22 replies to this topic

[frogeye]

Well I took some good advice from a tmf member in the USA and decided to do something, no matter how small, each day.

I picked a simple job, or so I thought, to remove the pin holding the clutch pedal.

What a bloody nightmare!!!

Nearly an hour upside down, back going in and out of spasm, until good old metal fatigue works it magic.

Why bend a split pin so far back on itself? What's to move?

Is there a badge I have earned doing this?

 

So, just to save me wading through my manuals - how do I remove the brake pedal? I will try that tomorrow.

I am trying to get a 'part' free engine bay so I can semi prep it for respray  - god,  Frogeyes are so much easier :)

But as the man says - 'I've started, so I will finish'

must start a projects list - it might serve as a what not to do next at least

 

Lee (didn't know a body could stay in such an uncomfortable position for so long)

 

 

[mk1leg]

a tip for re fitting the split pin dont......use a R clips instead much quicker and no fiddleing upsidedown.......

[Cooperman]

Can I make the point that in aviation, you must use a split pin, not an R clip, on any safety critical system.

So an R-clip may be used for the clutch, but not the brakes.

[KernowCooper]

You get awarded membership to the Voltarol Club, you can tell who's struggled with the pin by the way they walk

[Ben_O]

Someone once told me that the hardest part of restoring a mini is removing that split pin so everything else should be a breeze......

 

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the brake pedal is fitted in the same way so i'm afraid you will be contorting yourself again.

I was quite lucky with mine and managed to unbolt the pedals from the carrier frame and raise the master cylinder into the engine bay just enough to remove the pin from above.

 

Good luck

 

Ben

[Tamworthbay]

It is the worst job possible. It is worth taking the drivers seat out and putting padding over the crossmember if you have to do it again.

[frogeye]

a tip for re fitting the split pin dont......use a R clips instead much quicker and no fiddleing upsidedown.......

Thanks a great tip - will be doing this

[frogeye]

You get awarded membership to the Voltarol Club, you can tell who's struggled with the pin by the way they walk

Of all the questions my mate asked, I now understand why he threw in a 'have you removed the clutch pedal yet?' In my innocence his question went over my head without reply.

[frogeye]

Someone once told me that the hardest part of restoring a mini is removing that split pin so everything else should be a breeze......

 

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the brake pedal is fitted in the same way so i'm afraid you will be contorting yourself again.

I was quite lucky with mine and managed to unbolt the pedals from the carrier frame and raise the master cylinder into the engine bay just enough to remove the pin from above.

 

Good luck

 

Ben

Thanks Ben

I'm so glad to hear this

However I couldn't see a split pin on the brake pedal - but it was nearly 9 o'clock and I was struggling to see much when I retired hurt but victorious

Let's see what today brings

[frogeye]

It is the worst job possible. It is worth taking the drivers seat out and putting padding over the crossmember if you have to do it again.

Lucky in a way as the drivers seat is already out - as is the passenger and rear seats - in fact I need to source a good complete interior.

I have learned a valuable lesson and will make sure I am as comfortable as possible before starting a job again.

Brake pedal here I come

[Tommyboy12]

Bad time to say I took mine out last weekend and it took about 20 minutes (which included the removal of the seat)?

[Dan]

a tip for re fitting the split pin dont......use a R clips instead much quicker and no fiddleing upsidedown.......

a tip for re fitting the split pin dont......use a R clips instead much quicker and no fiddleing upsidedown.......

Thanks a great tip - will be doing this

Sorry to contradict but that is not good advice, it's dangerous please don't take it. Rover fitted R clips instead of split pins for a while in the '80s and it was the subject of a service replacement bulletin and just short of a full product recall as the pins can quite easily work their own way out in use. Do not do this, no matter how many people tell you they do it and it's fine. Those people who don't get away with it are probably not around to tell you how bad an idea it is. I don't like scaremongering but this one is important.

To remove the pins easily (well a bit more easily at least) use some end cutters and cut the heads off rather than cutting the legs or trying to bend them, then use bent snipe nose pliers to pull the legs out. For refitting the clevis pin there is a special tool available from Mini Mine and others that makes it very straightforward.

[frogeye]

Bad time to say I took mine out last weekend and it took about 20 minutes (which included the removal of the seat)?

I spent double that trying to wriggle the pin out! Thank god for metal fatigue as it gave up before I did.

Did that include the brake pedal?

If you live near me - i can offer a sausage sandwich and a cup of tea in payment :)

[frogeye]

 

a tip for re fitting the split pin dont......use a R clips instead much quicker and no fiddleing upsidedown.......

 

a tip for re fitting the split pin dont......use a R clips instead much quicker and no fiddleing upsidedown.......

Thanks a great tip - will be doing this

Sorry to contradict but that is not good advice, it's dangerous please don't take it. Rover fitted R clips instead of split pins for a while in the '80s and it was the subject of a service replacement bulletin and just short of a full product recall as the pins can quite easily work their own way out in use. Do not do this, no matter how many people tell you they do it and it's fine. Those people who don't get away with it are probably not around to tell you how bad an idea it is. I don't like scaremongering but this one is important.

To remove the pins easily (well a bit more easily at least) use some end cutters and cut the heads off rather than cutting the legs or trying to bend them, then use bent snipe nose pliers to pull the legs out. For refitting the clevis pin there is a special tool available from Mini Mine and others that makes it very straightforward.

 

Thanks Dan - I am a novice at this, but I take safety seriously.

I take your point on the side cutters - an avenue I tried to travel, but couldn't  find them. Need to sort my tools out 1st

It was access to the legs of the pin that was the issue - they had been bent in such a way the I couldn't rotate the pin to grab hold of them. In the end I managed to pull up the head and bend it back and forth and eventually pulled the legs out.

I know that this is a very small job that probably doesn't deserve such a long thread but it has been a learning experience for me to say the least

Cheers again to all that took the trouble to reply

Lee

[Chris1992]

 

 Frogeyes are so much easier :)

 

 

have to agree with this haha, theyre awesome cars... my dad has one which ive helped him work on before. everything is so accessible!