Losing brakes

[Wareagle]

Had a similar problem a couple of weeks ago but without alot of heavy braking. It has been years since brake fluid was changed and I will do so over the weekend. Was in the 100 degree range here in Alabama at the time. Had the mushy first pump in the clutch and then the brakes. Wrapped the lines in a wet towel ( not a good perminent fix but a get by)and did not experience it again.

Back when we used to get on the track for hot laps, I would pull the pads off after returning home and run them over with a Dual Action Sander and about 120 grit to brake the glaze. Probably not a good long term approach either but kept down the squeal due to slicked over pads. Allen knows alot more about brakes than most of us. My brake bias was never right until he adjusted it.

As for the little E brake valve, I had mine to freeze up on me once and don't use it any more. Probably if we drove the car alot and used the valve alot would not be a problem.

[scott h]

the line lock could be the problem. mine would build up pressure with each use of the pedal until it practically would stop the car, had to crack open the rear brake line and let it leak fluid just to get home. i got rid of it you really do not need an e-brake if you park properly, you can also get a tradtional cable e-brake like me and lots of others have done. would bet money the line lock is to blame.

[dirtydog427]

I am Paul Kaiser from Dallas.. I bought the Jim Dean car back in 96.. The oil pressure started dropping between shifts around 1999; so I let it sit up (how stupid was that !) and the rats got it and just lately have gotten in back together..Dean lived in Parker Co or at least his bank was there or Litttleton Co. It was a Delux Pallet car with upgrade frount end..U all shipped to Co. Dean had it built up in Evergreen by Walt Haynes who used to race Mustangs and was the SCCA champ one year back in the Shelby days.. I just bought a radiator and turn signal and stuff from U guys last month..

So thanks for all the help Unique owners..I had really forgot about that line lock as a problen till Wed ..I will let U all know as I discover what's going on..How do U operate that line lock. Pull up to engage.. I think Allan told me but I forgot..

[arrowdriver]

My line lock on the rear system also started acting like a check valve in that it kept the rear brakes on. I noticed this by the smell of hot brakes, naturally when I was out in the country but by cracking the line connection was able to get back home ok. Then pulled the line lock apart and found that the rubber seal in it had come apart so part of it was plugging the outlet. Removed the rubber stuff and put it back in to make the line connection. Natually it doesn't work as a parking brake but I never used it like that anyhow.

My car was built in 89 and three years ago when I bought it I went through stuff that I figured might have suffered from age including getting overhaul kits for all the Gerling master cylinders including the clutch. The old rubbers were not in good shape. If yours are as old as mine were you really don't want to depend on them without overhauling. My brakes work fine now though I have a heavier foot than some.

By the way, how did any of you add the mechanical hand brake?

[dirtydog427]

Thanks arrowdriver , that's interesting about the rubber deteriation.. I thought when I first got the car back to texas in 96 and looked the fluid and saw all the junk that collects around the caps and inside the caps, "How could this M/C look so crappy and it wass only 2 years old at the time I think .. they told me or claimed it only had 400-500 miles on the car.. It was like there was some corrosion going on between the gasket and the cap?? RUST colored crud..I was wondering what kind of metal do they make in England? Hah-- I guess I can get that stuff from Girling?

I TOO WOULD LOVE TO FIND OUT ABOUT A CABLE SYSTEM EMER/BRAKE (with one of the pretty chrome handles like the old cobras had) AS I THINK I NEED ONE IN TEX TO GET A SAFETY INSP STICKER..AND HORN..WHAT KIND OF HORN DID U GUYS INSTALL? The corvettes have a small brake shoe that expands against the inside oof the rotor..but that would not work here..
ON MY CAR THE FROUNT BRAKE LINE IS on the right side and rear brake on the left side of the pedal...and I know these line need to be heat shielded up frount by the headers..The whole area under the hood is intensely hot.. I need a turkey pan or something to let the engine breathe some outside air.. After mine gets hot it loses about 25-40 HP..U can feel it.. This is a stock sideoiler with the standard cam. and about 10-1 compression.400HP .the oil temp has never exceded 175 or so and same with the H20 after the new al radiator..except when idleing..but it's still making the paint wavy on top the fenders above the headers on both sides..It's way too hot under that hood..

[arrowdriver]

I got my overhaul kits from a local supplier of British collector car parts. The sizes of each cylinder are cast into the outside. American designed master cylinders have a very simple design with just a piston running past a hole in the side of the cylinder but I guess this is too easy for the Brits so they designed a much more complicated piston design that eliminated the side port of the bore. It works fine but no better than the simpler one. These bodies are aluminum so are likely to be vulnerable to corrosion if you are near the coast etc. In my case they were like new.

The balance bar system of proportioning front to back works fine too and is easy to adjust though not while you are driving. All you do is turn the threaded shaft which moves the pivot ball from side to side. How you push on the pedal has nothing to do with the proportion of front to rear braking, this is all dependent on where the pivot is in the tube in the pedal.

[spd4me]

Arrowdriver - try using the search tab to look up emergency brakes. Someone posted a bunch of pics of how they did theres. I got all my parts from Unique but haven't installed. If you've never seen them, Theres 2 pads that hook to the top of rotors connected with a cable that goes to the handle.