MG TD TF 1500 Brake line production change. BBS discussion at MG-Cars.info

MG TD TF 1500 - Brake line production change.

Working on putting in the new metal brake lines. I find that my back lines, that run along the differential, are different from what I see on the factory pictures. I looked online at as many TD differentials with brake lines I could find. Early cars appear to have 90 degree bends to go around the limiter strap. Later cars and the factory picture seem to show the brake line going along the differential through the limiter strap. Looking to see if cars around 4139 or earlier have this bend in their brake lines? Abingdon Spares Catalogue shows it with the bends. https://abingdonspares.com/collections/brakes-td-tf Here is the left side of mine.

Bruce Cunha

Here is the factory picture of an unknown number TD

Bruce Cunha

Here is one that I found online that matches mine.

Bruce Cunha

The routing isn't clear to me in the factory picture. The lines on my later car, TD 23004, have bends around the limiter strap. The picture shows the original lines before I replaced them. Joe

Joe Olson

Bill, I have two illustrations of a TD chassis. One shows the brake line going around the check strap. The other shows it going through the check strap. I don't know when the routing changed. The images posted on the BBS are low resolution. I can send higher resolution images to you via email if you want. This is the first. The line goes around the check strap. It is from the TD lubrication chart in the TD/TF workshop manual. Pretty sure that it was drawn pre-production. I removed the text. See the image in your WSM. Lonnie TF7211

LM Cook

Here is another TD chassis illustration that shows the brake line going though the check strap. Don't know the origin. Looks like an early 1950 TD because the wheels aren't pierced. The BBS may reduce the image quality too low to see the brake line. Lonnie TF7211

LM Cook

Close up of the WSM TD chassis with the brake line around the check strap. Lonnie TF7211

LM Cook

Close up of TD chassis with brake line through the strap. My original image described the chassis as 1950. The WSM illustration in previous post is probably pre-production 1950. I'm confused. Lonnie TF7211

LM Cook

Lonnie. That is interesting in that the right side appears to be outside the limiter and the left going through it. I actually saw TD pictures on the internet that are this way. Obviously, the cars online may have been changed, but it is interesting that they show it different ways in the drawings. Joe. After posting this, I did find a 53 on a youtube TD restoration video that has that line configuration also. The other point is are these machine bends? The bends are fairly sharp. Sharper than I could do with a bender. Here is a picture of how mine came out. This was following my original ones as close as I could as a pattern.

Bruce Cunha

One more thing to bring up relating to new brake lines. The kit I got from Moss, has one line that is too short to pattern after the original, and this could be a significant safety issue. The line between the front block and the middle block has a bend/dip in the cutout where the oil filter for the early TD goes. The new tubing is not long enough to put in this bend/dip. it has to go straight across the frame. In thinking why the factory would put this bend/dip in this location, I have come to the conclusion that is was done to keep the brake tube from being damaged either by the left movement of the engine or when the oil filter is changed. Crimping the brake line here could result in no front brakes. I reported this to Moss and they are looking into it. Here is the original bend

Bruce Cunha

Here is where the new line goes Here is a link to the topic of brake lines. Dave Braun posted a picture of his car (later TD) prior to restoration. His lines just move out and around the limit strap. https://www.mgexp.com/forum/t-series-and-prewar-forum.46/td-brake-line-positions.2569434/

Bruce Cunha

Bruce, Several pictures and illustrations in the workshop manual partially showing that the rear brake pipe is routed rearwards so as to clear the axle tubes for their total length. The only one which contradicts this is the lubrication chart shown by Len above. Here is one picture showing this. John

J Scragg

Bruce: Compare TD23834 image 112 with your first image at the top of this thread.

Christopher Couper

Looks more like the picture of Dave Brauns car. https://www.mgexp.com/forum/t-series-and-prewar-forum.46/td-brake-line-positions.2569434/ Here is my rear that was copied from my original BTW. Any good tips on how to put the thin metal clamp onto the brake line and get it tight?

Bruce Cunha

I know that this is a TF and probably has no influence on a TD, but here's how the original lines were on my 55. New lines followed the original layout. PJ

PJ Jennings

The new lines.

PJ Jennings

"BTW. Any good tips on how to put the thin metal clamp onto the brake line and get it tight? " The factory was not consistent in using these straps so the good news is that if you want to be original, anything goes. :-) The attached picture from TD11272 is a best practice though IMHO. Start with the "O" part of the strap and wrap the end around your pipe (or loomb in other applications). Place the strap with the O_ part being flat against the axle. Now wrap the end of the strap around the axle back to the pipe and stick the strap through the slot on the underside and have it come out the top. You have to do this while pressing evenly on the strap to hold it tight against the axle. Now pull the loose end tightly up and then back on itself. That should give you a tight, flat fit against the axle. What you do the with the remainder of the strap is up to you. In some cases the installer went all the way back around again and in some other cases a few inches and the wrapped it back up again flattening the fold.

Christopher Couper

This thread was discussed between 26/02/2019 and 05/03/2019

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