My non servo MC was seized solid...I've managed to unseieze it but still can get the plunger bit out, its looking pretty worse for ware anyway so was thinking of getting a new one ...this being the case...is it worth upgrading to a servo set up ?? I know I'd have to weld a bracket on to the beam and get a feed from the engine, but would I have to move the MC or do any other mods ?? davidoft did explain it to me once when I wasnt really considering it, and it sounded like the sort of thing that would take me a couple of months to fit....but now I know I need a new MC, I'm starting to consider it any advice greatly appreciated
I don't know how much work is involved but I do not that braking in a bus with a servo takes considerably less effort than in a non-servo bus! I picked my mates up from its MOT and thought it had no brakes until I remembered it had no servo!
Do it - Brazillian servos are cheap as chips, the fixing holes are just slightly different which won't matter as you'll be able to sort the bracket before you fit it. Master cylinder moves backwards so brake pipe re-route/replace and wiring and connection to top-up reservoir. You also need the Servo to pedal push-rod. The rest is vacuum. Your van will even have the steel part between a and b post x-members. Without servo's drum brakes are far better in terms of light pedal, adding a servo makes them like a modern car. So far more "neccessary" with discs.
Yes, do it... Consider not. Do or do not. This is the answer you are looking for! I'm sure you will understand
cheers guys .....the force is strong with you anyone know what sort of price difference is there between fitting a non servo MC and a brazzy servo set up?....Mrs Diddymen has just told me to get the bl##dy thing on the road and dont spend any more money on it
Tell her you worry she won't want to drive it without the servo. Of course it'll cost more than simply replacing the existing M/C.
bracket, servo, M/C, pipe, M/C reservoir and fittings, push-rod, non-return valve, 2m flexi pipe, brake pipesYou'll have to work it out, I guess £200-£250 more.
Maybe you should get it rolling under its own power before upgrading the brakes, the brazil master cylinder and servo is cheaper than a non servo master cylinder i think, as zed days bracket brake pipes push rod, extend primary to secondary reservoir pipe work, vacuum hose front to back, £200 ish plus a days work, it's pretty straight forward once you have the master cylinder in place it's just connecting pipes, I think you need to shorten the brake pipes too
After having to do an emergency stop yesterday (two teenage girls walked out in front of the bus) the van stopped on a penny and no skid (just had new shoes and fluid though) servo brakes are good, luckily ours were standard.
Yes do it ... another couple of months wont make any difference Seriously I have servo brakes in mine and whilst they are OK if non servo ones are less effective then blimey what they must be like.
I think a fair test/rule of thumb might be that if you have to pull on the wheel to stop yourself leaving the seat, perhaps a brake overhaul is due, servo or not. The very worst bay brakes are those fitted with servo's where the servo had ceased to operate.
Or where someone has changed the engine from a type 4 to a type 1, and reconnected the servo line to the air filter and not the manifold!!
Fine to be honest - I drive 'with enthusiasm' and find them to be more than up to the job - saying that I did play rugby in the front row. My understanding is that servo does not make the brakes more effective (i.e. the contact size of the pads against disk is no different), just makes your effort less - am genuinely curious though - is the effort linear? So say for you applying 20kg of force and the servos assists with 50% so you get 30kg overall, does this carry on being 50%? so 50kg gives you 75kg of force (and yes I know I should be using Newtons) - I would imagine though that another factor is your muscle strength diminishes over time, so your ability to apply force drops off* *If they made a brake pedal for the right wrist this is does not apply.
Or, even better than that, where a previous owner had converted from type 4 to type 1, and got a universal manifold which has the take-off pipe for the brake servo vacuum, but hadn't drilled it out, so there was no vacuum!!
thanks for all the comments guys I'm used to non servo brakes on my MGB....but it is a lot lighter than the bus....and probably a lot lighter than a standard MG due to all the rust holes. If it makes it more driver friendly for my Mrs then I'm not sure if that is a good or bad thing couple of questions.... how far back does the MC have to go, will it still mount to the same crossmemeber but requires a spacer? or will it have to go into a new position does the new servo MC come with push rod - if not are these easily availible new? does the servo and MC have to be directly alligned or are they connected by a flei hose of some sort?
The servo is bolted onto the master cylinder, the whole setup bolts to the front beam and around 1 ft further back than the non servo setup.
