[Healeys] Towards better braking performance

[Michael MacLean]

 Arc the rear shoes?
Mike MacLean

    On Sunday, September 29, 2019, 1:40:05 PM PDT, Michael Oritt <michael.oritt at gmail.com> wrote:  
 
 



Whether due to aging of the driver or brake materials--or both--it appears that lately I must exert a lot of pedal pressure to get what seems like less braking response. I know this is a very subjective statement and I have no way of quantifying the braking but I have been driving my car for 20 years and am sure that it just isn't stopping the way it used to.

Here is some background information:

1. I just, as in last week, replaced the brake hoses front and rear with a set of braided stainless hoses obtained from Old Phartz. I used him as opposed to Moss or other suppliers because I have BT7 front discs and stock 100 rears which take a different rear hose than the 6-cylinder cars, and he was willing to "Mix and Match" the later front hoses and original rear hose, whereas Moss only wanted to sell me two kits. It took a bit longer to obtain them than originally promised but what came in was great--actually about 3/4" more in length which made installation a bit easier.

2. I also just--last week--rebuilt the master cylinder and installed new rear wheel cylinders, and in the process flushed the hydraulic system entirely and refilled with Wilwood 570 high-temp Dot 4 fluid. The system is positively bled and the pedal is nice and hard and where it should be with just a bit of free movement.

3. The front pads and rear shoes have been replaced within the last twelve months and probably have less than 3K miles on them. Nevertheless the rotors seem to have a "glazed" appearance and the rear shoes have definitely been exposed to some slight leakage of diff oil, though not enough to saturate them.
Shoes and drums were cleaned following cylinder replacement.

4. I have a restrictor valve on the line to the rear brakes which, when turned down all the way, reduces fluid flow to approximately 60% of wide open. I have the valve turned all the way to reduced-flow in order to maximize fluid delivery/pressure to the front brakes as they do most of the work. There is a definite falling off in brake performance as the valve is opened.

5. The rear brakes are properly adjusted and the parking brake is functional when engaged.

6. I can, with extreme pedal pressure, lock the front brakes with little or no side-to-side pulling.

7. Tires are Michelin XAS with plenty of tread and 30 psi all around.

I just lost my lease to a warehouse space I have been renting and must clear out in a few weeks, so for that and other reasons I am not able to undertake any big project such as putting in a servo or replacing the front rotors with some racing stuff or rear brakes with discs, etc. However I am able to put on new front pads and rear shoes, and perhaps have the front rotors turned if need be. So I guess what I am looking for is some recommendations on what materials I might use to give good braking with reasonable pedal effort. I do my racing on a track in my other cars and am not looking to equip the Healey with rock hard pads/shoes. I merely want to improve the car's braking so I do not have to stand on the pedal to get the car to stop.


Best--Michael Oritt
1954 BN1 LeMans
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