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rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
- YMJ
- 1275 Cooper S
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- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
Flat bladed screwdriver/s work for me.
You need to get one ear of the circlip into the groove of the cylinder, then use a screwdriver to tease the other end of the circlip down to the groove.
You may have to use 2 screwdrivers, one to hold the circlip in place while you use the other one to feed the rest of the circlip down and into the groove.
There is a tool specially made for the job available.
I'll try and take a pic of what I'm trying to explain.
Okay, It's far easier to do the job on the bench rather than crawling around under the back of a Mini.
Just did the job 3 times in 5 minutes.
It's easier if you locate the 2 end ears (of the circlip) over and partway down the tube? of the cylinder, then tease the 3rd (middle) ear over the end of the tube.
Once the circlip is firmly over the tube? use the screwdriver to push the clip into it's groove. You may need to use a knockometer on the screwdriver to make sure the clip is fully home.
It's not easy trying to take pics with both hands full.
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You need to get one ear of the circlip into the groove of the cylinder, then use a screwdriver to tease the other end of the circlip down to the groove.
You may have to use 2 screwdrivers, one to hold the circlip in place while you use the other one to feed the rest of the circlip down and into the groove.
There is a tool specially made for the job available.
I'll try and take a pic of what I'm trying to explain.
Okay, It's far easier to do the job on the bench rather than crawling around under the back of a Mini.
Just did the job 3 times in 5 minutes.
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It's easier if you locate the 2 end ears (of the circlip) over and partway down the tube? of the cylinder, then tease the 3rd (middle) ear over the end of the tube.
Once the circlip is firmly over the tube? use the screwdriver to push the clip into it's groove. You may need to use a knockometer on the screwdriver to make sure the clip is fully home.
It's not easy trying to take pics with both hands full.

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- YMJ
- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
Thanks. That should be published and sold as standard reading for all Mini ists. You'll make a fortune.
Ironically, I successfully fitted mine whilst you were tapping away on your keyboard..
To cut a long story short - I don't really know how to describe my backplate-in-situ method but here goes.....
"Simply stab at the bloody circlip relentlessly
until you hear a satisfying click of a circlip tang finding the groove in the cylinder. From there, you should be able to let go of the cylinder and click the second and third tang home"
Ironically, I successfully fitted mine whilst you were tapping away on your keyboard..
To cut a long story short - I don't really know how to describe my backplate-in-situ method but here goes.....
"Simply stab at the bloody circlip relentlessly
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- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
Ha ha. I think your method sounds about right, but you forgot to mention the expletives.
I've done it that way in the past and sometimes brute force and swearing usually does the trick.
I've done it that way in the past and sometimes brute force and swearing usually does the trick.
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- Simon776
- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
There is a proper Lockheed tool for this - they turn up on ebay occasionally.
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who do not possess it.
- pad4
- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
heres my take on the subject
throw clips away immediatly
remove locating split pin from rear of cylinder
tap with M5 tap
use M5 allen head bolt
bolt the bloody thing to the backplate
you can also drill and tap at the opposite diagonal of the
locating pin just for extra bolt
pad
throw clips away immediatly
remove locating split pin from rear of cylinder
tap with M5 tap
use M5 allen head bolt
bolt the bloody thing to the backplate
you can also drill and tap at the opposite diagonal of the
locating pin just for extra bolt
pad
- YMJ
- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
Now that's smart!pad4 wrote:heres my take on the subject
throw clips away immediatly
remove locating split pin from rear of cylinder
tap with M5 tap
use M5 allen head bolt
bolt the bloody thing to the backplate
you can also drill and tap at the opposite diagonal of the
locating pin just for extra bolt
pad
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- Lord Croker
- 998 Cooper
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- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:56 pm
Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
Yes that is a smart idea, & similar to what I've been doing, it was a common modification on Rally Minis.
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- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
Make your own "special purpose tool" out of a 1/2" drive socket, some 3/8" washers, and a 3/8" UNF bolt...
The socket needs to be big enough to just fit over the diameter of the cylinder mounting stub, and not too much bigger.
Exactly the same concept as the "clutch oil seal tool", simply wind it on!
...you may have to have a couple of bites/redo it with more washers.
Hopefully you will get the idea!
Another method is to file a really small v-groove in the clip behind the middle ear. You can then just use your least favourite screwdriver in the small groove and a big hammer to bang it on. Sometimes this clip will go firing off into space, but other times you will be lucky!
Ian
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The socket needs to be big enough to just fit over the diameter of the cylinder mounting stub, and not too much bigger.
Exactly the same concept as the "clutch oil seal tool", simply wind it on!
...you may have to have a couple of bites/redo it with more washers.
Hopefully you will get the idea!
Another method is to file a really small v-groove in the clip behind the middle ear. You can then just use your least favourite screwdriver in the small groove and a big hammer to bang it on. Sometimes this clip will go firing off into space, but other times you will be lucky!

Ian
- 850man
- 998 Cooper
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- Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 11:08 am
- Location: Melbourne, Australia.
Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
The works minis I have seen have the large boss threaded and used a steering wheel nut to hold the cylinder on.
I just use the original clip and fit them with a flat blade screwdriver, as explained above. Just make sure you fit the clip the correct way around, it must face inwards and apply pressure to the wheel cylinder, if it is fitted backwards it really does nothing. Just about every clip I have seen latly has been fitted backwards.
Ill try and post a photo.
I just use the original clip and fit them with a flat blade screwdriver, as explained above. Just make sure you fit the clip the correct way around, it must face inwards and apply pressure to the wheel cylinder, if it is fitted backwards it really does nothing. Just about every clip I have seen latly has been fitted backwards.
Ill try and post a photo.
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- pad4
- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
I use my for banging crap out of something when I'm pissed off, other than that's it's a tool that makes a job more difficult . lol
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Re: rear slave cylinder circlip tips, fitting thereof.....
xvl24 wrote:I've used one for years makes the job effortless,bought a couple from an old guy who went to the shows he also made a simple flywheel locking tool that also works well.
if you want one of these, simply buy the one that 'laser' sell that suits the later rover motors, all you have to do if file one of the holes out to suit the hole spacing on a mini.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laser-4523-Fl ... 1e723da421
ive got one and its great, for 30 quid its not worth messing around
please note, these are my own, individual sales, nothing whatsoever to do with my employer, minispares