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+--- Thread: Uncoupled brakes conversion? (/showthread.php?tid=9614)
RE: Uncoupled brakes conversion? - Ruairidh Dunford - 09-10-2024
I always thought that tube was torsionally stronger than a solid of the same diameter.
RE: Uncoupled brakes conversion? - Robert Leigh - 09-10-2024
It is stronger in relation to the amount of material, but a solid shaft must have more rigidity than a tube of the same outside diameter. A tube is more effective than a rod of the same weight assuming it is of the same material.
RE: Uncoupled brakes conversion? - Ruairidh Dunford - 09-10-2024
Got it, thank you.
RE: Uncoupled brakes conversion? - Robert Foreman - 09-10-2024
The tube is in fact a piece of cold drawn seamless and I believe it to be torsionally stronger than a mild steel piece of rod.
RE: Uncoupled brakes conversion? - Tony Griffiths - 09-10-2024
I once saw a Chummy where the flexi-brackets had been replaced by a pair of plumber blocks, like these with self-aligning bearings to accommodate chassis flex. Another trick is to brace the flexi brackets with a strut to the cross-shaft. In 1965, seeing that the offside bracket was starting to tear away from the chassis, I made up a two-part, screw-together tube with a slot at one end to locate against the bracket and turned the two parts to push the bracket back into place. It stayed there for the next 120,000 + miles.
RE: Uncoupled brakes conversion? - Ruairidh Dunford - 09-10-2024
I have used those plumbers blocks for exactly that application, Tony, they work extremely well.
I am now backing out of the tube debate…
RE: Uncoupled brakes conversion? - Hurvinek - 09-10-2024
Thank you, Ruairidh!
I still don't know what I will be going to do. In the moment I think to keep everything as it is and to drive as fast as I can without... mmm... permission. It would be necessary to change the brakes on 3 cars, I don't want to do that.
In a few years I will move to Denmark anyway, then I will be done with this annoyance. Maybe I will have other problems but I am optimistic.
Thanks again, to all of you!
Oliver
RE: Uncoupled brakes conversion? - Ray White - 09-10-2024
Ironically, I think Austin's original separate front and rear brake set up works better than their coupled brakes. I am sure (as has already been pointed out) this is due to there being no front/back compensator. A combination of front axle rotation and cross shaft /shaft brackets twist only adds to your difficulties.
Personally, I would just wait to see if you get stopped for breaking this archaic law. I doubt there are any cops who actually know what your car is; let alone how old. The chances of them knowing about the 18 mph speed regulations is even more unlikely.!
RE: Uncoupled brakes conversion? - Hurvinek - 10-10-2024
Ray, it's worse than you think... It's indeed very easy for the policeman, because it's printed in the vehicle registration document: "Vmax = 30 km/h".
But since we have at least the possibility of running several cars on the same license plate (in case of collector's cars with "veteran car status"), and each of the cars has it's own registration document, I plan to take the Ulster's document - which has no limit in it - with me whilst driving another one. So I will be able to apologize: "Sorry, officer, I mistakenly picked up the wrong document". In worst case that will cost me a small penalty, but will have no other consequences.
What really is a risk, are those ubiquitous speed radar traps...
And yes, I agree that the uncoupled brakes work better than the coupled ones. I've never had any problems stopping where I wanted to. With the Ulster I always have to brake very hard and the car yaws sideways, sometimes to one side, sometimes to the other... You don't know beforehand.
Whereas with the others it's much more comfortable.
RE: Uncoupled brakes conversion? - Colin Bromley - 11-10-2024
There is evidence that my 1924 Chummy had a 4 wheel brake conversion at some point in it's life. This is unsurprising, as the original owner seemingly had almost every accessory part available fitted during his ownership. Does anyone have the parts lying around, that they'd be prepared to sell?
Even if the bits are only fitted for show, I'd like to have it, as he did...