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MG TD TF 1500 - She moved!

Well, I got the brakes bled and starter her up. I took her around 4 blocks and discovered the following:
1) The brakes are strong, and will stop on a dime, if the dime is about twenty feet to the right; my brakes were much stronger on the right. This will need adjusting.
2) The engine (which has been run only to turn her over every week for the past four years) needs to be tuned; she stalled at one stop sign and had virtually no "oomph" in that she would rather stall than move. (This may also reflect a need to loosen the brake shoes?)
3) My size 13 feet are too big. Every time I tried to clutch and brake, my feet were jamming up on themselves.

The first two are fixable; Number 3 may be a problem.
Geoffrey M Baker

I have 13s as well so I know #3 is doable. I lift my heel on the brake foot to clear the clutch foot. I also cant my clutch foot to the left so that it is not as wide. The gas is only opperated by the outside ball of my foot. Together it all works, but does take some time to work out.

The brakes might be an issue of fluid on the shoes or the shoes on the weak side being installed as trailing rather than leading. This makes a huge difference in the stopping power. It could also be a bit of air in the offending side too. I'd start with bleeding them first and then look for fluid on the shoes next. If you still have a problem, I'd say they are trailing rather than leading.

Alex
Alex Waugh

Hi Alex, any good images you know of which show proper brake shoe setup? My manual drawings are very hard to read clearly.
Geoffrey M Baker

Solution for my size 13 feet:

L.L. Bean Men's Handsewn Moccasins, Blucher Moc

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/11575?feat=moccasindriving-SR1&page=men-s-handsewn-moccasins-blucher-moc

Comes in two different colors.

Larry
Larry Shoer

Rear's


MG LaVerne

Fronts


MG LaVerne

Yeah, I was going to suggest different shoes, as well. Something a bit smaller, tighter, narrower. I can't drive my MGB with my hiking boots on, but I do fine with half size smaller, narrower running shoes.
Carl Floyd

great pictures LaVerne, should help tremendously. I will open up each drum and check and adjust tomorrow.

I think a line of MG-approved ballet shoes is what we all need. Probably only come in pink, though.
Geoffrey M Baker

Laveren,

Can you provide "port or starboard" labels for this photos? He's going to need it to make sure the cylinders are set up right.

Alex
Alex Waugh

LaVerne: Are those the size 13 L.L. Bean Men's Handsewn Moccasins, Blucher Moc you are showing there? :-)
Chris Couper

Sometimes after a drive I carefully touch each brake drum to see which one is working too hard (hot) or not at all (cold). New brakes will take a little bedding in.

Matthew.
M Magilton

Port or starboard?? I live in a landlocked dessert and I'm a nautically challanged land lubber. To me a boat anchor is a Ford 292... with or without a hole in it.

Pictures show (from the drivers seat) left hand rear brakes....right hand front.


MG LaVerne

Larry, that has been my solution as well. My wife thinks I'm stuck in the 1980s with those shoes, but they do the job in the MG.
AB Andrew


Geoffrey,

Here you go mate.....

These might help with the size 13's

Better than hiking boots anyway :)




R D Jones

Thanks RD I'll have to pick up one of those... I mean a pair of those...
Geoffrey M Baker

Congrats on the test drive. Driving shoes are the skinniest shoes I could find. Also make sure the pedal extenders are removed, that may give you a bit more room especially on the accelerator pedal side.
George Butz

Geoffrey, just an idea, but watching the pedals I think it could be possible to create some more space between clutch and brake pedal by moving the clutch pedal pad about an inch more to the left. An adapter has to be made that bridges between the pedal and the pad.
On the left side take out or reconstruct front part of the side panel to allow room for your foot. Greetings, huib
Huib Bruijstens

I wonder how big of a foot the guy who designed my '53 TD had. Between my toes catchin on the dimmer switch (dip switch?) and my heel catching on the master cylinder plate I don't do much speed shifting. I'm considering moving the dimmer switch up 2 inches and trimming the overhang on the mounting bracket. I removed the pedal extender on the clutch which helped a lot as well as covered the edge of the rubber floor mat under the clutch pedal where my heel would catch. Much better now, next step will be a relay to replace the switch altogether and also give me the capability to flash my bright lights with a micro-switch. (mounted on steering column) I miss that feature of "foreign cars"!
Chuck
cj schmit

Huib, Geoffrey

This is how the pedals of TD3966 were modified. BTW it's a RHD.

Jasper


JL Nederhoed

This thread was discussed between 05/03/2014 and 14/03/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

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