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Help me decide - Brakes
Nitrogeno25 - 8/3/06 at 03:03 PM

I'm in the brakes stage and trying to decide which is best if floor mounted or top mounted pedal box. Also should I take the twin m/c with balance bar route or use one from a sierra (or similar)?

The car will be use most for the road but I would like to try it on the track sometimes.


jos - 8/3/06 at 03:24 PM

Are you using sierra calipers or HiSpec/Wilwood or somebody elses aftermarket brakes.


Nitrogeno25 - 8/3/06 at 03:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jos
Are you using sierra calipers or HiSpec/Wilwood or somebody elses aftermarket brakes.


I'm using standard calipers from a Sierra front and yet to decide at the back.

Thanks


emsfactory - 8/3/06 at 04:07 PM

I have floor mounted with twin master cylinders. Dont know if the're better, I got them cheap.


jos - 8/3/06 at 04:25 PM

I'm using sierra calipers like you and have floor mounted pedals connected to sierra master cylinder without servo assistance.

I can lock up my fronts VERY easily so seem to have plenty of braking power


907 - 8/3/06 at 04:43 PM

Hi Nitrogeno,

Are you a tall lad / gent / wrinkly? (delete as applicable)

I did floor mounted pedals in a way that gained much needed inches without having to make the car longer.


Paul G


britishtrident - 8/3/06 at 08:42 PM

if you have big feet floor mounted pedals probably are better --- opposite is also true


Nitrogeno25 - 8/3/06 at 09:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by 907
Hi Nitrogeno,

Are you a tall lad / gent / wrinkly? (delete as applicable)

I did floor mounted pedals in a way that gained much needed inches without having to make the car longer.

I'm about 6' , feet size is 10.

What worries me about floor mounted pedal box is that I should mount the m/c reservoir remotly.

Size seems not to be a big issue, I'm looking at easy of operation/construction/maintenance.

Thank you very much.


Paul G


907 - 8/3/06 at 09:55 PM

Hi Again

What I did was to cut a square hole in the end of the footwell
and make up a folded/welded box that fits the hole.
The back of the box forms the mount for the m/cylinders.

The pedals hinge from the bottom chassis cross member,
and when depressed go into the top of the box.

Hope you follow that.
Pics bellow show both sides of the end of the footwell.

It just seemed a good way to gain a couple of inches.

Paul G

p.s. m/c is from a Cortina Rescued attachment p-box.jpg
Rescued attachment p-box.jpg


Nitrogeno25 - 8/3/06 at 10:19 PM

907, It seems the pedal ratio is about 3:1, do you think this is adecuate?


blueshift - 8/3/06 at 10:49 PM

pedal ratio and braking effort depends on the diameter of your master cylinders, and your brake pistons. You can use some maths to work out the resultant pressures, and compare those with manufacturer specs / standard car applications.


907 - 9/3/06 at 12:42 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Nitrogeno25
907, It seems the pedal ratio is about 3:1, do you think this is adecuate?



It seems to work.......

not that I've been out in the car you understand.... just tested it in the garage officer.... emergency stops from 40 mph etc.

Paul G


bimbleuk - 9/3/06 at 09:29 AM

I was using an Escort master cylinder and Sierra calipers all round. Had plenty of brake pressure but the feel was quite wooden.

As I have big feet and an issue with the standard Striker pedals which are a top pivot design. I went back to RAW and came up with a simple solution for the Striker chassis. Basically they cut the old pedal box off and built a new box two inches higher. The pedal pivot went from below the steering column to above.

I also use any changes to improve at the same time so I now also have a balance bar, twin master cylinder setup. Much better feel and control over the braking feel plus its easily remotely adjustable.

[img][/img]


Nitrogeno25 - 9/3/06 at 10:22 AM

quote:
Originally posted by bimbleuk
I was using an Escort master cylinder and Sierra calipers all round. Had plenty of brake pressure but the feel was quite wooden.

As I have big feet and an issue with the standard Striker pedals which are a top pivot design. I went back to RAW and came up with a simple solution for the Striker chassis. Basically they cut the old pedal box off and built a new box two inches higher. The pedal pivot went from below the steering column to above.

I also use any changes to improve at the same time so I now also have a balance bar, twin master cylinder setup. Much better feel and control over the braking feel plus its easily remotely adjustable.

Balance bar brakes 2
Balance bar brakes 2



Thank you very much for your replies.

Bimbleuk, what pedal ratio are you using and how much travel in the pedal?

Thanks again


bimbleuk - 13/3/06 at 09:22 AM

Here's my brake setup details.

Pedal ratio 4:1
Front master cylinder - Wilwood 5/8" bore
Rear master cylinder - Wilwood 3/4" bore

Pedal travel feels about 2-3 inches max


Nitrogeno25 - 13/3/06 at 01:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by bimbleuk
Here's my brake setup details.

Pedal ratio 4:1
Front master cylinder - Wilwood 5/8" bore
Rear master cylinder - Wilwood 3/4" bore

Pedal travel feels about 2-3 inches max


Excelent info, Thank you very much!