MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Brake and clutch pedal gaiter??

Hi all.

Is it possible to fit the brake and clutch pedal dust gaiter without removing the pedals?
Is there enough stretch in it or not?

Cheers
Pilkie

No....but removing the pedals is very easy (assuming you don't mind kneeling on the ground, and scrunching under the steering wheel...(LOL)).
E.B. Wesson

Hope the material you purchase is better than what Moss USA has been suppling the last few years. Just replaced the one on my TF recently as the one I put on in 2007 split a couple of years ago. One on the TD has been there just a couple of years and less than a thousand miles and is also split.

Remove the pedals as Edward described ... leave the arms in place. It's a pain but the boot will go over the arms.
This time around I lubed up the boot and the shafts with some silicone grease in hopes that it will help keep the boot from splitting down the middle again. Time will tell.
L E D LaVerne

It is important to "lube" the rubber and pedal arms. If you do , you will have no problems at all. I used dish detergent with a little water, you can clean it up very easily after. But do remove the feet, easy as it is just one bolt each.
C.R. Tyrell

Hi all.
Thanks all!
I know the pedal heads have to come off as no way will they stretch over those!!
Its getting onto the main pedal arms that I was concerned about being they are further apart at the top than the bottom.
I may just pop the main pivot pin out and fit it,then refit the pedal arms,doesnt take long,saves stretching the new gaiter and risking splitting it.
The quality of rubber repro parts does vary,but if there is only 1 supplier/maker what choice do we have other than to complain to the seller!!
And as its likely not a big seller,they will no doubt do nowt!
Pilkie

Pilkie,
No need to pull the pin. It will stretch over the arms.
Mort (50 TD "Mobius")

I will look and give it a go,but if I think its too risky will pull the pin!!
Pilkie

If you lube the arms, and the interior of the rubber....
It will go....If you are still concerned, take a hair drier, and warm the rubber , so the rubber is warm/hot to the touch, still lube the tops of the arms.....
The rubber works better when it is warm.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

I've heard that Edward... :-)
L E D LaVerne

Pilkie, having pulled the arms once I would never pull them to install this gaiter...it was interesting enough without a gaiter on the arms to reinstall the arms. Regards, Tom
tom peterson

Hi Tom.

As my car is still in resto phase,and I have a 4 post ramp in my garage,its a doddle to do.
Ive had them in and out a few times,as ive done a hydraulic clutch conversion as well.
One obvious reason I can think of for them splitting after limited use,is the stress put on them when stretching them on!
This can,and probably does weaken them,which
causes very minor tearing,that cant be seen till they split.
Ive decided I am pulling the pivot pin!!
Pilkie

Likely Pilkie's TF is RHD, which is easy to remove the pedals, totally different setup from the miserable LHD deal. Some years ago, the Moss bellows rapidly failed, and the ones from Abingdon Spares were much better. George
George Butz

Nope its a LHD,still dead easy to do though!
Pilkie

"Nope its a LHD,still dead easy to do though!"
You're the only person I've ever heard of that thinks it is easy....
I did my pedal resto, with the body off, and it was a major PITA!
My question is why it will be any easier to do this with the pedal arms out of the car?....The only stretching is because of the distance between the pedals, and a slight stretch over the arms...Once you get the pedal arms into the "gaiter", you will have to get the pedal arms back in place with the gaiter on....I would think this would be more aggravation than just doing it the "normal" way.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Remove side cover.
Then the 2 split and clevis pins,to remove the adjustable brake and clutch rods.
Release return springs.
Undo locking nut and remove bolt on clutch arm clamp.
Undo grease nipple and pop off pivot pin circlip.
Slide pivot pin out till clutch pedal is free,fit dust cover and re-assemble!

Honestly cant see why its a PITA???

I didnt say it was easier,only that its easy to do,as stretching of the dust cover could contribute to premature splitting after not a lot of use,as others have experienced!
Ive had them in and out a few times,as ive done a hydraulic clutch conversion!.
Pilkie

Maybe it's different on a TF, then a TD??
I didn't see anything in your description about the key/keyway.....

On the LHD, TD, if the body is on, you have to work through the hole in the floor boards, under the dashboard....(unless you remove the floorboard)...
The key has to be removed from the keyway, to allow the shaft to be removed, before the arms can be taken out.
This would be really difficult to re-install , if the gaiter was still in place....
Even if the body is off, you will find the gaiter to be in the way, when you are re-installing the key, and the clamp bolt/nut ....But then, I am old, and find that I don't have the patience that I used to have.
Let us know how your idea "pans" out....

Edward
E.B. Wesson

Pedal box side panel removed for easy access to fixings.
Maybe a TD is different,I wouldnt know?


Pilkie

Pilkie
I replaced my gaiter, bought from Moss, 3 years ago with no problem at all. Did it in summer when all was warm. Took the pedals off the arms of course. I sprayed some silicone on the inside. It stretched easily and has not cracked in 3 years.
I'm surprised that some have had trouble. Maybe other manufacturers make them "small".

Tom
'54 TF
Tom Norby

Pilkie
How do you get the key out, (and back in) to r&r the clutch pedal?
Edward
E.B. Wesson

There has to be something lost in US/UK translation,as I dont know what you mean by key?
There is a nut and bolt securing/clamping the clutch pedal to the pivot,I take the nut off and remove the bolt with a pair of long nose pliers!
Pilkie

Ive just had a look at a blown up parts diagram,and I see the part called a key.
I must have the 3/4 shaft as I cannot remember seeing anywhere for it to fit.
My shaft has a flat locating edge,so when the bolt is in it wont turn.
Thats why its easy then!
Clutch pedal LHD,item 37.
http://www.ukmgparts.com/browse.aspx?CID=fa7d90fa-a5e3-4200-8ef2-bfe88a81db74&SID=f470b62e-31e9-4d94-99aa-772a18f9474d
Pilkie

Pilkie
They all have a "flat" for the pinch bolt....There should also be a "keyway" slot in the shaft, along with a semi-circular key....When you have it apart, look and see if there is a keyway in the hole in the clutch pedal, and a slot for it in the shaft .....
If it is not there, your shaft may be a replacement, that left it out...The key gives additional support to the pedal against the shaft...The pinch bolt may be enough, but I don't think it is....
Over time, your clutch may begin to get out of adjustment without it.
Maybe you do have the alternate clutch shaft...There is no note about that in the Moss catalogue.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Without the keyway, you would definitely have a much easier time r&r the pedals...but the gaiter will still make it a clumsy operation IMHO.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Just replaced my gaiter. Removed the pedals and had no problem at all sliding it over the levers. Currently fixing a clutch assembly problem if anyone wants transmission pics.

Matthew.


M Magilton

mathew, what happened to the rest of your gaiter hold down piece? i have never seen one with a large piece missing like yours. is that a mod you did? regards, tom
tom peterson

Always like that in my ownership Tom. No other screw holes in the factory floor boards. If the hold down brackets were any bigger then they would be conflicting with the gearbox cover. Note how of the two gaiters, one is missing a hole on the left.

Matthew.


M Magilton

I'm with Matthew. I took my gaiter on and off about a day before this thread began. I was not smart enough to be concerned about it tearing. I had left off the lower rubber piece so I removed the pedals, slid off the gaiter, put the new lower rubber piece and the gaiter back on. It was probably below 50 degrees farenheit at the time. I used no lubricant or heat and seemed to have no problems. Time will tell...

Kirk
Kirk Trigg

Here is a pic with the board, cover and brackets all aligned.
I would be interested to see a pic of LHD brackets. Wonder if they made one type and just chopped the bracket for the RHD cars?

Matthew.


M Magilton

Hmmmmm....I don't remember my gaiter, from Moss, being in two pieces...It's been a while, but I'm pretty sure it was all one piece. Moss calls it an "Excluder".
Of course, my car is a TD, and maybe that's the difference.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

matthew, thank you for the reply...i missed the part about your car being right hand drive. i see why the piece is how it is. thank you. regards, tom
tom peterson

This thread was discussed between 28/12/2012 and 30/12/2012

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.