Creating a firmer brake pedal

[TurboDan]

Because i'm doing the track car and now have allot of room in the engine bay i was wondering how i can make a nice firm brake pedal. If any of you have drove a newish VW you will know how good the brakes always are on them, literally rest on the pedal and your stopped! I want that in the cav.

So what shall i change? I have room for a larger master cylinder and servo and so i'm thinking vectra C or BMW or Something VW related. Any ideas?

[btcctroy]

I find the brakes in modern vehicles way to keen. Doesn't mean there better just require less effort.
Probably just me lol

[TurboDan]

I reckon there loads better than older cars.

[btcctroy]

Effort wise yes, brakes will still overheat the same. I think it's a very personal thing tbh, I like the pedal as it is in my cav

[Cavalier342]

I know it's for safety reasons but I can't stand sensitive brakes. Why throw your face into the windscreen every time you brake?

I like my pedal nice and soft so you can precisely control the amount of braking pressure, not tap and all anchors are dropped...... Also it's more comfortable to have a softer response.


Regarding your question, can you not take the master cylinder from something else and make it fit? I'm sure it can be done.

[gsi pie]

I love stamping on mine and waiting for it to stop!!

its like making an appointment then having it cancelled

[Cavalier342]

I love stamping on mine and waiting for it to stop!!

its like making an appointment then having it cancelled

Ye a bit like with an auto down a steep hill.... Well I did try to brake but I might as well give up and go home now

[btcctroy]

Like pie says you have to stamp on them. Brakes these days are way to sensitive and really no good for drivers who panic

[planetc]

If you want low effort then fit the biggest servo you can find, the master cylinder requires more care to keep the brakes balanced though.

[Cabletwitch]

I've been wondering the same thing, and it struck me... can any greater vacuum be applied to the servo, beyond what the usual pump can apply? Could be wroth sourcing a bolt on vac pump to increase the power with which the servo can operate.

The pipe on mine looks slightly collapsed in one place though, so I'm pondering replacing most of the flex line with a solid tube, and leaving a little before the servo to give in case the vacuum gets a bit much. Or something. Just an idea, was all.

[Robsey]

I have seen on some forums, where people have put a bigger servo on, so less effort to reach the same line pressure...
But then to reduce the effect of smacking your face on the screen, they have put bigger calipers on.

For an example - on the T3 /T25 transporter forums,
They suggest replacing the 9" diameter VW servo with a 10" diameter BMW servo.

Then fit bigger Audi B6 (?) calipers.

You tend to find that no matter what car you have, you will always get used to whatever level of braking effect your car has.

So at first, you may find you get friendly with the windscreen, but within a few hours, you will forget what all the fuss was about.

In the eighties, jap cars had notoriously keen brakes compared to early fords and austin / rovers.
(We all remember how poor Cortina Mk4 / 5 brakes were).

[planetc]

I think if you create too much vacuum there is a possibility that you will be pulling the brakes on with it, assuming the servo isn't valved to dump the excess anyway. You would have to increase it quite a lot to make the same difference as an extra inch of diameter too.

[Rage]

Ive been wanting to increase the brake efficiency of my cavs brakes as they only hit about 60% on the mot so I'm thinking a bigger servo and getting some grooved discs on the front and new pads as they are getting worn now anyway then braided flexi's and a complete rebleed. hopefully that'll sort the efficiency

[James McGrath]

If you want low effort then fit the biggest servo you can find, the master cylinder requires more care to keep the brakes balanced though.

+1

Think about upgrading/replacing all the brake lines (if you haven't already done so) just to make sure it can cope with the extra pressure.

[planetc]

Looking back at the OP, the question was how to create a firmer pedal. That would be down to choice of pads, good quality flexis and then steps to increase fluid movement, so larger master in relation to calipers, all a servo swap will do is reduce effort.