Its probably very obvious but i can never remember.
Hi all, is there an idiots guide to setting up the brake bias bar or is it just trial and error?
quote:
Originally posted by stuleah
Hi all, is there an idiots guide to setting up the brake bias bar or is it just trial and error?
I set mine all the way to the front, then started dialling in more and more rear bias until the rear wheels locked up before the fronts, and dialled
in quarter turn forwards.
Once I'm more used to the car I'll start dialling in more rear to get a better turn in under trail braking.
This is a good description of the process I've always heard of
"Throw on some old tires (the same type you will be racing) and ask a friend to help. Find somewhere that you can safely test your brakes. Have
your friend stand where they can safely observe the operation of your brakes. Drive at a decent speed, but not too fast. Slam on the brakes and lock
them up. If you can't lock up the brakes at a moderate speed you may not have enough brakes. Have your friend observe whether the front or rear
brakes lock up first. You can tell which tires are locked up by the smoke billowing up from them. Adjust your brakes until the front tires lock up
just before the rear tires. Record this set-up as your starting point. The bias may need adjustment from time to time as factors change."
quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
quote:
Originally posted by stuleah
Hi all, is there an idiots guide to setting up the brake bias bar or is it just trial and error?
Trial and error or take it to a friendly MoT centre and ask them to check the balance.
quote:
Originally posted by BenB
This is a good description of the process I've always heard of
"Throw on some old tires (the same type you will be racing) and ask a friend to help. Find somewhere that you can safely test your brakes. Have your friend stand where they can safely observe the operation of your brakes. Drive at a decent speed, but not too fast. Slam on the brakes and lock them up. If you can't lock up the brakes at a moderate speed you may not have enough brakes. Have your friend observe whether the front or rear brakes lock up first. You can tell which tires are locked up by the smoke billowing up from them. Adjust your brakes until the front tires lock up just before the rear tires. Record this set-up as your starting point. The bias may need adjustment from time to time as factors change."
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
quote:
Originally posted by BenB
This is a good description of the process I've always heard of
"Throw on some old tires (the same type you will be racing) and ask a friend to help. Find somewhere that you can safely test your brakes. Have your friend stand where they can safely observe the operation of your brakes. Drive at a decent speed, but not too fast. Slam on the brakes and lock them up. If you can't lock up the brakes at a moderate speed you may not have enough brakes. Have your friend observe whether the front or rear brakes lock up first. You can tell which tires are locked up by the smoke billowing up from them. Adjust your brakes until the front tires lock up just before the rear tires. Record this set-up as your starting point. The bias may need adjustment from time to time as factors change."
You have just described a great way to have a massive accident. Slamming on the brakes with too much rear bias will result in an instantaneous almost un-catchable spin.
This is an interesting read for me as my Striker has a bias bar and Im to scared to touch it!
Im doing a track day on sat so ill see what happens then. Ill take it in small steps and mark the original set up.
Whats the difference between wet and dry set ups?
I take it wet has alot more front bias.
I've never tried it, but Smith recons you can get it somewhere close (as a starting point, before the track testing) in the garage on stands by
putting a little load on the brake pedal and trying to turn the wheels by hand. Adjust until you have them feel about the same, with a bit more to the
front.
Cheers
Fred W B
.... quick hijack - how do these bias valves work? is it matter of chaing size of an orrifice to restrict fluid flow to the rear?
asking 'coz on a cylcing forum, a one armed cyclist is looking to be able to operate front and rear brakes with one hand and a bias valve would
be a good solution (ignroting the fact that the lever would tavelt further since it operates 2 sets of brakes)
quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
.... quick hijack - how do these bias valves work? is it matter of chaing size of an orrifice to restrict fluid flow to the rear?
asking 'coz on a cylcing forum, a one armed cyclist is looking to be able to operate front and rear brakes with one hand and a bias valve would be a good solution (ignroting the fact that the lever would tavelt further since it operates 2 sets of brakes)
Thanks for the info guys, sounds like what i thought, mainly trial and error until its somewhere close.
quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
.... quick hijack - how do these bias valves work? is it matter of chaing size of an orrifice to restrict fluid flow to the rear?
asking 'coz on a cylcing forum, a one armed cyclist is looking to be able to operate front and rear brakes with one hand and a bias valve would be a good solution (ignroting the fact that the lever would tavelt further since it operates 2 sets of brakes)
A bias bar works my moving the fulcrum between the front and rear master cylinders, transmitting more force, therefore more braking pressure to one
than the other.
This link explains it much better!
thats a very good link but the key bit of information that i always forget is 'which way do i screw the bias bar to move bias to the front or the
rear?' is it the closer the pivot point is to the front m/c the more braking is appled to the front?
Its probably very obvious but i can never remember.