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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Clutch hose help

Hey all, I am getting down to the nitty gritty on my project and have a few questions.

What are the fiottings on each end of a stock MGB clutch hose? I am refering to the flexible hose that goes from the chassis to the slave cylinder. I need to have one made to a custom length.

What have those of you with the HTOB done for a hose, who did you go to to have one made or buy one?

I would like to hear from some of the WA V8 guys ( there are enough of them now..) but will take any info available from anywere..
Larry Embrey

Larry,
Dan at D&D has a SS hose to use with the HTO bearing and stock clutch master cylinder. Costs $50.
810-798-2491
Or I am sure you could take the master cylinder and HTO to tha local speed shop and get the fittings and make up your own.
Good luck,
Mike
Mike

Larry, if you get a decent double flaring tool (about $50) you can make just about any kind of steel line you could want, including the bell flares. Most of the SS hoses seem to use AN fittings and if there is a Parker store near they'll have a good assortment of fittings and can be easily matched to a steel line. They can make up lines too. Their stuff isn't cheap but it's first rate. The HTOB I got (from Dan) came with two attached lines, pressure and bleed. Since I reverse bleed the system filling from below, I ran the pressure line to the top fitting. This also allows gravity bleeding of the system which always worked the best for me with the stock system. I just added fluid, pumped a few times, and let it sit overnight. Never failed to get the air out, whereas every other method I ever tried left the pedal a little spongy. Reverse bleeding from the bottom worked equally well however.

On mine I ran a new 1/4" line from the master down to the bellhousing area and tied into the braided hose using Parker fittings (both steel and brass). In the past however, I have used a wide assortment of stock rubber hoses, usually from the NAPA "buyer's guide". Once you get past that bell flare at the master it gets a lot simpler.
Jim Blackwood

I appreciate the info, but think I was not clear what I need. I am not using a htob, but like those using it I need a "custom" flex hose to go from the steel line on the chassis to the slave cylinder. My stock MG slave cyl will be mounted on the left side of the car in my conversion, so I need a long extensoin hose. Very long actually as it need to be 46" long to snake back to the new location without any possible kinks. The "tough" part is making sure the fittings match the stock MG fittings..
Larry Embrey

Larry,

My clutch slave cylinder is on what we Americans call the driver’s side and I use the stock hose. I just rerouted the hard line to the new location and attached it to a bracket fashioned after the original on the other side. When you pressurize the hose it swells some and the longer the hose the more volume of fluid will be required to push the slave cylinder the same distance. This may not be too much for your application, but it is the reason the manufactures don’t just run a hose the full distance.

George
George Champion

George, good call on the flex of the hose. I was wondering about that myself... maybe I just have to make a new hardline and be done with it.. might cost less to boot..
Larry Embrey

Definitely the way to go. Then if you need anything different in the way of a hose, make a trip to NAPA and look at the buyer's guide. It gives lengths, threads, etc. But you should be able to use the stock hose.
Jim Blackwood

Cut off the existing tubing form the clutch master cylinder at a convent location. Attach with a brass pressure coupling a new pieces of brake line. Hand bend the break line with a tool so it follows the inner drivers side sub-frame as closely as possible. Attach the new break line to the sub-frame with nylon clips screws to the frame. Attach to the HTOB with the stainless steel line provided. All parts available at the local auto parts and hardware store. Pictures available on request.

Jim Miller

What is required to flare the hardline? I know some jardlines on MG's are double flare or something?
Larry Embrey

The pressure on the clutch is not that high so you can use brass pressure couplings. I used a straight on to connect to the existing MG line to my new brake line and then a right angle one under the car near the HTOB. I then cut a short piece of the new line off with the factory flared end and attached it to the right angle. works great without a lot of pipe bending or flareing ends which can be dificult.

I have a picture of one of the couplings on my web page at. http://www.geocities.com/v8mgb/morepictures.html
Jim Miller

The compression fitting will work, but may seep eventually. It's really a low pressure fitting. It's a good bit cleaner to run new line all the way to the MC. Rather than the standard double flare, MG was fond of the 'bell mouth flare', and sometimes you see both. Either of these can be made with a standard double flaring tool. For the bell, you simply omit the last step of pressing the double flare inwards and you have it. The tool is common.
Jim Blackwood

Larry,
I bought my double-flare tool at a local tool supply house 'several' years ago for $30 when I was doing a brake system. I've seen them advertised lately for that price, as well.

Joe
Joe Ullman

This thread was discussed between 22/10/2001 and 29/10/2001

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