MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG 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 MGA - hand brake question

Just in the process of reassembly-

Installed the handbrake, linked it all up but there is no tension.

I have tightened the ferrule up- compressed the spring- but there is a large amount of untensioned cable left!

Not sure where to go next.

The rear appears to be all as per the manual etc but has me baffled.

Its just the 1 1/2" of "excess" cable at the ferrule end .
Do cables stretch that much?

It is the original cable after all, it appears to be in good condition

Is there other adjustment where both cables join- to both wheel calipers?

also added a pic of the body reassembly - pleased that it all "appears" to be going back together OK, but wait for the screaming as I place it on the chassis- maybe next week!

Don't be fooled by the 1600 tail lights, added these as a neater way of ensuring that the clown right behind sees my indicators.It's a bog -standard 1500 with the Pommie overdrive conversion and "rescued" from the States and returned to an "English-speaking-nation"!



Mark Thompson

If you have a wire wheel rear axle, and a disc wheel brake cable, the cable will be too long. It would be nice to know the length of the inner and outer cables, but I don't have one handy for measuring at the moment.
Barney Gaylord

If the brake lever is a spline out to the pivot that might cause it, but that should be prevented from happening by the pinch bolt flat. If you fitted a new handbrake lever then I believe there is a problem with the reproduction levers in that respect.
N McGurk

1-1/2" sounds like Barney is on the right track. But Mark should tell us the history.
Art Pearse

Mark,
You don't say whether this floppiness is when the lever is pulled up, or when the lever is released. When you pull the lever up does the cable pull on the rear brakes? The lever needs to be locked up by pushing on the button. It is released by just pulling the lever up, ie, do not touch the button.
I have found that the lever is floppy when it is released.
Peter.
P. Tilbury

This thread was discussed on 14/01/2013

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.