Brake pipe routing with manual bias valve

[Lolben91]

So i have bought a manual bias valve, single inlet/outlet type

My car is non ABS, so the pipes T off at the bottom of the engine bay behind the gearbox

My problem and question is that, rather than one T going to the front brakes and one T going to the rear brakes, one T does the left side of the car and the other T does the right side of the car, so if i stick my bias valve in line it will affect either the left brakes or right brakes

Am i alright to go ahead and reroute the pipes so that one port of the MC does the front brakes and the other for the rear? so i can stick my bias valve inline to affect the rear brake force?

Currently does have a rear load compensator drum axle but it will be replaced with a disk axle without a load compensator

Thanks

[zx_volcane]

I wouldn't personally separate your brake circuits to be front and rear.

if one circuit fails you could loose both front brakes and have to rely just on the rears in an emergency situation.

I'd keep it as it is, even if it means having to fit two comps to the rear.

Any reason for fitting a manual adjuster?

[Lolben91]

Thats a good point, i didnt consider that

Reason, so the load compensator can be removed, has been pointed out to me that if you lower a car with that type of system there needs to be a modification to the spring/arm that connects the compensator to the trailing arm as the car is now lower without extra weight
I just ran without a spring for a while and the valve seized up anyway

Should the rears lock up without the compensator the valve being there would help, since im looking at replacing all the brake lines anyway

[zx_volcane]

have you seen this thread?

http://306oc.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=28326

[Lolben91]

I hadnt no

Those regulator valves look a good idea, they are the type of thing the ZXs run then im assuming?

Thanks

[bashbarnard]

Good luck finding zx ones. I've been looking for months. Best buy aftermarket.

[stampy_54]

as said previous, not a good idea to change circuits to front and rear as can be dangerous if one circuit fails. the original circuits would be nsf & osr and osf & nsr - this means if one circuit fails you will still have some form of braking on both sides of the car and at both ends of the car. as for the load compensator valves all it will do when lowered is increase the pressure slightly to give the rear brakes slightly more force on the disc/drum. usually these can be adjusted on the arm of the compensator valve.

[Poodle]

Was just about to post as above, having one side fail would be even worse than one end.

[Paul_13]

I think if your brakes fail regardless you're screwed, if one side goes the pedal would go to the floor? No?
If there is fluid escaping and you're braking, you're pushing the fluid out like you're bleeding them. The system is unsealed and there's no pressure to be exerted against the piston calipers

I've had 1 caliper hose split (on a diagonally split system) and the pedal went straight to the floor.
I honestly think it's a load of garbage. If you're losing fluid the pedal WILL go to the floor no matter what.


On my 205 I ran the front brakes separate (using a port each on the MC) and for the rear I ran one line to the bias valve then tee'd off after to each rear wheels. I used a blanking plug for the last port (being a 4 port master cylinder) System worked very well, no issues. I ran that for over 3 years.

No it wasn't dangerous and please don't start slagging off if you haven't actually had personal experience of this.

[Toms306]

The MC is in 2 different sections inside, each sealed with an O ring, you shouldn't lose all braking when one hose splits, that's the whole point of it.

[Paul_13]

I know in theory it's meant to work, but in reality I've proved it wrong

[Toms306]

Maybe you just had a dodgy old master cylinder...?

I've seen it work on a model at college with everything brand new and prestine, it's something I hope I never test in real life though!

[RetroPug]

I wouldn't personally separate your brake circuits to be front and rear.

if one circuit fails you could loose both front brakes and have to rely just on the rears in an emergency situation.

I'd keep it as it is, even if it means having to fit two comps to the rear.

Any reason for fitting a manual adjuster?

If you brake forcefully with just the rear brakes it's not just that you'll be relying on tiny brakes to stop, you'll spin the car.

[Poodle]

Yeaaahh.... tbh Paul that shouldn't work like that, yes the pedal will go to the floor, but the system should still exert some braking effort, that's kind of the whole point. Not dangerous in your opinion, other people are entitled to theirs.

[welshpug]

1.6 gti 205's are all front/rear split with single line, as will be ALL rally cars without abs, and race cars.

[adam b]

That what my car uses. If your brakes fail then you still have the handbrake and gears to slow down. And the car also brakes pretty badly just using the front brakes - its not stable at all. I'm deffo using a lot more rear brake with the bias valve than as standard and it makes a big difference to the initial bite on the brakes.

You'd be amazed how much speed you can scrub by throwing it sideways before turning in as i've had to do when my pads melted on the way into to Quarry once. Scary, scary..