Brake pipes & remote filller

Post by **RussLCV** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:06 am

A plea for help.............I too am going down teh disc brake conversion. I have MG Midget discs, hubs and calipers & that important mounting brackets.

But I have a few questions that you may be able to help me with.

1 Brake pipes, I have the flexi (braided S/S) for the MG Caliper, but where the pipes joins the metal pipe on the inner wheel arch is the problem. The Minor is female and the MIdget is male, anyone know what I need or where I get them. I have not yet purchased the metal pipes yet either so perhaps a midget set cab be used.

2 Remote filler. can anyone recomend what bottle I can use and changes needed to to the master cylinder.

3 I have a remote servo too but need to know what the pipe arrangements are needed to teh master cylinder, any advice welcome.

Thanks in advance

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:29 am

Probably find that Mini front flexi pipes will be ideal - but just check the length is adequate, you don't want them stretching tight or bending so they touch any other parts. Personally - I wouldn't bother with the remote filler - and certainly not with the servo.

Post by **RussLCV** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 5:43 pm

Why not the servo? My mate has a van without a servo &marian discs) and the pedal is so hard?

Post by **Willie** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 5:46 pm

Of course it is hard, try to find any modern car with disc brakes which doesn't have a servo. Fit the servo.

Post by **IslipMinor** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:49 pm

Servo with discs gives a much better 'feel' to the pedal, and if jumping straight from a 'modern' into the Minor, might even save a nasty moment or two!

The remote reservoir is, to my mind, essential with a disc conversion. The Minor master cylinder does not have the basic capacity to provide enough fluid safely from the beginning of a pad change to the end. You will find the fluid level will drop below the 'refill' level and after refilling it, what do you do with the excess (overflow) when you change the pads next time, and push the pistons back into their bores?

Unlike shoes, which are adjusted as they wear, and restore the cylinder pistons to their starting positions, thus no fluid is 'used', disc pads just keep moving out to maintain the right clearance and the fluid keeps going down to compensate. You need larger fluid capacity; the original cylinder + remote reservoir gives this. It's nothing to do with easy visual level check convenience, that's just a bonus!

Kits are available from most of the Minor specialists and are very easy to fit (no bleeding required).

Post by **bigginger** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:01 pm

...and, as ever, every supplier of disc kits supplies a remote reservoir. You need one, whatever is suggested to the contrary.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:17 pm

Ahh - the joys of discs!! There is a much better/easier/cheaper solution.

Post by **bigginger** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:53 pm

Not biting again, sorry. Try to restrict myself just to the times when the advice given is downright dangerous.
a

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:55 am

Many say that discs feel much better without a servo - but it depends I suppose on the piston area in the caliper. My mate recently removed the add-on servo fitted by a PO from his MGB and finds it much better now ! Spridgets didn't have servos - so these discs will likely be ok without - but as always it's a personal choice. I suggest try without - it may be fine - add servo if necessary. Remote filler if you can find one that doesn't leak - there are some - and you can't be bothered lifting the carpet!

Post by **Alec** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:03 am

Hello all,

Our Traveler is on Midget discs and is fine without a servo, although I do have a remote reservoir.

Russ, you may want to try stainless braided hoses that you can get to suit your connections. Some suppliers also sell the line and the fittings separately, for you to make up as you want. e.g. Demon Tweeks.

Alec

Post by **RussLCV** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:26 am

Cheers Alec

I have teh Midget pipes I was hoping that I can purchase a connector from the midget end (male) to convert it to teh Minor end (male). What flexi pipes do you have on your MG disc traveller?

Bmcescosse

Guess easy to try without and then decide if I need one (servo), if I do is ther any complicated pipe work needed, I do have a remote servo from a Midget as well

Post by **Alec** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:01 am

Hello Russ,

I'm sorry, it was a while ago and i don't remember. I think I may have had some spare Triumph hoses, and as I make my own metal lines anyway it was easy for me to make what I have match.

I did as you suggest, tried the discs without the servo to see how the brakes worked and found that they were fine, if a little heavy. It depends on your preference.

Alec

Post by **RussLCV** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:30 am

many thanks alec

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 12:36 pm

If you want to add servo to ALL the brakes - then the rear line from the master cylinder needs to be blocked off and a new line run from the servo outlet to both front and rear brakes. One way round this is to only servo the front brakes (sometimes done on comp Minis) to prevent overbraking (ie locking) the rear brakes.

Post by **malminor** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 5:02 pm

I have gone down the same route as you, but I fitted the fiesta calipers/ golf discs as mentioned in the "disc conversion for around £100"
took a while to assemble the parts, though even cheaper in the end but further work required to fit standard wheels, I bought a new servo via ebay for £90, and a reservoir for 99p the later being new off a rover 200, I tapped the outlet ports 1/8" bspt, blanked one and fitted a 1/8th to 1/4 od coupling, running a 1/4 od copper tube down to the master cylinder, connected via the rear blanking plug, which also was drilled and tapped 1/8th bspt, with another 1/8th bsp to 1/4 od adaptor, sounds complicated but isn't I got all of the parts from a industrial heating supplies such as BSS, for less than £15, I also had enough tube left over to replace the fuel line using a couple of extra fittings.
I ran a new line from the master (blanking the rear) to the servo, then through the existing tee, to a new tee, then to the offside front and rear brakes, all works fine.

Post by **jollyroger** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 7:26 pm

What further work did you have to do to fit the standard wheels?

Post by **malminor** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:30 pm

mintex 247 discs, POLO I think drilled to take additional counter screws, not essential but my choice, milled 4mm off the face of the 10mm plate where the caliper sits, then welded a 4mm plate to the rear to stiffen back up, you could start with 12mm plate.
machined 2mm off the face of the hub, filed off the rough edge of the caliper, and fitted a 3mm spacer plate to the wheel, 2mm is just a little tight if you paint the inside of the wheel.
I used saab flexi's ( I'll get you the part number) and remade the brake pipe to suit, works well, the only problem I have is getting the air out of the original back brakes!
hand brake woks fine but I can still turn the wheels slightly when applying the foot brake, maybe I shoild fit discs to the rear, anyone got any suggestions