Rear brake conversion update

[Normans_Ghost]

The bolts were heated to bend, the washers are welded to the eye and I've had it on a press with 1/2 ton load and they do not move. If you come to my funeral caused by no brakes you'll have the satisfaction you're right.

 

Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here

[Chelspeed]

I'm sorry but I'm still not convinced. I've gone away for a day and thought about it. I haven't done FE analysis or anything but I am an engineer and I've built a lot of stuff for cars and this just looks very wrong.

 

I don't want to offend you and it's great that you're trying new things but this is just downright dangerous. The caliper is not bolted solidly to anything, it's just resting on the curved end of the ring on the end of the swing bolt. Even if the swing bolt keeps it's integrity then the alloy on the base of the caliper around the radial mount hole will deform where it's point loaded from where it touches the ball and the caliper will float from side to side.

 

Don't take my word for it, send a copy of the picture on the website to Performance braking and ask John Freeth if he thinks it's acceptable.

 

Once more this is not a dig, just don't want you or anyone else getting hurt. I'll sign off now and not be drawn further into discussions. Good luck with the project one way or another.

[Normans_Ghost]

Chelspeed, I appreciate your concern. I've had 2 engineers look at it and both say it's ok. The washers/base of calliper will not deform or dig in as I've welded the washers to the eye (mig). Pictures went to John this afternoon and if he says no then I'll make an ali block, but that will mean moving the callper at least 1" around the disc to give space between the fixing holes.I know it's not as neat as an ali block, but I believe that as the eye is immediatly below the calliper and the bolts are a tight fit in both drillings they mounting cannot move. The first washers did deform as the vertical bolt was tightened so I welded the washers to the eye.

 

We'll see what John thinks.

 

Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here

[Normans_Ghost]

John says it looks Ok, at first he thought the eye was welded on but when I explained it was the bottom washer that was welded to the eye he felt better about it, but said he would rather it was an ali block. I'll make it next week.

 

Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here

[Normans_Ghost]

The following is the text from here with a picture of the new ali mounting block. I'll send a picture to John at Perf braking in the morning. One advantage of this, assuming it will actually fit, is that the bleed screw will be at the top so bleeding should be easy.

 

After some question about correct engineering practice, I have now made ali block mounts. The calliper will mount to the 2 bolts which hold the hub flange to the de-dion ear at the forward edge. This has the added advantage of the bleed screw being mounted at the top. Final machining of the cut-out will centre the unit on the disk without the need for packing. The brake pipe will have a union fitted and will fit the existing pipe. To change callipers back to original will remove 2 bolts and undo one pipe, fit old calliper with 2 bolts and refit pipe to old calliper, bleed and refit handbrake cables. I trust everyone is happy with this solution. I have designed a transmission handbrake, or rather, sourced the components to make it. The fitting of the callipers and the new handbrake will be done from 11th December on. If the new handbrake works the calliperes will not have to be changed over for MOT.

 

Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here