MGB Front brake disks - how?
Discussion
Got myself a sun tan and some lovely new brake disks from Newark autojumble yesterday, so set about looking at the brakes in the evening. I seem to have stumbled on trouble as I am unsure how to get the disk off. The four 9/16th nuts that I seem to need to undo rotate round, so presume that the whole hub needs to be removed.
Looking into the center of the splined hub, there's a cap of some sort with some studding protuding from it but I have ne idea on how to get this off.
Help!
Looking into the center of the splined hub, there's a cap of some sort with some studding protuding from it but I have ne idea on how to get this off.
Help!
Edited by justinbaker on Monday 9th April 07:30
(Deleted my original reply because I re-read your post properly!!)
To change the disks, you will need to remove the whole hub/disk assembly, and then remove the disk from it (I'm assuming you've already removed the caliper).
The hub is held in place by the castle-nut that is inside the splined-shaft that your wheel mounts onto. This has a "dust" cap which has a threaded rod sticking out. The cap "should" just pull out (grip the rod either with fingers, pliers, a nut of the right pitch screwed on etc). Once you have the cap off, your next piece of fun is to remove the split-pin from the castle-nut. In theory, you just turn the hub until the eye-end of the split pin lines up with the small hole in the hub, hook the eye, and pull the pin out (I've never managed to do it easily, and I broke the end of my needlenosed pliers that last time I did this). Once the pin is out, then you simply undo the castle-nut. This is precisely when you will find that the nut size is larger than any socket you have, and that Halfords closed five minutes ago. Once the castle-nut is undone, then grip the disk and pull the whole hub-assembly towards you. It will come off.
Now you will see the nuts on the back of the bolts that you have loosened! Undo these and viola the hub and disk part company.
I recommend you pack some grease into the bearings on the hub whilst you have it apart, also check for wear and replace if necessary.
To change the disks, you will need to remove the whole hub/disk assembly, and then remove the disk from it (I'm assuming you've already removed the caliper).
The hub is held in place by the castle-nut that is inside the splined-shaft that your wheel mounts onto. This has a "dust" cap which has a threaded rod sticking out. The cap "should" just pull out (grip the rod either with fingers, pliers, a nut of the right pitch screwed on etc). Once you have the cap off, your next piece of fun is to remove the split-pin from the castle-nut. In theory, you just turn the hub until the eye-end of the split pin lines up with the small hole in the hub, hook the eye, and pull the pin out (I've never managed to do it easily, and I broke the end of my needlenosed pliers that last time I did this). Once the pin is out, then you simply undo the castle-nut. This is precisely when you will find that the nut size is larger than any socket you have, and that Halfords closed five minutes ago. Once the castle-nut is undone, then grip the disk and pull the whole hub-assembly towards you. It will come off.
Now you will see the nuts on the back of the bolts that you have loosened! Undo these and viola the hub and disk part company.
I recommend you pack some grease into the bearings on the hub whilst you have it apart, also check for wear and replace if necessary.
justinbaker said:
Brilliant description and hightly amusing, I have experienced the "large nut" syndrome before. Thanks for this Chris, it was the studd that seemed a little odd to me, so grab it and pull? 
Yes. Mine came out easily, but I have heard of people finding them a bit tight. Depends on how often you grease and fiddle with your car! I put new disks and calipers on my 'B last year, and found the split pins a real pain. If the garage moan about the bearings on Sat (MOT time), they can bloody well tighten the castle-nuts themselves!!
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