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MG TD TF 1500 - How to Lock Brake Drum

I had terrific assistance form this forum when asking rudimenary questions when I had a generator malfunction a while ago, for which many thanks. I now am investigating a front brake problem and am interested to know if there is a simple way to lock the front drum when the adjusters are unable to do it, probably because of lining wear but yet to be determined until I get the drum off.

The problem is exacerbated by very dodgy nuts, somewhat dogeared with which I will have to very careful - and then throw away and replace. When I apply torque to undo the nuts, the drum turns and negates everything. A solution is to get someone to sit in the car and depress the pedal but I thought I'd ask to see if someone has a one man solution to this.

Interestingly the passenger (LH) side drum came off in a trice, with nice new nuts, locking by adjuster while loosening nuts, then backing off the adjuster and seeing plenty on the lining, so I'm expecting some difficulty getting the drum off successfully as it appears someone else has tried and given up.

Or maybe there's a technique for loosening badly treated (and painted over) nuts on a rotating drum.

Over to you, if you can assist.
John Hoey

Hi John. When undoing a stubborn axle nut I leave the wheel attached to the drum with the weight of the car on it. Chocks or hand brake stop the car rolling. When loosened the car can then be jacked up again. Matt.
Matt Davis

Thanks Matt - I think I might have been a bit more helpful if I said it was for a TF with wire wheels. The six nuts involved are the drum hub nuts, see 28 in image below
John

John Hoey

Hi John,
slip the wire wheel on back to front,there will be enough room to get a spanner on behind to loosen the nuts.
Don't forget to stake the lock tags when refitting.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Ray Lee,
Your method seems like it should work!!!!

SPW
Steve Wincze

Or,,,, use this problem to justify an air compressor and an impact wrench. An electric impact is another way to go if you don't have the need/room for a compressor.

There are some battery impacts out there but I've never used one.
JE Carroll

Thanks everyone, and Ray's suggestion is a very clever and simple bit of lateral thinking.

I'll get new lock tabs and nuts as I suspect the tabs don't take kindly to rebending and, as an aside, I've noticed there are no tabs on the rear drums. Is this normal or advisable?

John Hoey

Someone will know and maybe you know and maybe this thought is just wrong but is it possible that the nuts you're trying to loosen are left hand thread?

Jud
J K Chapin

Just checked, Jud and they are normal, ie RH thread.
John Hoey

All done, thank you everyone. Perectly easy solution from Ray. Found significant glazing on linings, otherwise plenty of life left in them. Will clean and rectify anything I see then try adjuster again to get lock.

One more question: Is there a recommended torque setting for these nuts? A couple of them were very very difficult to move.
John Hoey

John,
You mentioned that the adjusters were not able to lock the brakes,,, Probably a result of wear on all of the brake parts,,, go to
http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk/cgi-bin/or17?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=archiveth&subject=8&subjectar=8&thread=2014032701392929781

or do a search for BRAKE ADJUSTMENT SHIM,, There you will find the penny solution!

Steve
Steve Wincze

Steve

You should go into business with Ray (above) - there would be some fascinating outputs.

Thanks for the penny idea, it's very simple. We have abandoned the small copper coloured coins here too but they are available so I'll poke around. I'm conwinczed it is worth trying.

John
John Hoey

This thread was discussed between 07/09/2014 and 09/09/2014

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