The V8 Owners Forum -

I have seen a car with the brake servo under the front seat, and would like to go that route myself, can anyone shed any light on the maximum distance it can be from the manifold,pipe diameter etc.
Regards
koopsterman

koopsterman wrote:I have seen a car with the brake servo under the front seat, and would like to go that route myself, can anyone shed any light on the maximum distance it can be from the manifold,pipe diameter etc.
Regards
koopsterman

The distance is not that important, the servo could be placed in the boot if necessary. The diameter of the pipe should be 10 mm minimum or to match the size at the vacuum valve on the servo.
In normal use the servo canister has vacuum on both sides of the diaphragm and when you push the pedal, air is allowed in to one side of the diaphragm and it's actually atmospheric air pressure that assists the brakes.
If you also put a non-return valve at the manifold, then the pipe will act as a small resevoir of vacuum and give you more pedal pumps even if your engine dies or stalls.

Denis

As Dennis says and in addition, try and use rigid pipe and proper vacuum pipe at the ends for most of it's length to prevent the pipe collapsing and giving no vacuum.

Thanks guys, thats just what I wanted to hear, I will push on with that idea now,by the way,it will be going in a Devon pick-up.
Koopsterman

Why?

with a properly sized system there is no need to have boosters

Ian

In case you did not know, Staffordshire Vehicle Components sell a remote servo.
http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/product/dual-remote-servo/

Ill go with Mr Andersons comment, WHY??? do you need a servo, I have never run a servo on a modified car, my last car ran 330 discs with 4pots on the front and discs on the rear, stopped on a sixpence with no drama, and no leg like Arnie Schwarzenegger it Just stopped. I never had a servo on my devon either,
At the end of the day, a servo will not give you better brakes, it will only lessen pedal pressure, and lessen feel from the pedal, From my perspective, with a performance car that by nature will be driven hard, you need brakes that give you feedback and feel,
SERVOS ARE FOR GIRLS

they never put a servo on a Can Am Mclaren, I rest my case
Mike

I'd guess you'd need to change the master cylinder for one with a different bore if going non assisted?

You will probably need dual master cylinders with a balance bar.
It all depends on how hard you want to push.

Denis

DEVONMAN wrote:You will probably need dual master cylinders with a balance bar.
It all depends on how hard you want to push.

Denis

I suppose if you ever drove your Devon as it left the factory, the answer would be 'hard'.

Think Herbert Austin once said 'good brakes encourage bad driving' And he certainly saved some money on his products, brakes wise.

DaveEFI wrote:

DEVONMAN wrote:You will probably need dual master cylinders with a balance bar.
It all depends on how hard you want to push.

Denis

I suppose if you ever drove your Devon as it left the factory, the answer would be 'hard'.

Think Herbert Austin once said 'good brakes encourage bad driving' And he certainly saved some money on his products, brakes wise.

Stangely enough I did drive the Devon with standard brakes, drums all round and hydraulic front and rods at the rear. Back in the 60's they were ok for a boy racer (Me) in a 40 bhp car but couldn't handle more than one roundabout every five minutes.
As far as pedal force goes, the Devon was far better than a standard MK1 cortina with discs manufactured some 15 years later.

Ian's Mk2 must have a good system ( no servo) or he is related to swarts and he doesn't know it.

Cheers Denis