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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - cojoined brake & clutch pedal !

I only went out to see if the car would start with its newly refurbished Carb, new dizzy cap, new solenoid etc....which it did, but when i went to pull forward the brake and clutch pedals moved as one, well at least for the first half inch of travel (when i pressed the clutch)

As i recall the job to withdraw the pivot bolt is a pedal box out, which i virtually now have after the whole episode bought on my tourettes. What i cannot find is should there be a PTFE washer or simialr between the pedals on the pivot bolt ?

The pedals seeem to be pretty good friends currently, and after a gentle tap on the bolt, and no reward i called it a night. The plan for this evening is to loosley line up the pedal box, pop a piece of wood behind one pedal, and gently press the other to brake the 'contact' but as i want to avoid a repeat performance, has anyone got any wise advice on as good a cure as possible ??

its a 1275 by the way - 1972 GAN 5
P Bentley

Yes - a big fat washer. But I don't think it's any sooper material. I feel for you: when they bind on the shaft, they really do bind, and you work them and work them, and then they're free. Copper grease etc. Good luck.
Nick and Cherry Scoop

Unlikely that the pedals are binding directly one with another as there is only a small contact area between them, with or without the washer. It's more likely both pedals are sticking a bit on the pivot bolt. Work each up and down a bit whilst holding the bolt head and the other pedal steady and spraying with penetrating fluid.
GuyW

update.
Got the whole pedal box on the bench and was amazed how badly the brake pedal in particular had bound on to the pivot bolt. The bolt was never going to come out in one, so that will need replacing, but there you go.

job for the weekend to refit and enjoy once more !

P Bentley

When l repaired mine l fitted grease nipples to the clutch and brake pedal bushes. Easily accessible by removing the pedal box cover ( it's the twin cylinder arrangement) Now a single pump of the grease gun at service time keeps them from seizing up.
GuyW

Mine were the same, the brake pedal was so stuck on the pivot bolt I had to use a breaker bar just to get them to move.
C MADGE

thanks gents, i had the thought of a pilot hole through each pedal bush in readiness for a squirt of WD40 or similar . . . as you say Guy a grease nipple is a good onward idea, like your thinking
P Bentley

Don't use ordinary WD40 as it's not a great penetrating/releasing agent, get some PluGas and leave to soak in as long as possible, overnight is good, then try tightening to break rust/crud/muck seal before trying to loosen, repeat if required.

http://www.plusgas.co.uk/
Nigel Atkins

Just a point about fitting grease nipples. The obvious is check which position on the bush is most easily accessible when the pedal is in its normal up position, otherwise you might need someone to hold the pedal down whilst you apply the grease gun!

And less obvious, but the bushes are quite thin walled and I found that the end of the threaded part of the nipple extended too far and contacted the pivot bolt when it was fully screwed down. The solution was to add a fibre washer under the hex of the nipple. That also assists with sealing at that point anyway.
GuyW

well the job is done with the pedals back in, and all works nicely. Needless to say the pedal feel is now substantially better.
Thanks for the advice you guys.

P Bentley

This thread was discussed between 09/08/2018 and 13/08/2018

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