my attic (with messed up splines), off of an early TD. You would have to measure the inside of the drum with a caliper, etc. to compare the ID between your drums Could there be a problem with the dimentions of the new shoes, or replacement wheel cylinders? If the linings fit the drum (the arch is correct), then just grind a touch more off of the heel of the shoe.
George Butz

Hi,
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.
Dave B, thanks for the photo, the clearance on your suspension is how I thought it should be, I'll take some photos tomorrow. (I'm still driving the car when it stops raining!)
Dave DB, the rear shoes are on the right way and centred but I'm glad I'm not alone and Jon L has the same problem. You describe the problem exactly Jon, but I can't work out why it should be.
Chris, is it really as simple as that? In all of the years I've had the car(40)I never realised that the backing plates were left and right, are they marked? I haven't taken the plates off for a couple of years but am I right in remembering that they can also be orientated in two positions on the same hub? So is there a right and wrong orientation as well?

Thank you.

Mike.
Mike Christie

Chris Pick is absolutely right, and I've never thought of it that way before, but the front banjo location has to be higher on the backing plate to miss the steering arm, and if you swap the left and right sides, the front banjo location will end up being the low one. Wow... I just got lucky because I had them segragated and marked.

Mike, have you been to my website and looked at my other pictures in both the brake and suspension areas?http://www.dbraun99.com/mgtd15470/

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

They are stamped R and L ... right near the centre hole I seem to remember?


gblawson(gordon)

My backing plates were marked. Although now I can't remember where (was quite a few years ago). The marking looked like it was hand stamped into the metal as I remember.

Bob
R. K. Jeffers

Hi,
Dave B, your website is a valuable reference source for me for which I am often very grateful. I had no idea that the plates were left and right. The last time I repainted them I stripped all of the old paint back to the metal and I must have missed the markings. But from your pictures, and from Gordon's, there's a small hole in-between the bolt holes perhaps that is significant?
Gordon and Bob, I'll have another good look when I change them (after Christmas) and if I find the markings I'll photo them and upload it here.
I've attached a picture of the problem.

Now if I could only figure out why the rear shoes are always so tight!

Regards and thanks again.
Mike.



Mike Christie

Mike,

Following up on your first question. I had the same problem when I converted to Alfin drums. Rear drums were okay, but I had trouble with the fronts. I had several sets of spare shoes, one of them fit nicely with no modifications. Seems all shoes are not created equal.

Tom
Tom Balutis

Mike,

I'm glad that you have found the website valuable. As to the small holes I asked the same question here, and there was no clear answer. I elected to put the small holes forward. As long as the brake backing plates are on the right side of the car, the orientation of 180 degrees does not matter as they are symetrical about the horizontal axis.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Thanks for all the help with this problem.

Mike
Mike Christie

I labeled mine when I replaced the shoes and cylinders a couple years ago. I hope this helps.
Sid
Sid Orr

Let me upload that picture again.. sorry.

Sid


Sid Orr

And the right... kinda hard to see the "UP" arrow...

Sid


Sid Orr

Thanks Sid,

Really helpful.

Mike.
Seasons Greetings.
Mike Christie

hello, someone touched on something here i would like to emphasize. marking as you remove is an excellent idea, but remember these cars are old and if the last person did not do the job correctly, your markings are meaningless. you still have to check other sources to verify. factory manuals, this board, other cars, etc...regards, tom
tom peterson

This thread was discussed between 15/12/2008 and 19/12/2008

MG TD TF 1500 index

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