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MG TD TF 1500 - Brakes update....

Have just checked the archives and found tons on brakes...
When i removed the right rear, the piston was pretty well "stuck". See there are ways to unstick it (grease gun, etc).
Have you all found with a seized piston that it can be freed....what are the odds (?) that it just should be replaced anyway. (am on a limited budget (i mean, look at my steering wheel), and would like to keep it as inexpensive as i can (i know, why did i buy a TD if i can't dump my kid's savings into it).
Thanks all...so far you have helped a lot (and it has only been three weeks).

http://www3.sympatico.ca/gordonblawson/td/td.eht (or html).
g.b.lawson '53TD

hmmm, forgot about the kid's savings, good idea!
Willem van der Veer

GB - A lot of times a cylinder can be broken loose by just jumping up and down on the brake pedal (provided the system is stil intact) with all but the offending cylinder either clamped in place or witht eh drums in place. If that doesn't work, the grease gun trick works well. The cylinders can be honed fairly easily unless they have deep pits in them. I was able to hone all of my cylinders (including the M/C) 20 years ago and all of them are still working fine. Finally, one can have the cylinders sleaved if they are pited too bad.

One thing that has helped with longevity of my braking system is the use of silicon fluid. Since silicon fluid doesn't draw moisture as the DOT 3 or 4 fluids do, there is no corrosion in the system. The brake system has to be absolutely clean of any other fluid before installing the silicon fluid or you will run into problems of varying degree after making the change over. This is just my opinion and experience with silicon fluid. There are many and varied opinions and experiences written in the archives and you should read through all of them before deciding if this is the way you want to proceed. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Totally agree with David. I store my TD for the Wisconsin winter and every year had to pull apart all the brakes due to corrosion of the steel piston in the brake slave. Switched to silicon about 10 years ago and have not had a brake problem one since then. For the recreational use I do with the TD the silicon works fine.
Bruce Cunha

Go with the silicon fluid, just make sure you bleed slowly and don't bubble it when adding to the master cyl. I have personally had zero success just honing stuck/frozen cylinders- all seemed to have a deep ring of pits at the edge of the piston, right where the seal will ride. You could get lucky, but if one leaks, you will have ruined your shoes (you can't clean silicon fluid off of them). The rear cyls. are fairly cheap new (used on A's and other cars)- get new ones. The fronts are more precious- I have had sleeved by White Post Restorations (used to be $40 a cyl)with good success. See archives also.
Lastly, brakes are not an area to pinch pennies! Whatever you do, do it correctly and well!
George Butz

On my 1951 TD I use silicon fluid since 5 years. I have put, at the time, a new main cylinder and new wheel cylinders. It is perfect, never I had problems.But If you intend to change your actual brake fluid by silicon one it is a big job, cleaning, changing al the brake gasket by new one in taking into account that the new gaskets are foressen for silīcon oil. I have made this job on my MGB.
Georgibus

Georgibus is absolutely correct, making the change over to silicon fluid is a BIG job to do it right. Everything needs to be absolutely cleane and all the rubber components need to be renewed befor putting the silicon in. then you need to watch for a week or so for any leaks as silicon fluid, like synthetic oil will leak from the smallest hole. Once done though, I have found it well worth it. I put silicon fluid in our TD twenty years ago and have never flushed or changed it in al that time. It is still as crystal clear now as the day I put it in, which tells me that there is no corrsion whatsoever in the system.

Regardless of my experience with the silicon fluid, I think that you would be wise to look through the arcives (expecially the ones for the MGBs) regarding silicon fluid and see some of the negative experiences that some people have had. Even though I feel that they may have done something wrong in the change over, their experiences should be looked at so you have a balanced look at the product. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

David is right about leaking. Definitely change all of the copper sealing washers when reassembling. Change flex hoses also. I have never had difficulty in the two or three T-series cars around here- haven't had my front drums off since '96 or so, and a local slicon fluid TF still stops great after assembling around 1990 or so.
George Butz

My TF brake system was redone in 1984. All new rubber, seals, and hoses, master cyl. sleeved. Silicone Fluid added carefully (as per George Butz) so no bubbles.

2004, still no leaks, faults, etc, other than brake shoes replaced due to wear. If I adjust periodically, then I have great brakes (for a drum brake T-Car).

My MGB-GT with DOT 4, has had to be redone twice in the same period due to corrosion from water absorbed over the winter.
Don Harmer

Thank you all... as i am replacing all the lines and replacing/rebuilding the cylinders (once i see them all) i will go with the silicone...seems to make sense.
g.b.lawson '53TD

This thread was discussed between 14/06/2004 and 16/06/2004

MG TD TF 1500 index

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