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MG TD TF 1500 - Brake Pedal Return Spring

After a couple of weeks of 'playing' with the pedal box of 'the53' I'm at the point of reassembling it. Was going well until I went to install the brake return spring. Figuring out when, and how, to connect it is bad enough. I can't imagine how the spring that came out of the muddy mess could possibly work. Should be an image attached. There's a ring flange attached to the lower front edge of the box that would appear to be the logical place for one end of the spring. There is a circular opening on the end of the brake pedal that would appear to be the mounting point for the other end. The problem is that the spring is too long for that position. There is <zero tension on the spring when the pedal is at rest. Can anyone tell me how long the spring should be? Tnx. Bud

Bud Krueger (TD10855)

Bud, I think I just picked one out of one of those bags of a hundred springs from the parts store. You could try to measure from the box anchor ring to the hole in the pedal, and guestimate from there. I think the spring needs to be medium-strong. Too weak and the brake pedal will go forward when you push on the clutch (stiction to the shaft, the rubber excluder, etc.)By eyeballing your picture, I would think that one is quite a bit too long. George
George Butz

Bud,
I don't have a very good picture but the one below shows my old spring in relation to the pedal shaft for size. Sorry that's all I've got. Hope it helps?

I can tell you that mine did not have "zero tension" before or after rebuild. I'm remembering it had no "slop" in it at all and, yes, it was a real PIA to install, even with the tub off and all the glop blasted out.

Have fun,
Ed


efh Haskell

Here is a picture of mine before cleaning and plating. It is a picture (as are most of the nut and bolt pictures) that I never put on the website.

You can compare the length to the MC mounting bolts.
warmly,
dave

Dave Braun

Thanks, folks. Dave, thanks for that image. You can believe that I hunted all over your site looking for such an image.

Archive hunting just shows a number of requests for a detail reassembly procedure. None exists. Bud
Bud Krueger (TD10855)

Detailed assy procedure:

Remove seats and carpeting
Remove floor boards
Remove clutch linkage (all of it)
Somehow, and with great frustration, attach the end of the spring to the pedal and then with a needle nose visegrips, attach the end of the spring to the tab with the hole in the front of the pedal box.
Reassemble the clutch linkage
Reinstall the floor boards
Reinstall carpeting and seats

NEVER EVER use a magnet to locate anything 'lost' in the pedal box...

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

FYI, the spring (coiled section) appears to be 1 5/8" long and 1/2" in diameter with 21 coils.

Gee, Dave, thanks for the detailed procedure. Bud
Bud Krueger (TD10855)

Bud,
I just replaced the brake pedal return spring on the TF. I forgot it on reassembly, only noticing it after the car was assembled minus the hood and fenders.
I was able to place the spring after removing the side plate( 3 1/4" BSF bolts and one nut) by using a large needle nose pliers. The pliers had slightly off set jaws. While not easy, it only took a few minutes of fiddling with the pliers to hook each end of the spring.
D. Sander

Thanks, D. Fortunately, I'm working on a bare frame so I have maneuvering room. A trip to Ace or NAPA should find a spring. I have a pair of loooong needle nosed pliers that should work. Bud
Bud Krueger (TD10855)

...thanks .... we had an MGB return spring only, and managed to get it to fit...however, it broke or popped off after I returned home and pulled into the driveway...have ordered a new one....!!!
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

A bare frame makes the job a lot easier! I just wish I'd remembered the spring when I had a bare chassis. I was quite relived when I was able to "hook" the spring with the needle nose pliers.
-David
D. Sander

I also replaced my return spring from the underside access hole without pulling the carpet/floorboards.

I also re-did the entire pedal assembly (removing the pedals & rod, etc.) without removing the floorboards, just the carpet & pedal boot. It's fiddly but not really that difficult.

Scott
Scott Linn

Ace Hardware, $1.49:


Bud Krueger (TD10855)

....well...the spring is still there...am i wrong in saying there are two springs...one inside the pedal box and one on the clutch linkage attached to the oil pan? Anyway....got underneath and i have the main spring on the linkage, and feel one in the pedal box (haven't gotten the car in the air yet on the hoist....Monday)....anyway... have at least 3" of travel on the pedal, everything still engages, shifting seems the same...but sooo much travel....? This wasn't a 'slow' thing...it resulted on one press of the clutch.....
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

"NEVER EVER use a magnet to locate anything 'lost' in the pedal box..."

Okay Dave, there must be a story here? Why?
efh Haskell

I'm reactivating this thread to show how to do it.

Simply search the arhive for a thread, and add your comment, and post (submit) it.

Ed, when assembling my floorboards, I 'lost' several of the 1/4 BSF slotted head screws with the pointy tips. I knew they rattled down to the pedal box, and I figured 'oh well'. About three weeks into driving the restored Tommy, one of the screws jammed between the clutch pedal lever and the box, and I couldn't get full disengagement. By adjusting the rod I was able to shorten the stroke and get home. Actually, that was a good thing because while under there I discovered the taper pin on the clutch belcrank on the bell housing had fallen out, and I could have lost the entire system.

I got home and figured out the problem, and proceeded to 'fish' the offending screw out of the pedal box. The powerful magnet brought the tediously placed brake spring out with it, and the screw. I drove that way for two years (the spring is there in case the brake MC doesn't experience enough internal springing and drags the brakes, but in my experience that doesn't happen).

When I destroyed 1st gear in a Hare & Hound rally last fall I waited until spring to tear into it. With the floor boards out, I took the liberty of replacing the brake pedal spring (took me over an hour, see instructions above) and lo and behold, there was STILL a 1/4 BSF fastener in the box. I got that one out with a magnet BEFORE I reinstalled the spring.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

This thread was discussed between 04/08/2011 and 14/09/2011

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