Triumph Repair: TR7 Rear wheel cylinders e-clip

Question

wheel cylinder e-clip   QUESTION: Hi Howard,

  I'm replacing the leaky wheel cylinders and shoes on the rear brakes of my 1976 TR7 - it has the older Marina derived brakes.  I'm trying the get the new wheel cylinders installed - but I'm having trouble with the big e-clips that attach it from behind.  I bet you have a good technique to get them back ?  I've tried pliers, vice grips and tapping them in with a drift, it refuses to slip on !  Very fiddly, I've attached a photo.

ANSWER: Hi Steve,

Yes, Steve they are a pain to get on even when everything is correct. I would remove the cylinder and with a small grinding wheel or a die grinder clean the brake backing plate very well where the cylinder fits and on both sides of the backing plate. Then lube the grove and the clip with grease and put it in place like in the photo and I use a large pair of channel lock pliers. I have put some on with a hammer and drift too. It does look like your cylinder is not sticking far enough through the backing plate in your photo. Probably due to rust and possibly a burr on the backing plate hole. You could also confirm that the clip fits the cylinder by installing it on the cylinder while off the backing plate too just to confirm that the manufacture made the two match ok.

Howard


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Howard,

 Thanks for the suggestions, I tried some sand paper and a wire wheel on a drill to clean up the backing plate both sides.  Used some copper grease and channel lock pliers and finally got the clip on.  The clip easily deforms and initially one of the 3 tabs popped out of the groove so it's not the best design, don't know why a bolt wasn't used !  I know 2 clips are used on the spitfire but that's so the cylinder can slide, the TR7 one doesn't move so I guess there was some other reason the designers used the clip.

Thanks again Howard !!

Steve

Answer
Your right Steve, the manufactures do things like that to make it easier on themselves and cheaper not for the benefit of the owner nor the mechanic working on it. Yes, there are others that have that too and I make up a special set of terms for them too.

Howard