Brake Fluid

[Mike Bees]

There a 2 different big rear brake kits available (De Dion only):

 

Rear Big Brake Pack (including handbrake) 500 plus VAT

Rear Big Brake Pack (vented discs no handbrake) 495 plus VAT

 

Obviously the latter has far more sex appeal, but won't pass an MOT nor an over-zealous scrutineer (I've seen a scrutineer check to see whether a 7 really does have a handbrake). The one with the handbrake is a bit of a bodge apparently, and it's best to leave it disconnected or at least slackened right off.

 

Mike

 

Edited by - Mike Bees on 24 Apr 2001 08:48:53

[murph7355]

I'm with Paul on the answers to PC's questions...

 

Appreciate you're getting a better braking system by going the whole hog, but to date I can't recall having a problem with the brakes in the car. This "upgrade" simply gives more confidence in their use through the subjective elements.

 

In fact the only "problems" I've had with the car's handling could be more readily attributed to the other pedal to the right!

 

I do use the gears to the full for helping retardation though...

 

 

 

C7 AJM

[jonhill]

I agree with Stewart G's comments about setting the pedal height to allow heel and toeing. I was in the garage last night trying to do just this.

 

I forgot that the race cylinder was one of the 'secret' options (like the 22% rack), and so have the std one. I haven't given up hope of finding a decent setup completely, but the pedal travel is inordinately long. I have had to wind it right up (towards the driver) so it is at the right height to H&T when threshold braking, but the problem is that it is now so high I have to lift my foot too much to get on it, and I'm risking interference with the steering wheel. I'd rather have to compromise a bit during light braking than accidentally get the throttle, or fail to 'blip' properly, during threshold

braking, but less travel would preferable.

 

I think I have the single pot rear calipers, so will slackening the handbrake off improve things? If so, why?

 

I presume you have to drain the system when replacing the master cylinder?

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

 

PS I'm struggling with the clutch too. When it feels nice and positive, and biting at the right point, my left knee is fouling the steerig wheel. If I adjust it down, it seems to lose its crispness, and I have to push it too far in, so much so that the gear change is suffering. More playing around with both ends of the cable I guess...

 

[Mike Bees]

I don't think slackening off the handbrake will help. There seem to be 2 potential sources of excessive travel in the brake pedal, (1) the std master cylinder can have a lot of slop - movement of the pedal required before it starts to do anything with the piston,(2) the std. rear brakes. In my case the problem was all in the m/c, in Peter's it was in the rear brakes.

 

You don't have to drain the entire system if you're changing the master

cylinder, but obviously you'll lose what's in the cylinder and need to

rebleed. Might as well treat it to fresh fluid if you're splashing out on the m/c.

 

The AP clutch on the K-series seems to need a lot of travel to fully disengage. The pedal has to be set very high to get enough movement. I don't particularly like it - having a long travel is excusable if it's light, but being excessively heavy and having an excessively long travel is taking the p***. I sat in an R500 last year which supposedly had the same clutch and it felt completely different, very light indeed. Strange.

 

Mike