MG TD brakes

[Dave Mann]

I have a friend whose sold his Seven and acquired a MG TD however after relining the front brakes he has rarely used it because the brakes are next to useless. Is this a problem with that model or is he missing something? In a phone conversation yesterday he said he'd love to swap it for a chummy.

[Nick Salmon]

Dave - I have a 1953 MG TD and the brakes are very good indeed. I cannot shed light on your pal's problem without a bit more info but I would be thinking about adjustment and bleeding...

["Slack Alice" Simon]

Were they new linings or "new old stock"?

I used some that had probably been on a shelf for 40 years .... no good at all.

[Mike Costigan]

Has he much experience of older cars? Even cars which I would consider having good to excellent brakes probably don't match up to what a modern driver expects.

[Robert Leigh]

There is always the possibility of underuse with hydraulic brakes, particularly with old fluid which is hygroscopic. If the fluid has taken up any water it can cause rusting in the cylinders; if these don't work freely the brakes will be poor. I suggest some donkey work checking whether all the pistons are operating freely and the return springs are in good order. Modern synthetic fluid is not hygroscopic, but it should not be mixed with old fluid. If you are going to change over the system should be thoroughly flushed out. In my view the biggest enemy of hydraulic brakes is lack of use, which often occurs with 'collectors' cars.
Robert Leigh

[Dave Wortley]

Dave,
The MG Car Club has a forum similar but not as good as A7 Friends. Someone there will no doubt be able to help your friend.
Cheers,
Dave.

[Jeff Taylor]

Lots of information on MG T Types within the past 59 issues of 'Totally T-Type 2'.

http://ttypes.org/ttt2/the-editor-issue-59

MG T Type Forum:

https://www.mgexp.com/forum/t-series-and...-forum.46/

NTG Motor Services Ltd - four pages of Brake Spare Parts for the MG TD. NTG also do a disc brake conversion kit for around £800.

http://www.ntgservices.co.uk/contents/en...rakes.html

Automec Silicone (non-hygroscopic) Brake Fluid - Home page link below - for site menu click-on top right 3 parallel lines:

https://automec.co.uk

[Greig Smith]

Brake shops often use a modern woven brass lining which they claim is 'right' however it's actually for use on a light truck and requires 4 tons with a brake booster to get it warm enough to bite

We've been using a 'scooter' lining for years, soft stuff, you can dig your nail into it, but I can lock the drum brakes of my Giulietta Alfa's on tarmac and equally lock the wheels of my supercharged 7 if I haul on the handbrake while standing hard on the foot brake. All our drum braked cars have these soft linings, never had an issue with any of them, never had brake fade either.

Obviously I've totally rebuilt all the cylinders, stainless sleeve in the master cylinder, all new washers, new hard lines where necessary, silicone fluid etc, etc. All our other classics have very good brakes. The 7's are still on cables or cable & rod in the case of the race cars.

Aye
Greig

[Stuart Giles]

Haven't worked on a TD for a few years, don't remember the brakes being poor. Did your friend remove the backplates during the brake rework. They're twin leading shoe brakes -of course, if you refit the backplates to the wrong sides, the brakes become twin trailing shoe -excellent braking in reverse; not so much going forward.

[Dave Mann]

Thanks a lot for your help, my friend has owned quite a few Sevens and is well used to their brakes.