removing brake booster ?
Author
Discussion

jackal

Original Poster:

11,250 posts

299 months

Monday 29th December 2008
quotequote all
this is presumably just a mechanical affair ? so can i just unbolt the master cylinder then remove it ? (and hope there is aneough clearance that I don't have to undo any brake lines)

GreenV8S

30,956 posts

301 months

Tuesday 30th December 2008
quotequote all
Without knowing the vehicle it's hard to say, but if you look at the thing you should see what's involved.

anonymous-user

71 months

Friday 2nd January 2009
quotequote all
WATCH OUT!!

in the new computerised MOT system there is a check for the "presence and security" of the brake booster if the car was originally fitted with one. remove it, and your car will fail....


My local MOT place failed my rally car due to this, even though the car originaly had 180mm non vented front discs and rear drums, and now has £10k's worth of AP stoppers (380mm 6 pot fronts, 330mm 4pot rears + AP floor hinged pedal box).


Fortunately i argued with the tester and a quick road test demonstrated that there was not a lot wrong with the new brake system, even without the servo.........

(in fact, due to the 10" wide hot slicks + AP's finest, he is now slightly blind as his eyeballs popped outta his head when i hit the middle pedal at 60mph!!! lol)

m_a_x

3 posts

203 months

Monday 2nd February 2009
quotequote all
I'm slightly confused, why would you remove the servo, doesn't the servo aid braking?

Max

Snake the Sniper

2,544 posts

218 months

Monday 2nd February 2009
quotequote all
m_a_x said:
I'm slightly confused, why would you remove the servo, doesn't the servo aid braking?

Max
It does, but in some applications it's not needed, such as light weight vehicles. I removed the one in my mini and much preferred the brake pedal feel.

m_a_x

3 posts

203 months

Monday 2nd February 2009
quotequote all
I'm slightly confused, why would you remove the servo, doesn't the servo aid braking?

Max

Sam_68

9,939 posts

262 months

Monday 2nd February 2009
quotequote all
It reduces pedal pressure. It doesn't actually increase the effectiveness of the brakes, only the amount of effort needed from the driver.

Many modern cars are dramatically over-servoed, so that they don't tire out little old ladies in stop-start city traffic, and to fool those who equate light brakes with effective ones into thinking that the car ghas superior braking power.

As Snake says, if the car doesn't weigh much, you don't need a servo and, indeed, if one is fitted the brakes can be over-sensitive.

Also, the 'harder' pedal that you get on non-servo brakes can make it easier to modulate the braking and to heel-and-toe smoothly, if you want to drive really fast.

m_a_x

3 posts

203 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
Ah right I get you,

Cheers guys

Avocet

800 posts

272 months

Wednesday 4th February 2009
quotequote all
Couldn't you just block off the vacuum hose to the servo? That would have the same effect and be easy to replace for the MOT each year.