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MG TD TF 1500 - Brake pedal pivot rod.

Is there any way to remove the stinking shaft that the brake pedal and clutch pivot on without being as flexable as a ten year old kid? It seems that getting it apart is one thing but how do you get the woodruf key back in the shaft and then slide the pedal over it while standing on your head with your feet up over the gas tank? Or is this just more British humor!!
Alan

Positively the most dreaded job on the car. No easy way. I brusied a rib the last time I did this. Make sure the left floorboard is out as I recall looking down from the top was about the only way to do this, remove the pedal pads to give more visibility. A TF around here has an oval hole in the bottom of the pedal box which really improves access- not sure if original? The clutch arm pinch bolt must be completely removed, as it fits in an indentation in the shaft and no amout of prying/pounding will remove it with bolt in place. Then slide the shaft over just enough to grab the key and remove it. Keep stuff in order, and clean/test fit outside the box. Make sure all of the washers/spacers are in exactly the correct order- if not the arm hits on the cover plate and you start over. Just make sure the clutch slides easily over the shaft, place the key in the notch, and carefully wiggle it together, insert the bolt, nut w/lockwasher, etc. The hardest part is the brake pedal spring. Good luck! George
George Butz

George

How do you get the brake pedal spring in with the limited space available?

So far I haven't installed it and I put a lot of miles on my TD last year with no problem but if it is supposed to go in I sure would like to install it.

Brian
Brian Smith

Brian,
I did this work on my TF just in the last month or two, and as I recall, you just hook the one end of the brake pedal spring into its mounting hole on the pedal box, and using needle nosed pliers, stretch and attach the other end to the brake pedal. It wasn't all that great of a deal as I recall.

Alan,
It is a bit** of a job to say the least, although I was able to do mine with the car on jack stands, and without removing the left floorboard. I found enough room through the lift out metal pan that covers the brake master cylinder, and the fact that my car is missing the fume excluder boot and retainers. After loosening the bolt on the clutch pedal and removing the circlip on the outside of the frame, I removed the grease nipple in the end of the pedal shaft, and using a suitable sized socket as a drift, I used a smaller drift and hammer to knock the shaft out of the frame. Mine came out rather easily, after 66 000 miles and 50 odd years. As for the the woodrif key, I filed it just enough to allow it to slide into place easily without removing more material than needed. Putting everything back together was no picnic, but with a little patience I had everything back together with a minimum of swearing. By the way, a trip to my local bearing and supply store found the correct sized brake pedal bushing in stock for less than 2 dollars, requiring just to be cut to the proper length. Good Luck, because it sure isn't a lot of fun, but is not impossible.
Gene Burgess

Alan - "Good Luck, because it sure isn't a lot of fun, but is not impossible." It is the type of job that you undertake because by the time you find out what a miserable job it is, it's to late to back out of it. Either that or someone is holding a gun to your head. As the others have said, it isn't impossible, it just seems that way. I've done it twice, once because I was dumb enough not to know any better, the second time to do it right. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Thanks guys , now the only question is , should I have an ounce of Glenfiddich before starting or after Im done or both...
Alan

Alan


Before and after. One to steady your nerves, and another to calm them once you are done.

As said above. This job has typically been rated as the absolute worse to do on the T.
Bruce Cunha

Brian, I don't remember for sure. I think I had to modify the end of the spring as it was almost a closed loop- either open it up, or cut a bit off so it could be hooked into the loop/hole more easily. I recall gravity and the rubber excluder pull the pedal back pretty well with no spring. George
George Butz

This thread was discussed between 15/03/2006 and 16/03/2006

MG TD TF 1500 index

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