MGB: remove servo?

[Church of Noise]

On the V8 register website, a warning is made that brake servos in MGB GT V8s (and I assume in other MGBs) fail every now and then.

While a number of safety measures is suggested, I was wondering whether I just couldn't take away the servo?
My '65 MGB doesn't have a brake servo, so I know that braking takes some more effort but obviously, the servo doesn't change the braking capacity of the car itself.

yay or nay?

[v8250]

Alex, if it ain't broke, don't fix it...unless your servo has had no maintenance since new. Sometimes the v8register threads are somewhat Mumsnet. If you're worried about the servo buy a new one or get yours rebuilt/buy a rebuild kit. Job done

[nta16]

you'd get more feel from not having a servo but will be pushing a bit harder but not excessively

I've read that some modern made servos are of a poor quality so always keep to original if you can

I can't remember whether the quality of some refurb kits is poor but it wouldn't surprise me

I've voted to remove it, one thing less to go wrong and worry about

BUT

if it's an original and is working well I'd leave it on until it plays up

Edited by nta16 on Friday 5th December 18:28

[Church of Noise]

Thanks for putting things in perspective gentlemen.

I'll keep the servo in and will consider refurb/removal if issues occur.

(I agree on the Mumsnet-like nature of some of the threads on the register )

[Expatloon]

I've owned and driven many MGB's, both servo'd and not, and the one thing I can says is that no two braked the same and in fact the best braking one I ever had was a non servo'd 70.

A servo doesn't make the brakes any more effective, just reduces the pedal effort required to achieve braking.

[williredale]

Mine failed. Luckily it was just backing the car out of the garage but it's on a steep slope so I had to be quick with the handbrake and it was a bit of a moment!

I replaced mine for what it's worth.

[Mr2Mike]

nta16 said:

you'd get more feel from not having a servo but be pushing hard

Running without a servo can mean you have have to push so hard that you don't get any feel at all.

Not sure about the MGB, but most non-servo'd cars used a smaller master diameter cylinder than the servo'd variants in order to reduce pedal effort.

[nta16]

Mr2Mike said:

Running without a servo can mean you have to push so hard that you don't get any feel at all.

I’m not sure that’ll be the case with an MGB but don’t know for certain as I’ve never driven a servo’d car which had the servo removed – but I have done a brake test using my servo’d car and a mate's non-servo car one after the other on the same bit of road using the same braking point and both cars stopped at more or less the same place (allowing for different tyres etc.) with the non-servo car needing a bit more push on the pedal but not excessively

have look here for more servo details – http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/braketext.htm#servo

being quoted made me realised once again I’d worded my post badly so I’ve edited it to –

nta16 said:

you'd get more feel from not having a servo but will be pushing a bit harder but not excessively

[Mr2Mike]

nta16 said:

Mr2Mike said:

Running without a servo can mean you have to push so hard that you don't get any feel at all.

I’m not sure that’ll be the case with an MGB but don’t know for certain as I’ve never driven a servo’d car which had the servo removed – but I have done a brake test using my servo’d car and a mate's non-servo car one after the other on the same bit of road using the same braking point and both cars stopped at more or less the same place (allowing for different tyres etc.) with the non-servo car needing a bit more push on the pedal but not excessively

Exactly as it should be, a servo gives you no more braking effort. My first mini had Cooper S discs but the wrong master cylinder (or possibly a servo MC without the servo) and you had to push very hard indeed to get anywhere near locking the wheels, which made careful modulation of the braking effort almost impossible.

[nta16]

tyre selection and the tyres age and condition can make a big difference to braking performance and how much you need to push the pedal - many classic car owners run on old tyres that have plenty of tread left but that have gone hard with age and lack of use so the braking, steering, road holding and ride comfort and noise are compromised by these old tyres despite the amount of tread left on them

[Expatloon]

[quote=williredale]Mine failed. Luckily it was just backing the car out of the garage but it's on a steep slope so I had to be quick with the handbrake and it was a bit of a moment![quote]I can think of no way in which a servo failure could or would result in the complete loss of the brakes !

[williredale]

Expatloon said:

williredale]Mine failed. Luckily it was just backing the car out of the garage but it's on a steep slope so I had to be quick with the handbrake and it was a bit of a moment![quote said:

I can think of no way in which a servo failure could or would result in the complete loss of the brakes !

There's a seal on the diaphragm and if it leaks brake fluid is sucked through and burnt in the engine. There was no brake fluid left in the car when I drove it back in to the garage and therefore no brakes (apart from the handbrake of course).