Amici... Its a rainy Sunday here in north Florida so it seems like a good
time to ask for advice from experienced racers.
I currently have a dual brake setup in my TR4 which consists of a pair of
Girling TR4 Master Cylinders mated to a TR6 pedal box and pedals. The MCs
are bolted on the front of the firewall approximately where a stock TR6 MC
would have bolted up, with the pushrods going through the firewall to tabs
welded onto the brake pedal shaft. The pushrods attach directly to these
tabs and the only adjustment is by lengthing or shortening the pushrods or
by changing one or the other MCs to a different bore diameter.
This arrangement works, but I did not make provisions for a balance bar on
it and I'm now convinced I should have one. I'm faced with two options as
I see it and would like some opinions as to whether there's a good reason
to go one way or the other.
1) I can remove and rebuild the current system using a Tilton or other
balance bar assembly welded directly onto the TR6 brake pedal (remember,
the MCs bolt to the firewall down where a TR6 MC would be, with the
pushrods going through the firewall). I would have to buy a balance bar
and figure out how to fit it to the pedal. I could also buy an entire
Tilton pedal set, but then I'd have to redesign the whole system.
2) Or, I can remove the dual MCs and replace them with a stock TR6 dual MC.
It looks as if this might only require some minor drilling and plumbing
and the MC pushrod could attach directly to the original connect point on
the TR6 brake pedal that's already in the car. I have a new TR6 MC on the
shelf, so there should be no additional $$ involved. I'm assuming its not
necessary to use a booster with the MC.
My real question is, hassle and cost aside, is there any significant
difference, for vintage racing purposes, between 1) a split MC/balance bar
setup with adjustable brake balancing capability and 2) a stock TR6 MC? I
know that many of the vintage TR4s are using the TR6 MC and they seem to
stop OK, which would indicate that the balance of the stock MC is OK for
racing. But if the hassle and cost is about equal, is there an advantage
to keeping the separate MCs and adding the balance bar that would make a
difference to the average racer or should I just do whichever turns out to
be easier? Have I overlooked another option?
Thanks..
Don
TR4A #11
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