24-06-2018, 11:16 PM
(This post was last modified: 24-06-2018, 11:22 PM by Bob Culver.)
If you hunt thru the online handbooks and parts books and all the club site brake info, and photos, will be able to piece together.
Actually only semi girling; full Girling are rod operated with floating wedge expanders, only fitted to vey late cars and linkages not readily adaptable.
The original brakes are just simple cams, some with very short levers. The only provision for wear is the cam turning further so these are of large dia with limited leverage. The Girling have cast iron drums, long levers, and the fulcrums are expandable by a square ended adjuster to take up wear, so the cams are smaller with greater leverage. Once set up, the cable lengths do not require adjustment.The thick steel backplates are very different although early hubs/axles can be machined to accept. The line of the cables at the rear differed and substitution may not be straightforward.
As with different levers, mixes are not ideal due the differeing leverages.
With correct linings and care generally many claim the original brakes OK.....although not my experience! They do condition you for a lifetime of anticipatory driving. On one car when stop lights ahead flashed unexpectedly, I ripped the seat out of the floor!
Also various mostly somewhat cruel methods of altering the originals so the shoes “float” with increased bite.
In contemporary tests the semi girling achieved about 80% for saloons, which is sufficient although with high pressures and no dive may not seem so to modern drivers.
Actually only semi girling; full Girling are rod operated with floating wedge expanders, only fitted to vey late cars and linkages not readily adaptable.
The original brakes are just simple cams, some with very short levers. The only provision for wear is the cam turning further so these are of large dia with limited leverage. The Girling have cast iron drums, long levers, and the fulcrums are expandable by a square ended adjuster to take up wear, so the cams are smaller with greater leverage. Once set up, the cable lengths do not require adjustment.The thick steel backplates are very different although early hubs/axles can be machined to accept. The line of the cables at the rear differed and substitution may not be straightforward.
As with different levers, mixes are not ideal due the differeing leverages.
With correct linings and care generally many claim the original brakes OK.....although not my experience! They do condition you for a lifetime of anticipatory driving. On one car when stop lights ahead flashed unexpectedly, I ripped the seat out of the floor!
Also various mostly somewhat cruel methods of altering the originals so the shoes “float” with increased bite.
In contemporary tests the semi girling achieved about 80% for saloons, which is sufficient although with high pressures and no dive may not seem so to modern drivers.