Running without brake servo?

Hi chaps, I have just seen the oddest setup, and wanted to know if anybody else had seen this?

Brake master cylinder moved over to the driver side, servo removed and brake pedal acting directly onto master cylinder……

Is the driver going to run into a limping monster with the right leg twice the size of his left?

Thoughts please….

Well, cars used to run with out servo's years ago, my mate has just bought an 82 mini that hasn't got a servo. I wouldn't advise it tho, I think you would want all the help you could get with regards to braking!

Would be interesting explaining to your insurance company how that modification is "better". I suspect they'll take you to the cleaners on an increased premium.

Race cars often run with no servo, to give a better pedal feel, but at the expense of a heavier pedal action.

Paul - good point regarding the insurance …. mmm beware the men with laptops!

Any idea how heavy the braking action would be? I was used to drive an aircooled porsche and got used to the clutch on that….

Some golfs had this setup but I am not aware of it on UK cars,  i expect it's a LHD conversion.  Can't really see a problem with it thou if it's been done right.

poverty spec early mk1 were like this

I am not sure if that is reassuring or the opposite!  

Years ago workmate had a 1300 5 door V-reg that didn't have a servo. Think all S2 had servo with noddy crossover linkage thingy?

Yeah, trouble is on the 'go' front is a KR 16V on twin carbs … so that is why I am thinking long and hard about the 'stop' bit of the equation….i think a bit of testing is in order somewhere with plenty of runoff space……      

Its safe enough, it just means you need to give more pedal effort. I imagine the car will become somewhat tiring to drive.

If you contact your insurance company and they want an engineer's report on it, I'll happily write one out for you!

Thanks for the offer Paul. Much appreciated. I myself am a engineer as well, unfortunately book smart rather than street smart comes to mind. so I think somebody with more experience in these matters would be more useful.

We but live and learn! I will keep you in mind.

i am glad i found this.... as i aswell am going for KR 1.8 on ZX9 carbs got all the stuff now but mine is an 1980 golf N and it only has a master cylinder on the drivers side. I wanted to leave it as it was and just tidy it up and renew the pipes. Is this not a good idea???

i am glad i found this.... as i aswell am going for KR 1.8 on ZX9 carbs got all the stuff now but mine is an 1980 golf N and it only has a master cylinder on the drivers side. I wanted to leave it as it was and just tidy it up and renew the pipes. Is this not a good idea???

as paul says it'll be more pedal effort without the servo, for a comparison drive something like a mk2 golf with the servo, then park it up and pump the pedal to remove any left over vacuum in the servo. then let the car roll forward, and just see how hard you have to stamp to make it stop

Use a remote servo or even better a pair then you can put these under the dash or in the boot - many early English cars used these

Stupidstu said

i am glad i found this…. as i aswell am going for KR 1.8 on ZX9 carbs got all the stuff now but mine is an 1980 golf N and it only has a master cylinder on the drivers side. I wanted to leave it as it was and just tidy it up and renew the pipes. Is this not a good idea???

how did you get on with this mate??

still looking at this or remote servo/pedal box arrangement….

Unfortunately everythings been delayed slightly....Plans have changed slightly and am gonna strip and rebuild the 895cc that was in it so am sticking with the master cylinder only route as stopping wont be the issue just getting it going!!!

don't know about golfs but in my RS2000 i have a bias peddle box and no servo, brakes are so much better got lots more feel.

There is alot less peddle travel and you do have to push the peddle harder and you can adjust the bias better the front and back and i much prefer it to the old servo and the engine bay looks a hole lot better and it gives me more room the a bigger manifold