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MG MGB Technical - Re-Manufactured Lockheed Calipers

Hi all. Across from the MGA BBS.

A tale of caution for you all. About 12 years ago I converted my drum brake 1500 MGA to use MGB calipers. I bought a set of what I believed to be new Lockheed calipers from a well known parts supplier. I have since been told they would have been rebuilt calipers.

Since then I have had intermittent brake squeal and a number of braking issues including a suspicion that they were occasionally slow to release. I always suspected the master cylinder and directed my attention in that direction. Finally, a month a go I took the bull by the horns and took the calipers off for closer inspection. What I found is shown in the attached photograph, and it was the same in both calipers!!!! It would seem that the person/company who did the overhaul damaged the outer seal retaining rings when inserting, forcing bulges in the seals. This caused the pistons to run off centre and rub on the cylinder walls. The result was sticking pistons, causing slow release etc.

I have only shown the damage in one cylinder in the photo. All 4 were the same or very similar. Makes you wonder what technique they used to insert the retaining rings.

I wonder how many of you out there have similar calipers? Very high odds that the people who did my pair of calipers did many, many others!!!

Steve


Steve Gyles

THE FRIGHTENING THING IS HOW MUCH TRUST WE PUT IN OUR SUPPLIERS. Some product is not critical..............but brakes!!!***
Name and shame is my thought, they need to pay more attention to quality control, especially when our lives depends on their product!!
Allan Reeling

Supply of Goods and Services Act requires parts to be 'fit for purpose'.

I think that any supplier of new parts would be wide open to prosecution and/or unlimited claims, if it can be shown that malfunction or premature failure of a critical part was the cause of an accident.
Brian Shaw

I have spoken to my MGA supplier. As far as he recollects he bought the caliper brackets and calipers in for me from Moss. Certainly the items on my receipt carry Moss codes from that time.

Steve
Steve Gyles

This thread was discussed between 25/05/2015 and 27/05/2015

MG MGB Technical index

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