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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Brake caliper overhall

I've been overhalling my brake calipers. The instructions in my repair manual say NOT to seperate the 2 halves of the caliper, but it doesn't say why? its too late, I've seperated them. My question is, does anyone know why I shouldn't have seperated them, and what torque I should put them back together with.

I also noted that they had some red material in the threads, most likely threadlock (loctite) - which I plan to use when assembling.

Thanks
Christian

C L Carter

I think they actually used some sort of nylon in the bolt originally, like a nyloc bolt!

As long as the mating surfaces are spotless and you use a new bridge seal, it shouldn't be a problem.

I use Loctite, but I put it into the thread in the caliper rather than putting it on the bolt. It is less likely to seep into the join that way.
Dave O'Neill2

Thanks Dave, will do that, got my seals on order.

What Torque did you use?

C L Carter

Christian. The torque setting should be in your factory workshop manual--included in the bold print that says, "unless it is absolutely unavoidable the calliper(sic) should not be separated into two halves." For the MGB, the torque setting is "35.5 to 37 lb.ft", but do not know if that is the same as with the Sprite/midget calipers. When I do this, I use the red LocTite on the threads and have never had a problem with leakage.

Les
Les Bengtson

Thanks Les,

It really doesn't say in my manual, I have the green covered one, MG Midget 1978.

35-37 lbft sounds sensible. Thanks v much.

C L Carter

I've just looked up the relevant sections in the MGB manual and the Midget manual.

The MGB is exactly as stated by Les with the addition of metric figures in brackets (4.9 to 5.1 kg/m)

The Midget manual has exactly the same wording but gives the torque figues as 33.5 to 37 lb.ft, but the same metric figures.

I assume that one of them is a typo, but they're near enough as to make no difference. Aim for 36!

MGB excerpt attached


Dave O'Neill2

Wow, they really scare you into buying the correct bolts don't they. I can't see how they are ever going to come apart. Nothing a bit of loctite won't sort out for good measure.

C L Carter

woooooow, Christian referring to a manual instead of using just intuition or trial and error, there’s progress, good job Lawrence and Guy are not around, mind it is the manly Workshop Manual and not the effeminate Driver’s Handbook :)

having fought my computer and DVD with Workshop Manual on but unable to remember how to display it here I’ll just say my 1964-1974 has the same as Dave has put up

in all seriousness as they stress about the bolts thoroughly check your bolts are good before reusing them

I went out for a ride as a passenger in my mate’s TVR and he normally drives fast and overtakes too readily and thinks I worry too much about servicing and renewing items – well he’d just replaced the front dics and pads and as we exited a village having just taken a sharp left turn and ready to spool the tarmac behind us he asked if I’d heard anything then we stopped on a sixpence as something fell off at the front and jammed the front to an abrupt stop

it was of course at that time, after I’d stopped laughing, that I reminded him of his dismissal to my question before the trip about him having checked the torque and thread lock

AA call out, oh the shame of it

it’s cheaper, easier and less painful to learn by the mistakes others make (unless you’re in the car with them during a crash) than to make them yourself
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 17/04/2012 and 18/04/2012

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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