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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 - Front Disc Brakes for Wire Wheel TF1500

Hi Guys:

Does anyone know if a disc brake conversion kit is made for the TF with wire wheels?

Thanks,

Jim Rice
Jim Rice

You mean like this?


L E D LaVerne

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sSWDJjVuDc
L E D LaVerne

Yeah...that looks like it! Is that your MG?
Jim Rice

What's a good ballpark figure to budget for? Also, are you still in the Phoenix area? I'll be moving to Tucson in the next year or so and, if you're so inclined, it would be nice to have some assistance. Nothing like experience when it comes to these little cars! Also, were there any special tools needed?

Thanks,

Jim
Jim Rice

It's my MG alright.... I live in western Colorado. As far as a kit... There used to be a guy in Tennessee I think pedaling a kit on Ebay .... 1500 bucks seems to ring a bell. Since the MG TD/TF uses the same spindle arrangement as the MGA I used the parts available from Moss to convert early drum brake MGA's to disc Brakes.

I think I am into it at about 750 dollars.

If you go here and click on the instructions you can plug in all of the part numbers to get the price. You should add two new front brake hoses for the TF as well and then you will have to take them to a DOT certified shop to have them crimp on some MGB type fittings on it for the caliper. Someone in the UK is making a kit as well...search the recent archives for info. Less money I think than what I paid.



L E D LaVerne

Oops!

Sorry...It's been a while since I was on here. Some one who has a pretty spiffy TF lives in the Phoenix area. I mistook that guy for you. My error..or as I like to blame it on....CRS!!

BTW....I did not see the link to the instructions you mentioned. Could you re-post?

I assume there is not a conversion available for the rear brakes?

Thank you,

Jim Rice
Jim Rice

CRS....yas thats me...forgot the link..duh.. here ya go

https://mossmotors.com/mga/brakes/adapter-set-brake-caliper-mount

I saw a TD a few years back that had discs on the rear as well but I have no idea what he did to make that happen


L E D LaVerne

https://www.mgbits.com/contents/en-uk/p9539_Disc-Brake-Conversion-Wire-Wheels.html

679 pounds plus shipping.
Around $950 total.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Thanks Jim.....options!! I reached out to them to check availability, and to see if they address the issues LaVerne ran into when he did the conversion using Moss parts.

Jim
Jim Rice

LaVerne,

Are telling us that there was no need to change the MC??

Sounds too good to be true.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gord Clark

I haven't found a reason yet Gord. I think it may depend on which of the several master cylinders that have been available through the years, but the one in my car isn't holding excessive pressure.
L E D LaVerne

Sure sounds do-able. We both have TFs and I don't know of any other MC, than the original. I would have thought that there would have been excessive pressure.

Did you need a bias valve?

I thought your solution to the interference issue with the large rotor, was pure genius. Simple, too. I replaced my splines a few of years ago. I have a set of early MGA brakes available for the taking. That leaves just the tapered bearings

Gord
Gord Clark

Moss for example presently offers 3 different replacement master cylinders and does not carry a rebuild kit for any of them. Add at least the original Lockheed cylinders and you have at least 4 (and I suspect there have been more) different cylinders.Even the supplied Lockheed cylinders have different cups depending on when they were built. I have heard that there might be residual pressure issues but I have not found any to this point. Because of the different valving involved in each cylinder it may be an issue with some of the other cylinders...I just do not know for sure.

I think the only way to determine if a bias valve would be useful is to take it to a track and do some hard braking on some cornering and observe the results. To this point I haven't had any issues with it wanting to swap ends or even a hint of that. Only one real panic type application so far.....running about 75 mph plus on I-70 with a good deal of traffic and everyone came to a quick stop. I was happy to have had the discs on at that time.


The only thing I would change at this point is to make the master cylinder cap sealed and install a remote reservoir in the engine compartment. I think that over the long term it would be a good idea to have the additional fluid capacity and the ability to observe the level of fluid that you cannot do with the floor board arrangement. If I wasn't neck deep in another project right now I would probably tackle that.
L E D LaVerne

LaVerne
Declan Burns offers a remote reservoir kit. I have installed it on my TF and am very pleased. Makes checking the fluid level much easier.
Rick

I did the MGA swap on my 51 and used the MC that was on the car. no problems.
TRM Maine

This thread was discussed between 02/02/2019 and 06/02/2019

MG TD TF 1500 index

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