MGB: Pesky spring clip on brake cylinder

Sorry to ask such a simple question, but I don't find the answer to this in the archives. Is there a fairly easy way to get the wavy spring clip ON the back of the wheel cylinder? I watched John Twist and he just clicks it on in a flash. Nothing like great experience. Twigworker says take the backplates off and work on them on the bench, but that looks like a pretty big job.

I think my clips are stronger than the ones I worked with when I did this about 15 years ago (of course, maybe I'm just less strong than I was then).

Is there a tool that would help here?

Got it. 12-inch Channel Lock pliers and persistence. Put the edge of clip in the outermost groove of the pliers. Do it a couple times off the car for practice.

Wear eye protection!

Someone posted, about a year ago, a brilliant solution to this never ending problem. He took a pair of Visegrips and locked them in place on the brake drum mounting flange while it pushed the brake cylinder into the backing plate. This leaves you with both hands free to wrestle the clip into place. It worked for me the first time. Hope this helps. RAY

I replace mine yesterday and I eventually got them on but only after my neighbours heard a whole new vocabulary of curse words!

Funny you should mention this clip. I replaced my brake cylinders last week. I had a devil of a time getting the new clip on without bending it or losing its grip on the cylinder casting. By the time the clips were installed they were somewhat sprung. The new clips are softer steel that the old ones.
I like Ray's tip with the vice grips. Wish I had known that little pearl of wisdom last week. :eyeroll:

From the Chicagoland site. The link is to the article.

http://www.chicagolandmgclub.com/techtips/mgb/536.html

Thanks, everybody. It's always good to know one has company in his frustration. The Vicegrip trick looks really good - I will use it on the other side, since I spent an inordinate amount of time on the first side today and didn't even get finished with that one.

I had been to the Chicagoland website a few times before I found MG Experience. Chicagoland is quite good, but I had sort of forgotten about it.

if you want to get rid of the clip for ever, take the cylinder to a machine shop and have them run a set of threads on to the part that needs the clip and then run down a 5/8 course thread nylock nut on to a fiber washer.

[quote=Jerry]
if you want to get rid of the clip for ever, take the cylinder to a machine shop and have them run a set of threads on to the part that needs the clip and then run down a 5/8 course thread nylock nut on to a fiber washer.[/quote]

Jerry, that is a GREAT idea!

[quote=jdeluke137]
[quote=Jerry]
if you want to get rid of the clip for ever, take the cylinder to a machine shop and have them run a set of threads on to the part that needs the clip and then run down a 5/8 course thread nylock nut on to a fiber washer.[/quote]

Jerry, that is a GREAT idea![/quote]

I agree! I wonder why they weren't made that way to begin with. Maybe just the whole thing about rusted nuts. Early MGs actually used bolts to attach the wheel cylinders.

[quote="RAY 67 TOURER"]
Someone posted, about a year ago, a brilliant solution to this never ending problem. He took a pair of Visegrips and locked them in place on the brake drum mounting flange while it pushed the brake cylinder into the backing plate. This leaves you with both hands free to wrestle the clip into place. It worked for me the first time. Hope this helps. RAY[/quote]

This is what the Visegrip trick looks like in practice. It worked great!

Thanks, everybody -