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MG TD TF 1500 - Master Cylinder rebuild

I'm getting into the brake system on my restoration project. They seem to have been redone by the prior owner, probably about 15-20 years ago but the car has never been used in that time. I have 6 newish looking wheel cylinders and, according to the information from Moss, I have a circa 1995-2002 Lockheed master cylinder with a type 2 piston. My plan was stainless steel sleeves by Mark Frappier and then rebuild. The problem is, Moss no longer sells the rebuild kit for this master cylinder. Does anyone know a source for this? Can I use a different kind of piston? Any and all suggestions, as always are welcome. Thanks!
J Cosin

Send to White Post, they rebuild and give a lifetime guarantee. George
George Butz

J,
Are you replacing all of the system????ie copper lines and flex lines??

Steve
Steve Wincze

That's my plan. I don't know what kind of fluid was in the system. Plan to use dot 5 so replacing everything rubber to be safe
J Cosin

J Cosin...

No need to replace the copper lines...just blow carb cleaner down them to wash any of the fluid out. I've done this successfully with both a TC and trailer with surge brakes.

Gene
Gene Gillam

Did you dig in the archives? I would forget about rebuild. A few years ago Bud K and I figured out (well, it was mostly Bud) that the widely supplied cups for the original pistons were incorrect and jammed the piston. Others on the board have had recent cup blowout/failures with kits for the newer types. Since our systems are single, not a place for a mistake. My cyl that White Post did a few years ago came with a new brass piston, brass sleeve, and "industrial" sealing bellows, has been on since 2007 with no leakage or trouble. The new repro cylinders seem to be fine as well. George
George Butz

Copper brake lines are not permitted now here in New South Wales as the powers that be are concerned that work hardening causing fractures. Cunifer is the way to go JC if you do decide to upgrade the lines as this copper/nickel alloy will never rust. The BSF flare nuts (made in China like everything else) as supplied by Brake Connect in the States are too short, so I reused my originals. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I strongly recommend http://store.fedhillusa.com/ for your tubing and connectors. Local outfit with great service and products. Plus, they have the correct flare nuts. Bud
Bud Krueger

Moss sells copper-nickel pipes made in England by Automec, all cut to the correct length with the proper fittings already attached. I used my old original steel lines as models for bending the new lines and was able to install them with no problem. The brakes work just fine.

I can't help you with your replacement master cylinder, but the Moss kit for original cylinders works well.

Joe
Joe Olson

Your brake pipes are not going to be affected by sitting...just clean them out and reuse the. Why waste money?
Gene Gillam

Dot 4 fluid is hygroscopic & so will allow & retain moisture in the brake lines. Steel Bundy lines DO rust from the inside out, especially if the cars are used infrequently, as is the case with many T Types. I experienced a total brake failure in the TD when approaching a hairpin in the mountains when one of the rear Bundy lines blew, so there's no way I'm ever going to let that happen again. Although that event was caused by the line rubbing on the side curtain box, mechanical failure of a line, regardless of the cause, is a heart in the mouth experience I don't recommend. Cunifer is the way to go & I also agree with Bud's endorsement of Fedhill. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I think Morris Minor brake cylinders and the same as TD/TF ones and possibly the master cylinder. If they are they will be much cheaper than parts sold specifically for MGs. Has anyone worked on a T series and a Minor who can comment?

Jan T
J Targosz

Jan,
the Morris Minor is a similar casting but smaller bore.
If used on a TF you would have stronger brakes but may run out of pedal travel quickly.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

To: J Cosin
I had the same problem with the master cyl on my TF. The PO had it replaced some time in 2004. When I received the car in 2013 the M/C did not work because of a catastrophic failure. It was one of the M/C that was no longer being made and I looked all over for parts, even contacting all the popular rebuilders and found no-one able to fix it or supply parts. I bought a new M/C and moved on. My reasoning is when you are dealing with brakes it's a safety issue so the little extra expense was worth it. I also replaced all wheel cyl and used silicon fluid. Brakes now work great!
Mark Stolzenburg
Chesterfield, Missouri, USA
TF 8263
Mark Stolzenburg

When I started on the brakes 30 years or so ago, The car had, by then, been sitting for 18 years. I drained all the lines and filled all the lines with Methyl Alcohol, and let them sit for about a week. I flushed and did this again. I may have done this three times.

I the purged the lines, each one individually, by letting dry Nitrogen flush through for at least 34 Hours.

I was working at a semiconductor plant at the time and N2 and Dry Nitrogen were available.

The rear brake cylinders were frozen. I eventually replaced them. I tried to rebuild them but they leaked.

I believe I did rebuild the MC (This was about 1985.)

I think I rebuilt tie front cylinders also.


Jim B.
JA Benjamin

If I were in your place I would buy a used original master cylinder, have it sleeved in stainless by mark Frappier, and thyn get a standard Lockheed rebuild kit to fit.

There's a rebuilt one on eBay right now for $50.
Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

J, if you use White Post they do not recommend dot 5 and will not warrant their work if you use it. I was not impressed with their work. They left off the dust boot on my MC and I had to phone them twice to get a boot that would work. The first one they sent was totally wrong plus when they sleeved and rebuilt my rear wheel cylinders they left out the dust gaskets. I think the original owner has retired and so has the customer service.


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This thread was discussed between 09/09/2015 and 13/09/2015

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