What Size Is That Nut? - Girling Rear Caliper - PLEASE HELP

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I'm trying to remove the "Spring-Loaded Plug" (behind the handbrake lever) that provides access to the caliper pivot pin. I've rotated the handbrake lever out of the way, but still can't seem to get any grip on the plug, even with my largest socket (1-1/8). Is it bigger than this, or is there some other trick to removing it? Would I better off with a ring spanner? I'd really appreciate your advice if you have managed to get this plug off. Thanks.
 
Hi, the size of the nut is indeed 1 1/8. There is just not enough space in there. If you are going to dismantle the calipers anyway then you can remove (pull out) the cam lever for the handbrake. Just keep in mind that the handbrake tappet from inside may fall out. Don't lose it! Then you will have the space to use a socket to undo the nut.
Later, when you will want to tight back the 1 1/8 nut you will find out that only a spanner could fit in there, because of the handbrake cam lever being in the way.
It's not difficult, but take your time, if you get tired trying take a break, first time is fiddly, but not impossible.
 
Hi Demetris. Thanks very much for the information - the caliper needs a complete overhaul, so will do as you suggest and remove the handbrake lever. By the way - I wonder if you can offer a view on my earlier query on this forum regarding the very small clearance I seem to have between the discs and the final drive bracket - is this normal?. Rgds.
 
The clearance between the disc and the diff mounting bracket may be small, but it doesn't vary in use, it always remains the same. The disc is rigidly mounted to the diff, which is rigidly mounted to the diff mounting bracket. Unless something breaks they can't come into contact. As for the diff mounting bracket, I think auto and manual are the same, but early ones were different to later ones, although I think the changeover point was fairly early on. Some of the number crunchers on here will probably have a better idea at what point it happened than I do. (Nick Dunning for one! :D )
 
I have swapped the diff. mount from my Auto spare car to the standard 2000TC because the original had cracked. No problem fitting it, and it did not have "auto" printed on it.
The Auto differential was from a 1968 2000TC having the improved breather on the top, instead of through the axles.

Dick West
 
OrganDoctor said:
The Auto differential was from a 1968 2000TC having the improved breather on the top, instead of through the axles.

Dick West
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Is that a typo Dick, or did you have a 2000TC auto? I know people have done a convesion, Hermione on this forum for one, but they were never available from the factory.
As far as I know all the diffs were the same as well, regardless of transmission type.
 
I think Harvey is right, as I recieved that particular 2000 minus engine. (the transmission thrown in the trunk).
There is no TC badge on the hood, so I guess that is the answer.
The owner had left the car for repairs and they "lost" the engine by the time he went to collect it., So he offered it to me.

Dick West
 
Thanks to everyone who replied on this thread. Yesterday I finally managed to undo these nuts - one with a 1 1/8 open ended spanner held at right angles to the nut and the other after hammering a box spanner onto the nut (at this stage I was so frustrated I decided to risk damaging the discs in order to get the thing off) and putting my entire body weight on the tommy bar. When the calipers go back on I can't imagine I'll be able to put them on this tight but as long as they are reasonably secure I'm hoping this will be sufficient!
 
You should really have taken the discs off for this job. As suggested by others on this forum and found out by myself, it takes a little more time, but then it is much more easier to work on the brakes.
 
Hi Demetris. I think you are right. I have read the manual on this subject and it talks about the need to check "run-out" when the discs have been taken off the car. This seems to require a tool I don't have. Is it something that I would need to have checked once the car is back on the road?. Rgds.
 
Hi,

i must say that i am barely an expert on P6s. I 've just had my 2000 TC for 6 months and worked on the rear brakes once, albeit succesfully.
You should check disk run out find out if they are warped. But do you have any reasons to believe that they are warped? Do you have vibrations when you brake?

To check for run out when the discs are on the car you have to mount a dial indicator (or something...) at a suitable place and rotate the disc slowly. If the discs are out of the car then you probably have to mount them on a lathe.

So, if the disks look reasonably OK and did not gave any problems in the recent past, leave them alone. If they are worn, or badly scored, replace.
 
Hi

Thanks for your thoughts. I've never actually driven the car (apart from moving it about 6ft forward off the tow truck and into the garage) so not sure how brakes will perform. Rgds.
 
Hi
I'm rebuilding a 1971 P6B 3500S NADA sedan in Montreal . The rear brakes are a challenge , worse than my previous E type Jaguar's !
I had huge problems shifting the ' Big Nut " which was a strange 15/16" AF monster I had hoped to either remove the discs ,or drop the rear axle , but I couldn't move the drive shaft bolts on one side with the combined efforts of an impact wrench and a blow torch. I bodged a cut down 15/16 socket to fit the Big Nut without dropping the parking brake cam and losing the "bullet" inside the rebuilt callipers
 
It's many years since I did my back brakes but I think I undid a bolt /plug with about a 1/2 " head and then used an allen key to unscrew the pivot pin. I don't think I touched the big 1 1/8 " bolt

Does this sound feasible ?
 
DaveHerns said:
It's many years since I did my back brakes but I think I undid a bolt /plug with about a 1/2 " head and then used an allen key to unscrew the pivot pin. I don't think I touched the big 1 1/8 " bolt

Does this sound feasible ?
Click to expand...
If you used an allen key on the pivot pin, you must have already undone and removed the big bolt, as the allen key is inserted behind it.

Early ones were 1&1/8th inch, later (smaller) ones were 15/16"
 
My brother and I recently had fun with these nuts and even removed the discs to get at them, they were a tad tight and we ended up having to drive them un-done, before we refitted them we put them on a milling machine and remachined a smaller hexagon so that we could get to them easier. On a 1 1/8" size nut there is enough meat to machine them.

Martin P
 
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