Pulling off the rear wheel cylinder

[trotti]

I'm trying to remove the rear wheel cylinder (100 Six BN6) and can't get the retaining plates to come off. There are two little flanges/tongues on the bottom plate (bottom being the side closest to the backplate) that hold the top plate on. I've tried wedging a screwdriver to pry them apart and separate them but I'm having no luck. The wheel cylinder was leaking like a sieve and was covered in crud and gunk from the brake fluid; this thing must be changed.

Is there a secret to this?

 

[steveg]

I'm trying to remove the rear wheel cylinder (100 Six BN6) and can't get the retaining plates to come off. There are two little flanges/tongues on the bottom plate (bottom being the side closest to the backplate) that hold the top plate on. I've tried wedging a screwdriver to pry them apart and separate them but I'm having no luck. The wheel cylinder was leaking like a sieve and was covered in crud and gunk from the brake fluid; this thing must be changed.

Is there a secret to this?

They don't pry off -- you pull them out to either side with needle-nose pliers. First the spring one then the solid one.
Referring to the Moss page: "Rear Brakes: Hypoid Axle"-- item 22 pulls toward 11 o'clock; item 23 toward 5 o'clock.

 

[trotti]

Thanks Steve - I'll give this a shot. Those things were pretty d@mn snug so I'm hopeful they'll give.

Another topic - there was no paper gasket or rubber o-ring on my axle. There appeared to be a bit of gear oil in the drum area. I don't think this is the case, but is there any plausible reason why you'd leave these out? Also, I searched the forums and found that people recommend using paper from a paper grocery bag to make these gaskets with a coating of Hylomar. General consensus on that approach?

 

[steveg]

Thanks Steve - I'll give this a shot. Those things were pretty d@mn snug so I'm hopeful they'll give.

Another topic - there was no paper gasket or rubber o-ring on my axle. There appeared to be a bit of gear oil in the drum area. I don't think this is the case, but is there any plausible reason why you'd leave these out? Also, I searched the forums and found that people recommend using paper from a paper grocery bag to make these gaskets with a coating of Hylomar. General consensus on that approach?

The rubber o-ring does the sealing. The stock gasket seems to be thick enough so the bearing is not clamped properly. In my case I arrived at the conclusion that a .003" - .004" gasket would seal but still allow the bearing to be clamped. See:
https://www.pbase.com/stevegerow/healey_rear_bearing

Others have run with just the o-ring and some sealant.

 

[Randy Forbes]

I hate those clips, and I know how they work!

Girling (Lockheed) green mechanical grease:

 

[trotti]

I hate those clips, and I know how they work!

They had me quite frustrated. During my initial go at them I tried grabbing them with needle-nose pliers (I think they were too blunt), tried bending the tabs back, tried wedging two screwdrivers between them and pulling . . . I'm just going to have to try harder. I think my situation may be a bit worse than average given how covered they are in a combination of gear oil and brake fluid. Lucky me.

I'll post a status of my repeated failures and eventual (I hope?) success.

 

[Randy Forbes]

If they were installed backwards__opposite of that shown above__then you really have your work cut out for you! I've encountered them backwards, upside down, glued, you name it!

Dousing the area with carb-cleaner or brake parts cleaner will go a long way towards accomplishing your goal. It's a known fact among BMW ///M Coupe/Rdstr owners that the job costs more money when I get dirty...

 

[British_Recovery]

Rubber o-rings aren't on the earlier hubs, only the paper gasket.
Bob

 

[steveg]

Rubber o-rings aren't on the earlier hubs, only the paper gasket.
Bob

To clarify, my BN6 has the o-ring and the Moss catalog says BN4 - BJ8 for it.

 

[trotti]

Got the thing - had to go buy some higher quality needle nose pliers - the ones I had were too clumsy to work with. Now I have to sit and wait for Moss to ship the new wheel cylinders I bought. This was such a pain to unearth, I decided not to chance a rebuilt wheel cylinder failing on me.

The he spring and retaining clip were definitely a bear. In the end, I used a screwdriver to pry up the clip Randy posted a picture of and then pull the top plate a smidge. This gave me daylight between the cylinder and the clip to wedge it loose with a screwdriver. Not. A. Fun. Job.

Lots of other little tasks got done today, however. I'm closing in on completing the the to-do list before I take it on another shakedown cruise (and likely make the list longer).

 

[bob hughes]

As Randy says, they can be difficult.

Just sorted mine out, the spring was on the outside on both - correct, but on one cylinder the orientation was as Randy's photo, and on the other, it was the other way around. Not sure which is the correct way but for ease of the removal I found that the opposite way to that in the photo was the best. My solution to remove them was to drive the flat one under the two little tags of the spring one using an old screw driver and a hammer until the tags came over onto the top of the flat clip then weedle the spring clip along with screw driver and hammer. On installation, put the spring one in first and slip the other in behind it, again driving it home with a screw driver and hammer until the tags clicked over the edge.



Bob

 

[Randy Forbes]

As Randy says, they can be difficult.

Just sorted mine out, the spring was on the outside on both - correct, but on one cylinder the orientation was as Randy's photo, and on the other, it was the other way around. Not sure which is the correct way but for ease of the removal I found that the opposite way to that in the photo was the best. My solution to remove them was to drive the flat one under the two little tags of the spring one using an old screw driver and a hammer until the tags came over onto the top of the flat clip then weedle the spring clip along with screw driver and hammer. On installation, put the spring one in first and slip the other in behind it, again driving it home with a screw driver and hammer until the tags clicked over the edge.



Bob

Your comment made me reach for the Service Parts List, and you are correct; shown in the list, they are inserted from the opposite sides as they are in my picture.

Experience with the little bustoids have convinced me that they are easier__for me, at least__to remove from the way I have them shown. I find it easier to slide a small (shirt-pocket style) screwdriver under the top plate__with the notches__and push it out by levering the side of a medium-sized screwdriver against the handbrake lever, rather than if the locking mechanism access were hindered by the handbrake lever.

To each their own, I suppose. Had we been competing at a top level concours__all other areas of the car being equal__you'd have edged me out on the basis of those stupid clips!

Satan strikes again!