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MG MGF Technical - 'Removing 'front discs

Hi,
I am trying to replace front discs on my F, all going well even after drilling out thos XXXX set screws, until it came to actually removing the discs from the hub, they wont move.
I read an article that said that a little light persuasion with a copper hammer may be required.
Well the've had a considreable amount of 'heavy' persuasion but still they decline to shift their backsides out of there.
Anybody got any tips or idea's other than to continue haammering away
Cheers
Mike
M.W Read

I did it the other day by squirting plus gas into the 'disc retaining screw' holes so that it dribbles down between the old disc and the flange. Give it a while to drop down to the bottom then rotate the wheel a bit and squirt a bit more in, and repeat....
I left them overnight after two sessions of plus gas and rotation.
The following day I played a paint stripping heat gun around the outer hub area of the old discs for a couple of minutes before mild tapping with a rubber mallet, rotating 1/8th of a turn and repeating. They almost fell off (after 115000 miles) and the wheel bearings weren't traumatised.
Charless

Charles,
Thanks for that, will give it a try
Mike
M.W Read

Mike

If the above method fails get a copy of December Car Mechanics, page 108, and a large lump hammer.

Bob
R.A Davis

When I did mine I battered the hell out of them, unfortunately the bearings went shortly after, possibly due to the amount of persuasion required to remove them. remember they are an interference fit so rotate the disc as you hit it. Another option would be a puller, if you have one big enough. Big thumbs up to the use of heat, would have used an oxy torch if I had one at the time.
Leigh Reid

There off!!
Soaked in penetrating oil, heated up and hit with a bigger hammer.
Thanks for the advise
By the way Car Mechanics only runs to 90 odd pages this month so could'nt see article on page 108!
Thanks all, now for the rears
Mike
M.W Read

Mike

Glad to hear you've got them off, the reason you couldn't find page 108 is because you were looking at the January magazine. See below image.

Bob


R.A Davis

Any heat will help, but I would say he is playing that torch flame over the wrong part of the hub!
Charless

I would worry about the wheel bearings after a lot of hammer treatment. The bearings on the F/TF are marginal at the best of times being Metro components not designed for wide, sticky tyres. I had a front one collapse with almost no warning on the M1 causing hub damage.
Mike Howlett

I finished up hacksawing as far down to the hub as I could, then attacking them with a cold chisel to crack the disc. That immediately released its grip and didn't need massive whacks that damage the bearing.
My current nice big grooved discs have been on a while - I think I might see if they are still unsiezed - a clean-up and smear of Copaslip could be useful further down the line.
Mike Cunningham

For any force, there is an equal and opposite force across the bearing.
I took the ram from a 10 Ton press, Four HT threaded rods were fitted thru the mounting plate and two bars behind the disc. A centre adaptor was machined to locate the piston on the hub end face. Job done with no bearing damage.
Geoff F
Geoff Farthing

I read about a method where you remove the brake caliper and then force them off with a nut and bolt arrangment through the mountings. You can rotate the wheel to keep it square of course. There may be a video. I remebered this as mine were corroded on solid and had to be removed on a ramp with a lump hammer at great risk to the bearings and I dont want to go there again
Stan Best

Slightly at a tanget but still relevant I note the use of Plus Gas has been advised. I remember this from years ago and how effective it was but haven't seen it for sale. Does anyone know where it is available? The guys on the Discover Channel use WD40 as "penetrating fluid" but I think Plus Gas is far better.


Jan T
J Targosz

WD40 is a water dispersant, not a releasing fluid - that's why its called WD.... I find ordinary paraffin (kerosine in the US) works very well. It sometimes needs a soak for a couple of days, but it generally creeps right in to seized components.
Mike Howlett

I'm sure I've seen plus gas for sale on amazon.
Leigh Reid

Lump hammer worked for me. And lots of copper grease on replacements.
Brian Highe

This thread was discussed between 27/12/2012 and 12/03/2013

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