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Is a servo a good idea on a Vitesse


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26 minutes ago, JohnD said:

Why is it that "As the discs got larger, the effort to press the peddle with enough force and not have too much travel got to the point that a servo was needed to make the driver feel better."

A larger disc has a greater lever on the wheel/tyre.  Try thought experiment - a disc MUCH larger than the wheel.  Yes, it would need a trench to travel in, but you could stop it with your fingers if it were large enough.   

And pedal travel would be the same, surely?  If the master and piston cylinder diameters were the same   But educate me, please  - it is concievable that I am wrong!

Hum. You've got me thinking now. I don't know. I shall take my Spit out for a little drive in the sun and ponder.

Wonder if its pad size to disk size? Bigger pad, needs more effort to squeeze the disk. I do know the Discovery 2.7TDI discs are smaller than the V8 discs - the pad size is the same but the braking "Power" is better with the V8 setup. So your thought experiment is not just thought, but practice too.

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Anglefire,

Pad size, counterintuitively, is irrelevant!

Frictional force = force squezing the surfaces together x Coeff.friction

Squeeze force is in kgs/m^2 (or lbs/in^2 or whatever) 

Make the pad bigger and leave the hydraulics the same, and the force/unit area FALLS!    

BUT, you have a larger pad, so multiply it back again - and you get the same number for friction as you started with!

 

A multi-pot caliper is often thpugh of as 'better, beacuse of the bigger pad'.    Not so, see above.   But a wider, less tall caliper can be mounted further from the hub, so more leverage.  The same frictional force will stop the car better.  Another reason for tall wheels and narrow tyres, more room for a wider disc.

Your Landies must have servos, yes?   So 'better' braking is more in the hands, or pencils, of their designers.

John

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I remember the Citroen braking! Did the same and nearly went through screen. The system on this car was used to pump up the suspension so probably this made the brakes more 'efficient?' Certainly never had problems stopping it. Incidentally I have just replaced the servo on my Spitfire MkIII with a 5 1/2  inch unit which sits on the bulkhead where the old one sat. Don't worry what purists say, it requires less effort and is more like my modern cars for feel etc. The old servo was still working although approximately been onfor 15 years but had just started drinking moderately brake fluid.  To finish, it's MY car and I will do what I want to it!

 

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25 minutes ago, JohnD said:

Your Landies must have servos, yes? 

Oh yes! Nearly 3tonnes of vehicle takes a bit of stopping! Especially from high speed or downhill at 45' or more!

Multipot is probably "better" due to more even pressure on the pad/disc.

Interesting discussion though. 

Some reading to do at some point!

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Having a servo certainly makes driving easier - whether it is a required can only be determined by the driver - I wouldn't fit one to my Spitfire as I don't find the brakes overly difficult to use - but yoof is on my side possibly - and I'm 6' and overweight - but if I was a little senior and of slighter build I might consider it.

Horses for courses and no real right or wrong - I wouldn't have a modern without one - but then they generally weigh twice as much and are designed to have one!

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Steering is a different Q.

If you want to steer easily, without heaving on the wheel when manoevering to park, then a 'slow' steering rack, with lots of turn stop to stop is needed.   A 'quick' rack may leave the slight driver struggling.   

So most moderns will have a quick rack and power steering.  It can't make it 'worse' or 'better', unless of course it needs repair!   Some cars have electrically assisted steering, that reduces in assistance as you speed up, usually giving none at all above 30mph.   Some just have an electric pump on the hydraulic PS, but others have a pure electric servo (!) on the steering column.    Some may be good to transplant to other cars, and could go into Triumphs.

John

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Mark, I always thought the Spitfire brakes felt that you didn't need too much foot effort to stop the car. The larger brakes on the GT6/ 2 Litre Vitesse without a servo do need much more push on the pedal.

John, As you know a slower rack was fitted to the GT6/Vitesse due to the extra weight of the engine in an effort (no pun) to reduce heaving on the steering wheel. Not too sure it worked, must be the modern tyres! Also If you remember early power steering lacked feel and feedback, plus it also got a reputation for unreliability. Though I hate to think of want it would be like to drive a modern (with big brake and tyres) without both a servo and power steering.

Anyway, sports cars with servo's and power steering. What next Automatics!    

Dave

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I've bump started my GT6, on my own, admittedly on the flat and 40 years ago. It's a VERY light car and yet Triumph decided to fit a servo as standard. Triumph liked it, I like it.

12 minutes ago, JohnD said:

It can't make it 'worse' or 'better', unless of course it needs repair! 

Better can simply mean I like it. Improved might be a better word.

Richard at East Berks has power steering on his Spitfire, width of tyres seemed to be the primary incentive to change!

There's an MX5 auto, might well be my next modern.

Doug

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25 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said:

I've bump started my GT6, on my own, admittedly on the flat and 40 years ago. It's a VERY light car and yet Triumph decided to fit a servo as standard. Triumph liked it, I like it.

Better can simply mean I like it. Improved might be a better word.

Richard at East Berks has power steering on his Spitfire, width of tyres seemed to be the primary incentive to change!

There's an MX5 auto, might well be my next modern.

Doug

Doug, Not to sure of the latest MX5 model but the one before had an auto options with gearshift on the steering wheel. Fast change paddles.

Dave

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My modern is an auto - its not officially a sports car - but will launch from rest to 62mph in under 6 seconds and go onward to 155mph limited - and has paddle shift on the steering wheel - which when in sport makes for a blisteringly quick gear change!. Oh and is a diesel - and it goes around the bends a lot quicker than the Spitfire (Mostly because it has quick power steered steering 😂)

54 minutes ago, dave.vitesse said:

without both a servo and power steering.

Yes I forgotten I'd no power steering when I was recovered off the mountain 😂 Wasn't too bad once moving!

Most modern very quick sports cars have auto boxes - My BMW is not available in manual trim - the engines torque is too great for most available spanish boxes. The petrol 3ltr is though.

One reason for auto boxes these days is so that they can keep the engine at peak operating revs - 9 and 10 speed autos are not uncommon. Mine is 8! Trouble is more than 8 and they never seem to be in the right gear!

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1 hour ago, johny said:

I like my Triumph cos its different from my modern and as long as its not too unsafe (its definitely not as safe but is within what I find acceptable) Im happy to do without power anything....

Exactly. I enjoy driving it - though I filled up today and have only done 100 miles since filling up in the summer last year. Must try harder!

And it isn't about driving fast or anything like that - its simply roof off and country roads. 

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On 22/02/2019 at 22:27, Anglefire said:

Exactly. I enjoy driving it - though I filled up today and have only done 100 miles since filling up in the summer last year. Must try harder!

And it isn't about driving fast or anything like that - its simply roof off and country roads. 

Thats disgraceful! I thought you could be stripped of your membership if you do less than a 1000 miles a year😵

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