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MG TD TF 1500 - Brake adjustment

Having an issue with brake adjustment. Feel like I'm not gettingng them adjusted tight enough. Turning the adjuster all the way on, slows the breaks you can you can hear the brake dragging, but doesn't seem to stop it. No matter how I just some, I cannot get the emergency brake to catch at all. I have had the shoes off, possible the springs are not in the correct holes. Any suggestions,. There seems to be plenty of life in the shoes.
TRH Hammond

The one thing I will mention, when I push the brake pedal the break does go Fairly far towards the floor, 2nd pump good and tight and hold.
TRH Hammond

If the brake drums have been turned too many times in the last 60 years, then the I.D. may be too large for the shoes to fully contact the drums. That was the problem on my TF.

I followed John Twist's video about how to correct the problem.
> Link to John Twist video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2-0Vqje1LM

> Search the archives for thread title:
Brakes - Adjuster shim

Click on these two choices in the Archive search window:
++ this phrase
++ Search in thread title only

It is my recap of the process, parts, and photos.

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

I didn't notice that the spring on his brake shoes are in a different hole than mine. I could move it over one hole. will that make a difference though?
TRH Hammond

TRH - You don't say if you are having problems with the front brakes or the rear ones. If you are having problems with the rear brakes only, then you need to put a shim under the 'U' shaped piece that rides on the cylinder.

Background - the front and rear brake shoes are exactly the same. The front brakes, being twin leading shoes, have a wheel cylinder for each shoe and as such, the front shoes can be adjusted clear out to the backing. The rear brakes have only one wheel cylinder acting on both shoes at the same time. This means that the wheel cylinder has to travel twice the distance for the shoes to make contact with the drum - resulting in running out of adjustment while there is plenty of lining on each shoe. I got some of the U shaped piece that rides on the cylinder with a piece of 1/8 inch iron welded to the U shaped piece (I believe I got them from Abingdon spares). This added piece gives me a lot more adjustment range for the rear brakes. Cheers - Dave
DW DuBois

It's actually all the way around, the front ones definitely are gripping better than the rear ones, but all four seem like they can't be adjusted to the proper adjustment. A little background, this past winter I fixed the seals and bushings on the front end. I had to take the front wheel hub off and disconnecting the brakes. Then I noticed I had a leaking brake cylinder in the rear, rebuilding the cylinder and then ultimately replacing it with the new moss wheel cylinder. The brakes worked fine last year, had no issues at all, so I can't help but think it is something that happened when I was working on them this winter. Like I previously mentioned it, if I pump the brakes once it goes straight to the floor pump it the second time and they hold good and tight and have no problem stopping me.
TRH Hammond

You need to get air out of the system, then you won't have to pump them.
Dave H
Dave Hill

I had bled them a couple of times. I think I have all the air out.
TRH Hammond

If the bleed screws are loose and leaky then you can bleed them as often as you like and it does no good, as air is drawn down the thread when you release the pedal. One way round this is to replace the screws and lubricate them so they don't leak. The other is to press the pedal down, hold in position with a block of wood, then tighten the screws before releasing. Then do it again. Easier if you have someone to assist - then you don't need the wood!
Dave H
Dave Hill

You have to be able to lock the drums cranking the adjuster tightly clockwise. If it goes all the way around and drum is not locked, see Lonnie and Dave's posts and fix accordingly. While bleeding could be an issue I doubt it. The shoes have too much slack, so it takes the extra pump to make up the distance. George
George Butz

This thread was discussed on 05/09/2016

MG TD TF 1500 index

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