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MG MGF Technical - Brake pad fitting

Hi,

Am just about to undertake my first bit of work on my MGF. Fitting new brake pads front and back.

Have printed out the pages from the pdf workshop manual I've got and should have all the necessary!

Any words of wisdom? Things to avoid doing?

Cheers,

Dan
Dan Wavell

The rear calipers need rotating as you press them home.

Scrape the rust off the disc edges first - or you'll never fit the pads.

Put a collor of tissue around the master cylinder to catch any fluid (it may overflow as you push the pistons back in).

Copperslip goes on the _BACK_ of the pads, not the friction/disc side.

Fit the bolts with threadlock

When you first drive the car the brakes wont work for the first pump of the pedal (make sure you don't need the brakes untill _after_ you check them!)
Will Munns

Have you invested in a caliper wind-back tool? The rear pistons will need to be retracted to allow for the new pads, can be done with screwdrivers etc but it is the work of 20 seconds with the right tool.
Don't use the handbrake until you've finished i.e. the pads & pistons are in their 'working' position, otherwise the handbrake self-adjuster can get confused.
Mike Hankin

You don't really need that tool - I used a robust straight edge - an old metal file as it happens - did the job pretty well.

Some instructions here which may be of help Dan: http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/DIY/index.htm#Brakes

Good luck!
Rob Bell

Thank you very much guys! Will print this out and take it as reference!

All sounds like it should be a possible task, but I do always seem to find one hitch with things like this! Here's hoping this one will hitch free!
Dan Wavell

>Here's hoping this one will hitch free!

Never going to happen ;-)

For your reference some haynes translations

http://www.office-humour.co.uk/g/i/2679/
Will Munns

Thanks for that Will - it's made my morning! :o)
Rob Bell

Well, was kind of hitch free except for being sold the wrong pads for the front even though I told them my calipers said girling on them! That said, what I thought was a crumbling pad on the front turned out to be a dead rabbit and the pads still had a fair bit to go on them, so cleaned them up and re-fitted. Back all went fine and one pad from the side that was making random noises was nearly non existant so replaced that and seem to have cured the problem.

This does however leave me with 2 remaining questions?

1. The car occasionally pulls to the left quite sharply under braking, is this likely to be pad related or something else or just a reaction to the slope of the road or a pot hole?

2. The handbrake now works less well! I thought thicker pads would make it better? Is it right just to keep adjusting it more or is there something I should have adjusted at the back when changing the pads?

Cheers,

Dan
Dan Wavell

You did change all the pads on the axle?

2) The pads will have to bed in to get a good hold - give them 100 miles of normal driving

1) This could be a number of things, from worn bushes/TRE to a warped brake disk, but I would start by checking for play in the bushes and the steering
Will Munns

>> Back all went fine and one pad from the side that was making random noises was nearly non existant so replaced that and seem to have cured the problem. <<

If I am reading this correctly, you've re-fitted the original pads, except one that had worn to the base plate?

Two things to say about that:

1. If replacing even one pad, it is far safer to replace them all, even if it appears unecessary: new pads take time to bed in, as Will mentions - and will upset side to side brake balance.

2. If one of the pads was worn abnormally, the suspect that the caliper has seized, or that the pad itself wasn't able to move easily in the caliper.

Inspect the condition of the discs inside and out: if any side shows more evidence of surface corrosion, it will give you a big clue as to what is going on...

Crikey... a rabbit???? LOL - well, that's all folks!
Rob Bell

"one pad from the side that was making random noises was nearly non existant so replaced that"

Did you just change one pad? - Bad Boy :) - you must change all 4 at the same time without the added rabbit! If one pad is worn more than the rest it must be sticking in the caliper or the cylinder is sticking in the caliper so may need more of a look if the problem persists, it might of got better by itself in the reassembly you have just done - feel the wheels for temp after a drive and see if one is hotter than the other. The handbrake should improve with a few miles.
Tony

Echo mode on "hellooo, helloo, hello" LOL. I think you have given us all a fright - where DID the rabbit come from?
Tony

LOL, think the rabbit was there from when it was my bosses car! Fairly sure I've not yet destroyed any wildlife since having the car!

Sorry, wasn't very descriptive with my replacing the pads story, yes did replace both pads on both sides at the rear! On the suspect side the piston was very stiff to get moving back in, and both pads had kind of become welded into position so having cleaned all this up and fitted the new pads hopefully all will now be fine. Does the applying the handbrake use the piston to apply the brakes or is that only used when pressing the brake pedal?
Dan Wavell

This thread was discussed between 21/07/2005 and 25/07/2005

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