MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Recommendations

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 pedal rattle and pedal box

Opened up my pedal box today, because there is a rattle in the clutch rod that drives me nuts.
I found a lot of stuff inside, half of which is probably good old American soil since the car is EXL/NA ;-)
The box was more or less full...
PO has already cut the bottom so that part of the bottom panel can be bent outwards. Not done well, but it works.

I can see a lot of play in the clevis pin and clutch link which is most likely the source of the rattle and am wondering what is the easiest way to fix it. Use nut and bolt and washers instead of the pin to prevent sideways play? My hope is to fix it without having to remove the floor...

Brake pedal also has a lot of play, but from what I read in the archives, I will leave it alone, since it works fine otherwise.

Regards
Mike








Mike Fritsch

Clean, clean, clean, then get Declan's clutch rods.

Jud
J K Chapin

Mike,

You almost certainly, can’t avoid the dirtiest job in maintaining a T-Series - the replacement of the clutch and brake pedal bushings. Definitely sounds to me like that - wobbly clutch and/or brake pedal.

The tough part is not getting them out, its getting them back on the shaft and worst nof all, placing then wood-ruff key; All in a quite restricted area. Good luck.

But you’ve been given some astute advice. Get a set of DeClan Burns clutch rods. Replace your gearbox lubricant with MT90 and start living again!

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gord Clark

Desperately needs a new cover plate with a clutch stop pin.
I am glad mine is RHD and easy to maintain.
Ray TF2884
Ray Lee

Ok, I chickened out and went the least complicated way. After trying to fit a washer within the clevis, only to find out that the clutch lever is not flat but gets thicker toward the shaft, I decided to build the one armed bandit shown in the picture.
With a bolt and locknut I can now adjust the play so that the rod does not rattle about.
Not pretty, but it works. Since the rod is pulled, not pushed, I see no problem with stability. The clutch action feels more precise now without the play.

The hole in the bottom of the box is now covered properly. I cut out the sheet metal that the PO had already partially cut and made a new cover. No way to get the old one back to flat...
Then after reading in the archives, I came across a thread about a gasket below the side cover. Hm. Not a bad idea...So I made one that goes around the edge under both covers. (Not shown in the picture).

As far as the stop is concerned, I will pass on this one. I have the O´Connor mod on the lever (a massive improvement) and I have not felt the need for a stop in the last nearly 20 years...

THE BAD NEWS: The rattle is still there. I need to keep searching...

Rgds, Mike





Mike Fritsch

The rattle is most likely the sloppy pedal shaft and bushings. Learn to live with it or bite the bullet and do the worst PITA job on a TD with the tub in place.
W A Chasser

You bring up a great reminder for pretty much all us TD/TF owners. Clean your pedal box. All that gunk had to be doing a lot of wear on the pedal bushings.
Bruce Cunha

I may be missing something here,why take one leg off the clevis?
This will put a bending force on the pin, the clevis supports it both sides.
If the rattle is when your foot is off the clutch, check the roller on the pedal, I chased a rattle for weeks till I found it.
Ray TF2884
Ray Lee

I have the same question as Ray. This maybe one of those things the next caretaker sees and asks, “what the heck?”
Head scratcher there.
Having said that, your care do as you see fit, let the next guy decide what he/she wants to do with it.
Regards, Tom
tm peterson

It was the only way to get the connection between the clutch lever and the rod tight enough so that it has minimal play. The clutch lever is tapered (by design or from wear I don‘t know) so that it wobbles around in the clevis otherwise. Since the rod is used in pull mode, I am not worried about the sideways forces.
But you are right, a next owner might wonder why.
In any case I have not found the rattle yet. I still suspect the rod rattling against the pedal box in the round hole in the front, but I probably need someone to hang under the car while I am driving it…

Rgds Mike
Mike Fritsch

This thread was discussed between 14/08/2024 and 22/09/2024

MG TD TF 1500 index

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