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Brake Master Cylinders
PeterW - 25/10/06 at 02:43 PM

Question...

Does a brake master cylinder need to me horizontal..?

reason for asking...

Thinking about redesigning a pedal box so that the pedals are cranked at 90 degrees, and the master cylinder would end up near vertical...

Is this a problem..? And any reason why not to do it...? It allows for some interesting redesign, and also allows different forces to be applied to the pistons etc.

Let me know what I'm missing...

Cheers

Peter

zetec7 - 25/10/06 at 02:59 PM

Other than the fact that bleeding the system could be a bit of a bear (any high spots will trap air), and needing a remote fluid reservoir, it should work. For bleeding, I'd suggest doing it with the master cylinder horizontal, then tilting it when there's no air left in the system. Otherwise, you'll never get all the air out!!

mistergrumpy - 25/10/06 at 03:00 PM

I can't see why not. Would you be removing and relocating the reservoir? As long as you had a 'head' of brake fluid which would ensure it filled into the actual master cylinder itself then in theory it sounds fine to me. Only thing to watch for would be how liqid tight the filling cap would be.

PeterW - 25/10/06 at 03:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mistergrumpy
I can't see why not. Would you be removing and relocating the reservoir? As long as you had a 'head' of brake fluid which would ensure it filled into the actual master cylinder itself then in theory it sounds fine to me. Only thing to watch for would be how liqid tight the filling cap would be.


I'd use remote reservoir, something like a landrover one, and make sure it was higher than the cylinder.

Second question... Does the master cylinder reservoir need a float switch for the SVA, or can you use an inline pressure switch..?

Cheers

Peter

lsdweb - 25/10/06 at 04:20 PM

You could use a Mini master cylinder. Designed to operate vertically! Not sure about being able to satisfy SVA though.

PeterW - 25/10/06 at 06:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by lsdweb
You could use a Mini master cylinder. Designed to operate vertically! Not sure about being able to satisfy SVA though.


Why not...??

Which bit of the SVA covers brake fluid levels...??

Cheers

Peter

lsdweb - 25/10/06 at 06:08 PM

The bit on brake fluid level warning lights?

PeterW - 25/10/06 at 06:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by lsdweb
The bit on brake fluid level warning lights?



Yes... I meant which bit about vertical cylinders....

pdw

Danozeman - 25/10/06 at 07:23 PM

quote:

Does the master cylinder reservoir need a float switch for the SVA, or can you use an inline pressure switch..?


Yep needs a float switch for the dash warning light. You can use an inline switch for the brake lights.

lsdweb - 25/10/06 at 07:58 PM

PeterW

What I meant was that I don't believe you'd get a brake fluid warning switch on an early master cylinder. They must be on the later ones but they may be a bit too big to fit.

Regards

Wyn

DIY Si - 25/10/06 at 08:03 PM

The fluid level is in the cap. Which fits the vertical cylinder he's after. Or, it does in my mini. It's also split front and rear from the cylinder so can save some with the front/rear spilt.

lsdweb - 25/10/06 at 08:16 PM

DIY Si

That's good news - I was thinking of the early single master cylinder with the small cap, like th is



I guess you've got one of th ese

That would make things even better - split system - if it fits!

Wyn

pondskater292 - 25/10/06 at 08:54 PM

vauxhall use that 2