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 TD TF 1500 - Brake Master Cylinder - Refurbish or replace?

Just pulled the master cylinder which is an early Lockheed. Components pretty rusty and full of sludge!

What is the current thinking around refurb or replace? The bore is likely to be scored so would need to be re-sleeved.

Car won't be concours so originality not a major concern although I just feel keeping the original is the right thing to do. If I go refurb, where?

Thanks
martin vickery

Maybe should have mentioned its from a '52 TD.
martin vickery

I have used White Post restoration several times with great success. They offer a "lifetime" guarantee. Some of the new production cylinders have been failing, and there have been issues with available rebuild kits. George
George Butz

Martin, there is not much to the TD m/c. Have you got anything from Abingdon Spares (dot com) lately? They carry a m/c complete and ready to go for $125. I would be surprised if it turned out to be junk, as they seem to generally carry better quality parts, and for about the same price as the competition. They seem to go out of their way to avoid the Asian junk parts that do not work or fit right. It used to be you could get that original m/c bronze sleeved for less than the cost of a new unit, but those days are past. Post some pics of it and maybe you will get an offer from someone willing to pay to get it sleeved for their show car.
S Cole

As George mentioned there have been issues with the rubber cup in one of rebuild kits (I think for the original Lockheed, the new cup is ever so slightly too big and sticks on the return stroke). I ended up using the old cup but never got great pedal pressure so this time around opted for a new cylinder during Moss' last brake sale. Probably won;t get to replace it till next spring to see if that is the true cure.
Cost tradeoff new vs rebuild I imagine might be a wash.
Randy
R Biallas

I have mine re-sleeved in brass by Mark Frappier of Agawam, MA, and am completely happy - I then use an original rebuild kit, and it's good as new.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

On balance I went with the new one. Partly as it was a lot cheaper than re-sleeving and refreshing the original and given there is some doubt over the rebuild kit quality hopefully a simpler option.

Thanks for the advice.

Martin
martin vickery

I seem to remember there is limited availability of rebuild kits for the replacement m/c units, due to different internals. I prefer the sleeved original units.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Me too Tom. Anyone know of a repairer of original units here in Oz? Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I fitted a new one from Moss about 2 months ago, I am going to have the old one rebuilt as part of my spares.

Will be a winter project, oh, that is next week. Gotta get to it.

Peter
P G Gilvarry

Peter H
In Australia, (in fact in Lismore NSW near you), Halray Brake Reconditioning do this work. I had my m/c and all wheel cylinders sleeved in stainless steel.
I was very happy with the work and they were good people to deal with. They can also supply parts including bleed screws. Total cost including bleed screws and some internals was $AU386.
Michael
M R Calvert

This thread was discussed on 30/11/2016

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG TD TF 1500 BBS now