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MG TD TF 1500 - Disc Brakes TD-TF

Does anyone have this conversion kit or know anything about it?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231623352519?item=231623352519&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:X:eRTM:MOTORS:1123&vxp=mtr
Mort 50 TD

The seller's feedback shows that he has sold only a half-dozen in over a year. I'd have lots of questions, such as proportioning, etc.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Maybe I'm the oddball, but I tend to equate an item's attention to quality with that of it's description. Maybe he just doesn't like spell-checkers. I wouldn't feel comfortable. Bud
Bud Krueger

Are disk brakes really necessary? Seems like my standard drums stop the car on a dime as they are.
Christopher Couper

I'll make some popcorn :-)
MG LaVerne

Chris, I have had discs on the front for almost 10 years and yes, it does make a difference, especially in an emergency and if you drive the car hard. I love em and others in the club have them and they like them also. Just a personal observation.
TRM Maine

Tom Maine,
You've got mail.
Mort

Mort 50 TD

I locked up the wheels on the TD when surprised by a knucklehead rounding a corner way too fast.

Panic stop.... check.

If I totaled up all the cool stuff I could do to this car, I could instead leave it as is and almost buy a nice MGA in driver condition, or a really nice MGB.

...or kitchen cabinets.

Just sayin.

.....
MAndrus

I drive my car pretty hard and find the drums quite adequate with one exception. I was coming down a long hill and decided to go gocart style and kill the engine costing down all the way. With out engine braking, the brakes started to actually smell hot and I could feel them fade. This was the only time I had experienced it and the cleared right up after I was back on the flat, but I was a bit concerned at some point that I would not be able to slow down for the next curve. Disc brakes would be nice but in reality, I can't say I feel the need to install them.

Alex
Alex Waugh

I'm with you, Alex. Although I do see reason for installing discs if high-performance driving is anticipated, even there I know that drums can be modified to suite nicely. I raced my 1958 Turner 950S for many years with the original drum brakes (basically Sprite MK I brakes)... the only thing I changed was the compound on the linings, to prevent them fading. Worked great!
Kevin McLemore

Wire wheels only equals a very small market for TD's.

Just sayin'.

Jim
James Neel

There is also a disc brake conversion for TD disc wheels as well keep ping the five lug original wheels. Web search Mgtd disc brakes but I would like to go one further and make the disc wheels fitted with a knock off assembly.

Cheers

Bill Chasser jr
Td4834
W. A. Chasser Jr

Wouldn't competition linings and a servo be a better option? Perhaps the servo would fit behind the passengers' foot rest? Also I still don't see how a standard master cylinder will work with discs. Caliper pistons are much greater in diameter than those in brake cylinders and even though they may have a shorter stroke I still worry the pedal will hit the floor before the car will stop - and isn't a servo still required with discs because of the lack of self servo action?


Jan T
J Targosz

Jan, none of us who have put disc brakes on have changed the MC. it is not nessasary to change it out and mine have been on over 10 years and work like a charm. disk brakes are better. but every owner has to make his own decisions on how to upgrade the car and still leave it looking the same but with some modern upgrades. To each his own.
TRM Maine

I have been running my TD with MGA discs since 1970, using MGA kingpins and adaptors for the 5 stud wheels. No change to master cylinder, trouble free and reliable and can be easily reconverted if the mood takes me, which in 45 years it hasnt. In my experience, a very worthwhile conversion, but horses for courses- others may see things differently.

cheers

Graeme
G J Smith

I think what a lot of people with TDs would like is some bolt-on "disc caliper kit" that uses our steel wheels as-is in order to address the issue of no more braking surface available after truing. As our drums get re-surfaced we've go no options as there aren't any "new" drums available. Any used drums (if one can find them) are totally hit or miss on good surface remaining after any truing.
Randy
R Biallas

I have not had to "true" a brake drum in perhaps 20 years; they wear so little that a simple scotch-brite pad cleans up what needs cleaning up. I measure them carefully (I carry a brake drum mic to swap-meets...), and find plenty that are within a few thou of 9". I don't think I have found 5 oversize drums in all that time!

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Just asking. Are there no shops that can line the brake drums?
Christopher Couper

The drums are cast iron, not steel, so they can not be relined as far as I know. Cast Iron drums have a better friction coefficient than a steel brake drums.
Len Fanelli

Presumably its the drums for the steel wheel cars that are hard to find? You can get new drums for wire wheels from Leacy Classics.
Dave H
Dave Hill

This thread was discussed between 22/07/2015 and 02/08/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

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