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 - Throttle Return Spring Bracket and Bolts

In a, current, earlier thread mention was made of the Throttle return spring and the bracket that bolts to the block with a starter retaining bolt.

I had seen this mentioned before and I did not remember having installed on in my long rebuild.
I went down to the garage and NO I did not have one.

I looked up the prices in AS and Moss and decided that for $29 I could fabricate the bracket, but winding a spring was too difficult. I decided to purchase that one.
I searched the archives and found some good dimensions for the bracket.
I am attaching my drawing that is based on those dimensions. I did deviate in that I used 1/16 flat stock rather than the 1/8 stock mentioned.

In checking where the bracket goes I found that 30 years ago or so I had incorrectly installed 3/8-16 bolts to hold the starter. These should have been Mad Metric (M M) 10mm X 1.5mm. The 16 tpi thread is very close to the 1.5 mm (16.6 tpi) and the 3/8 diameter being just a bit under the 10 mm diameter allows the bolts to fit and tighten. (The same is true of 5/16 fine and 8 X 1mm as I have also found out.)

So I needed some Mad Metric 10X1.5 bolts also. I could not find them in either AS' or Moss' catalog. Again in the archives FTFU was mentioned as the source. I ordered every thing from Doug and it arrived today.

In the next several posts I am showing drawings of the bracket. the spring and my construction process.

JA Benjamin


Attached is my drawing of the FTFU spring.



JA Benjamin


Here is a montage of my fabrication process. Left to right.
I printed out my sketch to size and glued it to a piece of flat stock. 3/4 wide by 3" long by 3/16 thick. It was what I had.
I center punched the dots and sawed out along the line. (I do have a metal cutting band saw, a hack saw would work as well.
I did grind to finished size on a 1" belt sander I have.

I drilled the holes ans noted on the drawing (first) and then bent the 45 degree leg in a vise.

(Second row)

First frame, see how close the 3/8-16 and the 10X1.5 mm are.


Second frame. I stamped the heads of the new bolts M M to avoid confusion when I go to fix things 5 years from now.

Third frame The bracket and spring are now Installed.

I hope this may be of some use to our members.

Jim B.

JA Benjamin

The bracket looks good Jim. The only difference between yours & mine is the angle. The side elevation in the drawing I had showed the bend in the bracket to be somewhat less than 45 degrees. Checked the four posts in the archive & it seems the 45 degree version comes from Moss & so may not be accurate. Haven't been able to locate the drawing I used yet but I guess the bend was about 30 degrees. This purportedly original drawing was supplied by Bruce from Sportsparts. As I've never seen an original bracket I'm unsure what the correct bend was. Anyone have an original that they could post a pic of or confirm the correct measurement of the angle? Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Looks like 45 degrees. (picture coming)
If this is not an original bracket then it was changed sometime prior to 1972.
B Mooney

Bracket

B Mooney

45 degrees looks about right. It's partially obscured in this picture I took as I was tearing my engine down, but you can see how it points directly toward the hole in the accelerator rod.
Joe

Joe Olson

Your pic Joe certainly presents strong evidence for the 45 degree bend. That alignment is pretty hard to argue with. Thanks guys. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Here is an image of mine on file. Does not show the angle sorry.

Matthew.

M Magilton

Just had a look at the Car SOS episode on the TA & paused it on the original bracket from the guy in Melton Mobray. Definitely 45 degrees. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Here you go, Steve. It was an early thread this year. Bud
Bud Krueger

In the first entry I said I used 1/16 material.
Typo should have been 3/16 thick material.

Jim B
JA Benjamin

Interesting Matthew. I was wondering how that would work on a RHD car where the steering column occupies much of the area?

Merv
M Hyde

Has anyone an image of this bracket installed in a RHD car, where the steering column is in the way?
M Hyde

I believe that Matthew's image IS from his RHD car. So it can be done with the steering column occupying the area!

My car currently has the return spring attached to a circular bracket on the lower stabiliser rod under the carbs. If I want to move the spring to the original position on the inner starter bolt, I would need more space than is currently available.

I would probably have to remove the rear carburettor I believe or hire a trained snake with a wrench between its fangs.
M Hyde

Merv, don't forget you can remove the louvered plate under the mudguard and gain access that way.My bracket is on the outer bolt of the starter motor, not the inner. I don't know which is correct, but it works fine.
R E J Stewart

True Ralph. On this occasion I had actually forgotten that!

Merv
M Hyde

Done now and works well. Thanks Ralph and Matthew. Tricky job on the RHD.

M Hyde

Spring washer between bracket and starter motor ?
I would have done it the other way. Starter motor, then bracket and finally the spring washer and the bolt.

Any opinion about this ?
LC Laurent31

yep. , I'd agree with that, the spring washer should be under the head of the fastener, then if a flat washer is required to spread the load or when bolting up to softer material--then it would go between the spring washer and the job.
In the case of if it were a nut and bolt assembly the spring washer is always up against the nut.

willy
William Revit

True gentlemen! I will add a spring washer next time I remove the lower ventilation panel.

Thanks Merv
M Hyde

This thread was discussed between 05/03/2016 and 08/01/2025

MG TD TF 1500 index

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