WHOA!! Drove with the brake booster disconnected!

[TJW]

If you have driven your car with the servo non vacuum connected, and found a VERY heavy brake pedal then you have another problem.

I may have missed an earlier mail but with a standard correctly working brake system you can delete the servo no problem.

Why do you think it was fitted in the first place, it does not make the brakes work better, it was for granny.

[winstontj]

If you have driven your car with the servo non vacuum connected, and found a VERY heavy brake pedal then you have another problem.

I may have missed an earlier mail but with a standard correctly working brake system you can delete the servo no problem.

Why do you think it was fitted in the first place, it does not make the brakes work better, it was for granny.

No way TJW... I agree that the booster may be best suited for granny but I want something that's not dangerous. Like I said, connected all is well, car stops fine with a nice firm pedal. My GTI buddy always freaks out because the pedal is too hard for him. Disconnect the vacuum line to the intake and it's a whole different story... I am truly worried about putting the pedal box through the floor if I were to drive like that normally. Also there's not a snowball's chance in hell I'd be able to lock up all 4 in a panic stop w/o the booster connected. I'm running a tii MC and Volvo/Girling fronts/e21 320i rear drums (250mm).

Maybe it's my setup, maybe it's that I've had 3 major surgeries in two years and I'm weak... but I doubt it. I did my 5-speed upgrade in 2.5 days without a lift so I'm pretty sure I'm not as fraile as granny....

[TJW]

If you feel you need a servo then do as suggested in the previous mails and fit a remote. Easily available.

As a point of interest I found my Cobra was overbraked with an XJ servo so I fitted a Saab 900 lot smaller in dia. and now has more 'feel'

[winstontj]

What I would like to do is go about this logiclly, armed with numbers. Even more than 23 is too big so try 20mm. The stock 20mm MC was just a tad too much. Perhaps with 4 x discs and bigger fronts the stock may be better but I have a feeling no. I'm going to look into a smaller 17mm MC and see how that turns out.

BTW do you know if I can splice the front brake lines if I use a single line MC? Meaning can I buy two splitters, like the one in the rear, and use them up front while I test the 17mm MC or will that be a bad idea?

I do appreciate you input so thanks. It's just hard to do something like this without the resources. It's not a matter of money it's a matter of time and know-how. Others have done this but aren't chiming in. I'll try and sort out getting my hands on that 17mm MC and see how that ends up.

[TJW]

Splicing brake lines is no problem, what you need to realise that a hydraulic line is no different to a mech. line 'what you put in is what you get out'

So with a 22mm dia. M/C. twin outlet to front and then change to a single outlet, you now have less brake line in the system, so less fluid required to fill it.

[norm]

Are you testing your booster less system with the booster still inline?

Norm

[winstontj]

Are you testing your booster less system with the booster still inline?

Norm

OF COURSE!! How else would I? There's no other way unless I do all the fab work now right?

I wanna see this spring... anyone have one? Anyone know it's rating?

I'm getting a booster and I will take a look then. Till then should I hold off on trying to find smaller MC's? What one are you running with your delete? The standard 20mm stock one or the 23mm tii unit?

Should I still look for the single line out 17mm e30 w/ ABS MC as a second alternative?

[TJW]

The spring in a 2002 never seen one but I have rebuilt a dozen MGB servo's, both types, and I doubt it is much different.

If you put your hands around the spring and squeeze you will compress it, and it is approx. 4/5 inches in length. think about it's purpose, it only pushes the diaphragm back into shape.

Certain people may say it is dangerous to strip but that is bullshit, why would a spring 5 inches in length with 20ish psi explode to more than 5inches and send you to hospital.

Old wives tale, we used to say.