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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 cylinder parts

i had a leaking rear brake cylinder...not good especially on a single circuit brake sysytem..so i ordered from LBC a rear cylinder overhaul kit. when i received the kit i removed the rear cylinder and found a different style piston from that shown in the parts manual or service manual. my piston has a groove for a chevron style seal rather than the ungrooved style which uses the piston cup. i can get pistons of the style that my rebuild kit calls for from abingdon. does anyone know what the story is on the different style pistons??? grooved with chevron ring seal vesus plain with filler and cup? thanks. regards, tom
tm peterson

The rear cyls I have seen have the ring-type seal only on the outer piston (just a dust seal), with the usual cup inbetween the inner (working) and outer pistons. I have never seen one with a ring seal on the inner piston, but there could be a different type I don't know about. I would fish around and make sure the inner piston is out. George
George Butz

george, i should have mentioned i do have the piston/dust seal out. it is the hydraulic piston tat is longer than the "normal" piston as shown in the shop manual. on this extended pottion is cut an approx. 3/16" wide groove and in this fits a chevron style seal..not an "O"-ring as is the dus seal. i did see on the moss site there were replacement cylinders provided (from '95-2002...i think)for which parts are no longer available. perhaps that is what i have. regards tom
tm peterson

Tom, it does sound like some kind of mutant cylinder. The repros are not too expensive, so that may be the way to go. You need the rebuild kits for the boots anyway, so they wouldn't be wasted, and the cups fit the front cyls. George
George Butz

if the cylinders themselves are OK (i.e. the bores look good) can't i just buy pistons from abingdon, use my rebuild kit (boot, cups, back up and springs) and be back on the road? regards, tom
tm peterson

You could, but since the repros are only $38 from Moss, I would just spring for them. With your different cylinders, the bore/length or whatever could be enough different the new parts wouldn't fit. With the cost of shoes/labor time, etc., cheapest is not always best with brakes. Just about the most important part of the entire car. George
George Butz

Tom ; Needed pistons for my rebuild-AS supplied replacements. Pistons they supplied are of the design you described. They also supplied the correct seals for this design and I am currently using them with original housings which have been brass sleeved. Don't know what the original application for these pistons was-design seems sound. Will say this-seals are tough to install. Lots of lube essential. Hope this helps Dan
D.R. Craig

The new cylinders are different from the originals. No rebuild kits are available for the "new" type.

The rebuild kits fit only the original type.... it's crazy

I ran into this and had it confirmed by Atlanta Imported,
The new replacement cylinders are a different design internally and were for a later car and just have the same outer dimension as the originals as I understood it. BUT why no rebuild kits???
Don Harmer

fellas, thanks for the input. i talked to bobbie at abingdon spares. either i was not able to communicate effectively or these things are completely off their radar. Dan, when you used the intitials " AS " are you talking about Abingdon Spares?

don harmer..how long ago did you run into this situation?

george butz, thank you for your input as well. i hear what you are saying about the cost...but this isn't a cost issue for me. it is more about why toss parts that are serviceable. of cours there is some interpretation as to what is "serviceable". thanks to all. regards, tom


tm peterson

tm,

Last spring I installed the "new" rear cylinders, I soon had a leak.
I got a rebuild kit, only to discover that it didn't fit the "new" so rebuilt the old cylinder and AIAP sent the "new" back to Moss as defective.
Lamar at Atlanta Imported Auto Parts told me that they had been seeing this problem for some time and they had been trying to find kits for the new type with no success. So rebuild the old or keep buying the new.
Don Harmer

Moss is too big a mass to move and expect to change.

I might suggest that Abingdon could take the lead, abandon the new-type rear cylinders that Moss will push, and re-manufacture the old ones again. Today, many of the after-market (Vintage & Classic) brake parts are coming from India

As it is, I had a heck of a time finding new M/C rebuild kits. It seems the original ones were surreptitiously re-numbered, followed by a change of manufactuer (Indian) and again, the number changed. And I believe that AE is now an Indian company.

So that I don't go through this cicuituous excercise again, I've "stocked up", as I've found a good source of the original stuff, right here in Montreal.

The only person at Abingdon to contact, is the owner, Bob Seymour. He's often there and takes 'phone calls.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

Tom; Please excuse an old guy's memory lapse-checked my old notes and found that I only used the pistons w/ chevron style seals on the front cylinders. Rears were stock configuration. Front pistons and seals were acquired from Abington Spares. Very sorry for confusing the issue. I may have some stock pistons for the rears if you need them-let me know. Dan
D.R. Craig

dan, no worries. your note does make clearer something bobbie said to me on the phone...so thank you for your post. she is sending me a set of pistons. i will see how it goes together when they arrive. thank you again. regards, tom
tm peterson

Brake cylinders do cause problems. Perhaps we are fortnate but in Bury ST Emunds (hany to USAAF bases - transport & nuclear) is PasParts who will supply replacement cylinders and or sleeve your existing cylinders. From Holland you can hget brand new front sylinders made from gun metal. Have fitted both to the TF and TD and have had no problems and better braking.
I dont have the addresses to hand but if you are interested I will dig them out. Send me an email.
Bob Marshall

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hitbroono

This thread was discussed between 07/01/2008 and 27/01/2008

MG TD TF 1500 index

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