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 - Clutch adjustment problems

Hello
This spring I decided to try to upgrade my clutch mechanism. I bought the Moss adjustable clutch link and did the O'Conner modification on the lever. While I liked the easier pedal action with the modification, I just could NOT get the clutch adjusted properly. I adjusted things multiple times. I had the new Moss link set the same length as the old link I took off (as an aside, I don't think that "new improved" link (190-422) was worth the cost)

Finally, this morning, I put the link back in the original hole, as from the factory. Got the clutch adjusted perfectly in a minute.

Has anyone else had trouble with the O'Connor mod? I cannot figure out why it would not adjust properly. My clutch plate only has a few thousand miles on it, so not worn out.

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

Tom, this may not be relevant but a year or so ago I started a thread because on my late (Feb. '53) TD frequently when shifting into fourth I would ger a vibration that felt lke a misalignment of the clutch or drive shaft or something. It was suggested that perhaps the little circumferential springs in the clutch disc were failed or failing and that I was probably due shortly for a new clutch. That may be so but polyanna that I am I just kept on driving and I've discovered that by depressing the clutch quite shallowly, just enought to feel it disengage, and most of the time just from habit a very quick double clutch, I no longer get the vibration. Logic says "Well, adjust the clutch stop screw setting dummy" but I often need to depress the clutch pretty deeply to smoothly get into first or reverse at standstill so I don't want to restrict that option.

When I was a teenager driving a schoolbus I rarely used the clutch when upshifting so just barely using the clutch for upshifting with the TD feels pretty natural and now the only time I get that irritating vibration is when I think about it and try to make the shift perfectly smoothly. If I jaut go through the pattern naturally without trying too hard all is smooth.

Don't know if that helps but I just thought I'd throw it out FWIW. I do have a nice 3/4" play at the top of the pedal arc before it begins to move the TO bearing and release the clutch.

Jud
J K Chapin

Tom, this may not be relevant but a year or so ago I started a thread because on my late (Feb. '53) TD frequently when shifting into fourth I would get a vibration that felt lke a misalignment of the clutch or drive shaft or something. It was suggested that perhaps the little circumferential springs in the clutch disc had failed or were failing and that I was probably due shortly for a new clutch. That may be so but polyanna that I am I just kept on driving and I've discovered that by depressing the clutch quite shallowly, just enought to feel it disengage, and most of the time just from habit a very quick double clutch, I no longer get the vibration. Logic says "Well, adjust the clutch stop screw setting dummy" but I often need to depress the clutch pretty deeply to smoothly get into first or reverse at standstill so I don't want to restrict that option.

When I was a teenager driving a schoolbus I rarely used the clutch when upshifting so just barely using the clutch for upshifting with the TD feels pretty natural and now the only time I get that irritating vibration is when I think about it and try to make the shift perfectly smoothly. If I just go through the pattern naturally without trying too hard all is smooth. I drove my TR-4 from Boloxi, MS, to Columbia, SC, once with a totally failed TO bearing giving me no ability to disengage the clutch at all but that's another story.

Don't know if that helps but I just thought I'd throw it out FWIW. I do have a nice 3/4" play at the top of the pedal arc before it begins to move the TO bearing and release the clutch.

Jud
J K Chapin

Tom and Jud - if you have other than a late TD, then you are probably missing the clutch pedal stop bolt. That was added to the pedal box when the factory switched from the cable operated clutch to the rod linkage and it stops the pedal travel so that the the throw out bearing does not over center on the pressure plate. Unfortunately, there was never (to my knowledge) a factory sheet sent out on this modification. Bud Kruger has the write up I did on making and installing the stop bolt, along with some of the history on the clutch modification from the factory. Go to TTalk and click on Clutch Stop Bolt. Cheers - Dave
D W DuBois

Thanks Dave, I got the writeup and I'll be checking to see if I already have the stop bolt ((TD 25009, Feb '53 is fairly late but I've not yet looked). If it's not there one will happen.

Jud
J K Chapin

Just had new clutch rods and all linkage renewed/changed. After 160miles grating noise every time I changed gear. It's been suggested the thrust bearing has gone in my 5speed box is this just a coincidence or perhaps a misalignment. 52 td. Any comments please
p a white

P. A.,
Have you tried to re adjust the rods? Why did you replace them in the first place? It might be the Throw-out bearing,, How many miles on the Throw-out bearing?

SPW
Steve Wincze

Steve All linkage was badly worn and as I was heading for France I didn't want any problems.!!!! Got to Dover before trouble started had to return home. No info on throw out bearing.
p a white

Jud,

My TD 24953 is just in front of yours and it has the stop. I suspect that yours will have it as well.

Kirk
Kirk Trigg

Thanks Kirk.

Jud
J K Chapin

This thread got tied up with other issues.
Yes, my TF has the clutch pedal stop.

Yesterday, I went on a nice long drive in the hills. Lots of clutch work. As I said, I put the clutch link back in its original hole. The clutch worked perfectly. What puzzled me was why I could not get adequate clutch operation with the O'Conner fix. Did anyone else have trouble making that modification work?

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

Tom,

I know 2 cases of the O connor mod causing the same problem.
To understand the issue you need to know what happens when you make this modification.
Here is a quick explanation.
On the drop arm, the original distance between the pivot hole and the link rod hole is about 1.75 inches.
The O connor mod moves the link rod hole closer to the pivot by 0.5 inches. This means that the movement of the thrust bearing (Throw out bearing) compared to the movement of the brake pedal is reduced by (1.25 / 1.75) = 0.714. which is about 28% Now if your pressure plate mechanism, is on a limit of its tolerance, or even out of tolerance, then this reduced movement will not release the clutch.

John

52 TD
J Scragg

P.a. White, you say you hear noise each time you change gears...are you hearing noise each time you change gears or each time you depress the clutch? Regards, Tom
tm peterson

John, thank you for your specific comments. I suppose my clutch is more worn that mere miles account for. Like I said, only 4 or 5,000 miles on it. What is a reasonable life span for a T type clutch?

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

I've got about 20,000 miles on mine since I put it in. Still going strong. Bud
Bud Krueger

This thread was discussed between 14/06/2014 and 17/06/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

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