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MG MGA - Disc brake query

At the weekend I notice a small clunk in the front end whenever I applied the brakes - have had a look this morning and it appears it may have been a loose bolt on the sway bar connection to the drop link. Yet to test but I could not find anything else.
While I was at it I pulled the pads (EBC green) to have a look at how they were wearing and noticed for the first time that the cut outs on the pistons are facing the stub axle rather than pointing down as noted in the workshop manual - why do they need to point down?
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Judging by the dearth of comments on this query I assume the answer isn't something people often ponder.
Here is my spin on it - looking in the archives it appears that the reason the cut outs are supposed to point downwards (tangential to the disc) is to help eliminate brake pad squeal - I assume by putting more pressure on the leading face. Not sure how this works in practice but lets assume the factory knows best and found this by testing!
If this is so, then the best location for the cut outs for hard driving and competition is with the cut outs pointing to the centre of the disc (where brake squeal is not an issue). This would give a higher pad force on the outer radius of the disc thus improving braking - pads used in competition generally wear with a taper, this on the outside thicker towards the centre.
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Just to finish off this thread - I found in the MGB workshop manual instructions that the cut out in the pistons must point towards the centre of the disc!
Seems there might have been a few women in the design office - who says you cannot change your mind.
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Sorry I couldnt help you with your brake pad question Mike.

On the subject of Greenstuff pads, I wondered what you thought of them?

I changed my worn pads for new greenstuff ones a couple of years ago thinking I was replacing like with like.

I was a bit disappointed with the lack of bite with the new pads when I first tried them. They have a very hard feel and it seems to need slightly higher pedal pressure to get them to work. And they really seem to produce a lot more duswt

It turns out that the original pads were Mintex and I so have now picked up another pair of new Mintex M1144 material pads that I'm told will feel better than the Greenstuff ones.

I also have a new set of discs to fit and then a complicated brake pad bedding-in proceedure to go through before I know if these pads are any improvement.

Colyn
c firth

This thread was discussed between 08/04/2014 and 15/04/2014

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