Era brakes Upgrade

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

PM me with an email or cell number and I'll send a pic of my reservoirs.

PM sent.
It would be nice if you posted then so we could all see them

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Did Bob indicate if it requires a change in the master cylinder?

Also, I would not be too worried about the single reservoir. Even if a leak develops in the rear system and drains all the fluid out of the reservoir, as long as the front system is tight it will remain in operation. Only if you develop a leak in both master cylinder/line/caliper systems would you lose all brakes. And even then, multiple reservoirs may not help.

A single reservoir is different than a single master cylinder. I have a 66 Corvette with a single piston/circuit master cylinder. With it, a line failure anywhere will leave me totally without brakes (except emergency)

I have not talked to Bob yet, I am hoping to call tomorrow morning.

I think I'm stupid, not really getting what you are saying here Dan. If I develop a leak in the rear brakes and it drains the reservoir I will be sucking air into the front brakes instead of brake fluid? I also will not have a clutch right?
Your corvette master cyl sounds the same as my 55 Chevy and my 60 Corvette.

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by DanEC

I agree with Doug that the Girling cans are a bit of a pain and fragile but installing Dorman seals in the lids has taken care of all issues of leaks for me. I keep the cans just over half full and with the lid seals I don't have any leaks. When I remove the lids I usually find the lid seals are slightly distended indicating a good seal. The connections at the bottom of the cans have been a bigger issue. I re-sealed all of my cans with some good sealer in addition to the provided gasket washers.

Edit - to give credit where credit is due:

Patrick came up with the girling can lid gaskets.

ERAChase suggested using two hose clamps at each rubber line connection to the steel brake lines - with the scew tensioners spaced 180 deg apart - to prevent leaks.

Can you post some pics?

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

-- SSBC Brake calipers, these are similar if not the ones I used. Summit has a pretty liberal return policy, so if you bolt them on and there is wheel interference I'm confident you'd be able to return them.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/b...oview=SKU&ar=1

-- A Summit Racing version of the braided stainless steel lines. I think all I did was check the manufacturer's length against what was on my ERA, and then reviewed the fittings to make sure I could connect both ends.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...t/model/camaro

-- These are the Wilwood reservoirs I use. I purchased three of these and mounted them in direct replacement of the Girling tin cans. They are roughly the same size as the "useful" volume of the Girling cans. I added braided lines down to my steel lines which required new fittings, but I don't have any leaks or issues. (I also am not a big fan of the rubber lines that went from the reservoir to the steel lines, but braided lines here are certainly overkill/overengineering on my part.)

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/wi...2697/overview/

Thanks for links.
Are those the exact braided lines you used?
Any pics of these cans mounted in you car? The description talks about plastic reservoir...weird!

[DanEC]

Dave - it will be a couple days before I have access to my pictures
, but I will do so. Patrick may be able to post the info on the can lid seals.

On the reservoir - the brakes and the clutch cylinders normally only pull fluid from the reservoir to compensate for lining and clutch wear - a slow process. You have separate master cylinders for front and rear brakes and the clutch. If you blow the seal completely out of the clutch master and lose all the brake fluid in the reservoir - your brake systems are still full of fluid and tight and will operate fine. There will even be some fluid left in the lines to the brake masters from the reservoir since there are three lines. You should have brakes until the linings wear some more or a seal leak in the brakes develops.

[Dangerous Doug]

I'll send a pic via PM. Posting a pic on cc using my iPhone isn't easily noodled out.

The plastic reservoir is for the 10 oz reservoir. The link I sent is for the smaller reservoir which is billet aluminum. It is a bit confusing, but ordering that part I did get real billet aluminum reservoirs.

I didn't actually order those particular lines. I think mine are Russell Performance lines. Just posted that as an example of the kit. You'll have to look at what you're replacing and then match it.

Cheers,
Doug

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Dave - it will be a couple days before I have access to my pictures
, but I will do so. Patrick may be able to post the info on the can lid seals.

On the reservoir - the brakes and the clutch cylinders normally only pull fluid from the reservoir to compensate for lining and clutch wear - a slow process. You have separate master cylinders for front and rear brakes and the clutch. If you blow the seal completely out of the clutch master and lose all the brake fluid in the reservoir - your brake systems are still full of fluid and tight and will operate fine. There will even be some fluid left in the lines to the brake masters from the reservoir since there are three lines. You should have brakes until the linings wear some more or a seal leak in the brakes develops.

Dan,
My thoughts: I understand about the 3 masters perfectly.
1) Clutch: Since the draw from for the clutch is the highest(middle of the reservoir) You could blow out the clutch master and still have brakes because you still would have half of the reservoir full of fluid. It has nothing to do with the brake masters being sealed at all.
Also, if you blew out the brakes, front or rear, you will drain the res instantly, leaving you with no clutch and stranded
2)Brakes: If you were to ...uh oh, the light bulb just went off! I was thinking of it like bleeding the brakes! So if you did leak from the rear and lost all your fluid in the res, you would still have front brakes because the line is going to a different master. The front would only call for fluid from the res to compensate for lining wear or a leak, and because the front brakes are not leaking, there is no call for fluid from the res. In theory, it sounds good...sill scary!
Still no clutch...LOL
Thanks...Dave
EDIT the next morning: Perhaps the clutch master works the same way as what you said about the brake master cyls. So even if I lost all my fluid thru a leak in the brake line. I would still have a clutch even though there is no fluid in the reservoir?

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

I'll send a pic via PM. Posting a pic on cc using my iPhone isn't easily noodled out.

The plastic reservoir is for the 10 oz reservoir. The link I sent is for the smaller reservoir which is billet aluminum. It is a bit confusing, but ordering that part I did get real billet aluminum reservoirs.

I didn't actually order those particular lines. I think mine are Russell Performance lines. Just posted that as an example of the kit. You'll have to look at what you're replacing and then match it.

Cheers,
Doug

Got it...thanks

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Patrick may be able to post the info on the can lid seals.

Of course Patrick can post pics of his cans. Think of it as a can-can.

Here are the Dorman rubber seals that fit under the lids:



... and here is my thread on the only stuff I've found that really seals against brake fluid.

Brake Fluid Resistant Sealant for Girling Reservoirs

[davids2toys]

I just ordered a 2 oz tube of "Seal-All" on Amazon for 4.00+, just to have imn my toolbox as you suggested in the thread.
Thanks for passing that along

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

I'll send a pic via PM. Posting a pic on cc using my iPhone isn't easily noodled out.

The plastic reservoir is for the 10 oz reservoir. The link I sent is for the smaller reservoir which is billet aluminum. It is a bit confusing, but ordering that part I did get real billet aluminum reservoirs.

I didn't actually order those particular lines. I think mine are Russell Performance lines. Just posted that as an example of the kit. You'll have to look at what you're replacing and then match it.

Cheers,
Doug

Doug sent me these and I am posting them for him

[patrickt]

Dang, that's pretty fancy. Makes my Girlings look like they came off a Model T... which they pretty much did, I guess.

[marionp01]

Did some of you installed the wilwood D52 calipers Bolt on system
This solution seems to be the easiest way to upgrade the GM calipers
Nô modification for installation
The performance are as expected ?

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by marionp01

Did some of you installed the wilwood D52 calipers Bolt on system
This solution seems to be the easiest way to upgrade the GM calipers
Nô modification for installation
The performance are as expected ?

Pretty good price for the colors, 100.00 cheaper than the SSBC colors. I wonder why they do not list them for a 1975 Chevy Camaro on Summit?

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Dang, that's pretty fancy. Makes my Girlings look like they came off a Model T... which they pretty much did, I guess.

Patrick, is there a pic somwhere of those girlings in you car?

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

Pretty good price for the colors, 100.00 cheaper than the SSBC colors. I wonder why they do not list them for a 1975 Chevy Camaro on Summit?

Everyone refers to these brakes as Camaro brakes but I think these are actually generic GM Calipers used on most medium and larger GM cars trough the 70s and into the 80s. Does anyone know if this is correct?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

Patrick, is there a pic somwhere of those girlings in you car?

Here you go. They're the traditional cans, with little hand cut gaskets at the top to absorb the occasional splash drop that gets out from under those Dorman gaskets I show above. They do not leak and, after almost 10 years, they have a lovely patina.

[davids2toys]

Patrick, they look awesome. I love that look!
Do you have a shot a little farther away so we can see it in perspective to the entire engine compartment?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

Patrick, they look awesome. I love that look!
Do you have a shot a little farther away so we can see it in perspective to the entire engine compartment?

[Hotfingrs]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Everyone refers to these brakes as Camaro brakes but I think these are actually generic GM Calipers used on most medium and larger GM cars trough the 70s and into the 80s. Does anyone know if this is correct?

That's pretty much a correct statement. GM made the D52 and D54 calipers. The D54 are metric calipers and the distance between bolt holes is about 5 1/2 inches, while the distance between bolt holes on the D52 is about 7 inches. Easiest way I know to tell the difference.