MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

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 MGB Technical - Central locking actuator location

Security is an important consideration for my car cause it spends its life parked on the side of a road. I have an alarm fitted and the wiring is there for central locking actuators on both front doors. The alarm fitter, although didnt spend a lot of time looking into fitting the actuators, was a little stumped when he had a quick look as to where to locate the actuators. The problem is either the dropglass or window winder will foul the motor when its inside the door. Whats the normal way of going about this? I understand the rod can be attached to the interior door handle, but where can the motor be fitted?
Ross Kelly

Ross - If your MGB is a GT, locking it will help, but if it is a soft top, locking it could well result in a cut top. If you are worried about theft of the car, MG used to have the single best anti-theft device know to man that came factory installed - the fly off hand brake. Now days, nobody who has never owned a MGA or earlier MG don't know how to set or release this type of brake. The special tuning department of MG made the pawl for this kind of operation available for MGB and I got the specification for it and had several made up for anyone interested in converting their hand brake to the fly off style. The operation of the fly off hand brake, if you are not familiar with it, is that you have to push on the button to set the brake, but to release the brake, one just pulls up on the handle and without pushing the button, release the handle. 99% of the low lifes intent on stealing a car will spend a few minutes trying to release the brake by pushing the button. When this doesn't work, they pull up and push the button - to no avail. After a few minutes of this, they give up and go on to something easier. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Yeah its a GT. I went for the GT over the roadster for several reasons, one of which was security. Other reasons are that I prefer the style, its more weatherproof, and I'd never use the soft top anyway. I like the idea of this handbrake. How can I get one? Any suggestions as to where to put the locking actuator? Im going to do this as well as much for convenience as anything else anyway.
Ross Kelly

Ross, it appears that the only area inside the door with room would be forward under the quarter light area. You should be able to fit a rod from there to the latch without too much trouble. David's advice on the fly off brake is good as well, here's a link to how one B owner modified his unit. http://asciimation.co.nz/pics/flyaway/
It doesn't appear to be too difficult.
You might also fit a simple type of immobilizer to your car. I like the idea of a MGA type dip switch mounted just up on the toe board where you can just reach it with your toe. Run the ignition wire through it and with a touch of your toe your car will or will not run.
Bill Young

Ross

This is where I fitted the central locking actuators.

I also have a switch inside the ashtray isolating the starter solenoid.

Regards

Dave

D M Tetlow

pic2

D M Tetlow

Thats very clever where you have the switch for the starter solenoid. In the first pic though, its not that clear but I think I see the actuator. Is it that blue thing at the top of the large hole in the door? If so, is it operating on the interior door handle or the locking mechanism itself? Logic would say the locking mechanism but maybe you have a different idea. Was there much clearance between the actuator and the glass?
Ross Kelly

Hi Ross.

Sorry I should have explained.

The actuator is the blue unit and is miles from the glass.

The only problem is that the lower rod opens the door and the top one locks.I have had to link to the top rail from the actualor so this means a slightly flexable connection. It seems to work though.

A problem I have is when I use the manual handle to lock the door it works fine on both doors, but there is too much flex to get it to manually unlock both doors, only the local door opens.
(The actuators are the type that if you move them they automatically drive the other.

If you need any more pic's let me know as I am working on the doors now and it would be no problem.

Regards

Dave
D M Tetlow

Thanks for the info Dave, Yeah if you could snap a couple of pics of the rod setup that would be great. It means I can print the pics and give them to the alarm installer to use as an example. If he comes across a better way of doing it Ill be sure to let you know as well. Thanks again.
Ross Kelly

"I like the idea of a MGA type dip switch mounted just up on the toe board where you can just reach it with your toe. Run the ignition wire through it and with a touch of your toe your car will or will not run."

Cool idea. Just don't forget it's there is you feel the need to stretch a bit while cruisin' down the road. :)

Rick Stevens

I should say I never actually got around to modifying my handbrake to be fly-off style. Those parts were just lent to me by someone and I thought it was worth taking some pics and sharing them!

Simon
Simon Jansen

Ross - I used Simon's picture to have a batch of the pawls made up by a machinist and then had them hardened. I still have 2 left and am asking $25.00 for the pawl. If you are interested, e-mail me at the above address. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Hope these help.

D M Tetlow

#2

D M Tetlow

Thats brilliant, thanks a lot for that. I'm sure there will be no problems getting the actuators put in if I give the installer those pics.

Ill contact you about those pawls in a couple of days, David. Thanks.
Ross Kelly

Mine are attached to the inside of the door cavity on the inner skin towards the *rear* edge of the door, not up by the 1/4-light. It all depends how big your actuators are of course, but there is plenty of room for mine.
Paul Hunt2

This thread was discussed between 07/05/2008 and 09/05/2008

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB Technical BBS now