At 12:03 PM 8/21/99 -0500, Don Collins wrote:
>Does anyone know of any problems swapping out front drum brakes on a 57
MGA to the 1600 Deluxe front disk brakes? I was able to locate a set of
calipers recently and now I would like to try the swap.
Did that once, several years ago. Of course you also need the brake disks
and the front bearing hud to match.
As I recall, when you remove the drum brake backing plate you will need the
adapter plate with 6 holes that bolts to the steering knuckle and holds the
caliper. Refer to picture in the factory MG Series MGA Workshop Manual.
The new hub assembly with the bearings then mounts on the same spindle,
bolts right up.
Also do not forget the part called "lockplate" that acts as a strain relief
for the caliper end of the brake hose. I do not see this part pictured in
the shop manual, but there is a nice illustration of it in the Moss MGA
parts catalog.
And the brake hose is different, starting with a bonjo fitting and bolt at
the caliper end. The body end of the hose also has a different fitting,
and I think you either have to replace the front steel brake lines or
replace the end fitting on the steel lines to mate with the hose.
And the point where the hose mounts to the body of the car has a different
bracket on the body. The male threaded end of the drum brake hose is
larger then the male threaded end of the disk brake hose, meaning that the
hole in the body bracket on the drum brake car is larger than necessary to
accomodate the new hose, so a large flat washer may be in order there.
Additionally there is a fitting called "locking plate" that goes on the
body bracket before the hose is fastened there. With a little luck this
plate and a flat washer may be all that is needed to attach the new hose to
the old body bracket.
One more thing, the disk brake cylinders displace more fluid, so the master
cylinder reservoir needs to be larger. This is done by installing the
later tall cover on the master cylinder, otherwise the master cylinder is
the same. Unfortunately, this tall cover may be either unavailable new or
very expensive.
Good luck,
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
http://www.ntsource.com/~barneymg
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