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R. B. Bailey (Rover50987)
Senior Member
Username: Rover50987

Post Number: 369
Registered: 07-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 05:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Do any of you have disc brakes on your Series? Other than some major overhaul, replacement or upgrade to the engine or transmission, that is the last thing I would want to do to my IIa.

How much did you pay? Is it possible to use RR, Disco, or Defender set of brakes? What about putting and entire new front diff and axle (you would probably have to do the rear too to keep the gear ratios matched.)
 

Paul Grant (Paulgrant)
Member
Username: Paulgrant

Post Number: 176
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 05:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

R.B.
TI Console offers a kit for front disc brakes but I think the cost is over $1k if they can even be sold here (liability issues being what they are). I know Teri Wakemann, webmaster for British Pacific has a power steering conversion on her website (another worthwhile upgrade) but she might also offer a disc brake conversion as well. I'll try to find the link for you because it really is a great site. The idea of installing brakes from a coiler is really far more complicated than its worth. Another alternative if you have an 88 (especially an early IIa) is to upgrade to the larger, servo powered SIII 109 brake system. The last alternative is a weighty anchor.
Cheers,
Paul
 

Paul Grant (Paulgrant)
Member
Username: Paulgrant

Post Number: 177
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 05:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Teri's site is

http://www.cruzers.com/~twakeman/LR/index.html

She doesn't cover disc brake conversions but she does detail other improvements for Series brakes.

If you're thinking along the lines of trying to adapt a coiler axle to a Series chassis you're biting off an awfully big job. Why not use your Series for the next few years until the first 90s and 110s reach the 25 year mark ('08-'10). Then you can sell your Series and pick up an MOD coiler to tool around in for a fraction of the cost of a conversion.

Cheers,
Paul
 

R. B. Bailey (Rover50987)
Senior Member
Username: Rover50987

Post Number: 371
Registered: 07-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 05:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Paul? Is that you? No politics?

I don't see any brakes on her web site. I have seen the T.I. Console brakes, and don't want to spend that much right now. Maybe next year. In the mean time I will look for an alternative. In fact, I will stop by Ship's tonight and ask about it so I will post here about what I find.
 

Paul Grant (Paulgrant)
Member
Username: Paulgrant

Post Number: 179
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 06:48 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

R.B.
Politics doesn't belong here, we're talking about far more important things, our Rovers!

Here's the link to the SIII dual power brake upgrade n Teri's site.

http://www.cruzers.com/~twakeman/LR/dual_brake_conv.html

I hope the link works.

Cheers,
Paul
 

Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler)
Member
Username: Mrbieler

Post Number: 190
Registered: 02-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 10:09 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

E·©??have the details, but Ray Wood up at Wise Owl has fitted 109 brakes to the front of his wife's 88" and claims it stops right quick.

Might be worth dropping him a note and getting more details. I plan to get the info out of him later this year. It's a project I'd be willing to invest some money in if it sounds right. Good brakes are worth a dip into the penny jar.

Jeff
 

Paul Grant (Paulgrant)
Member
Username: Paulgrant

Post Number: 180
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Friday, March 07, 2003 - 06:56 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

R.B.
I see my link didn't work. I added an extra l on the end of htm. Try it now.

http://www.cruzers.com/~twakeman/LR/dual_brake_conv.htm

If it doesn't work go to my first link to Teri's site and scroll down about 2/3rds of the way and you'll see her link to dual brake conversions.

Cheers,
Paul
 

R. B. Bailey (Rover50987)
Senior Member
Username: Rover50987

Post Number: 374
Registered: 07-2002
Posted on Friday, March 07, 2003 - 12:24 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

What Terri did is the option I have if I dont' find a cheap way to do disc brakes. I know several people who have the SIII brake and clutch cylinder - I almost got one for my clutch this fall. Either way I will be redoing all my brake lines at the same time.
 

Paul Grant (Paulgrant)
Member
Username: Paulgrant

Post Number: 185
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Friday, March 07, 2003 - 03:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

R.B.
If you really go over your brake system making sure that everything, from adjusters on the backing plate to the servo on the pedal assembly, works as it was intended you'll be surprised at how well this ancient design can perform. No, it will never be as good as the power disc brake system on a modern Defender but it really is far more capable than the non-servo II and early IIa system.

I'm curious, what upgrades have you performed on the engine and transmission that make you feel the need for disc brakes? I know when I first got my Series, I ditched the single barrel Weber that came with it and went for the popular 32/36DGV double barrel. I also went with a K&N filter, Clifford Headers and an NRP exhaust. The only thing I didn't do was install the 2.5 cam.

There are those that will say that not going with the cam undermined the overall performance of the upgrades I made. I'll never know but I won't argue the point. All I have to offer is my experience with this set up.

I did everything I could and never got the carb to allow the engine to run lean enough. I was always droping raw fuel down the cylinder walls and out the exhaust pipe.

This problem made me concerned for the longeviety of my Brel rebuilt block with a Turner HO head. Was I cutting the engines life short by running so rich as to be diluting its lubrication? Also, I watched my fuel economy plummet from 18 mpg to 12 mph on a good day. It was all too much for me and I bailed out seeking refuge in a Zenith rebuild from Rovers Down South.

After putting over 20K miles on the new, traditional, induction system I can honestly say it was the best thing I ever did. A pig is a pig and a Series is a Series; what's that saying about polishing a turd?

Anyway, I don't know what you've done or what you intend to do but I offer this story for the sake of caution. As I said in one of my earlier posts, we're getting really close to the day when we can legitimately import 90's and 110's into the country. In the meantime I'd tried to keep the modifications to a minimum and only where real benefit vs. cost can be achieved.

By the way, have you gone with parabolics? That, to me was one of the best upgrades I ever did. Again, you're not going to get the articulation of a coiler but, man does it help when the going gets rough! And they're all pretty good, TIC, RM, and BS's. The biggest thing come down to price and availability.

One last thing. If you are going for a rebuilt transmission don't let the old argument about the superiority of the non-synchro sway you. The old IIa transmissons were better than the early III's but any late suffix synchro transmisson is every bit as strong if not stronger than the old IIa's.

Cheers,
Paul
 

David Woo (Davidwoo)
New Member
Username: Davidwoo

Post Number: 3
Registered: 01-2003
Posted on Friday, March 07, 2003 - 07:59 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

RB: I am waiting for Timm Cooper to make the front disk kit for my 1967 series 2a 88". He has done some previously and has perfected his version. I waited quite a while to see if Paul at TIC would eventually supply his disk brake kits to GBR, but gave up waiting. I have a Turner HO 2.25, series 3 trans, high ratio transfer case. Driving on freeways and trying to make a panic stop (with my kids) had made me push better brakes to the top of my renov/upgrade list. And yes, the TIC parabolics are on the truck.
David Woo

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