Brake servo

[nuttysaxo]

It's been a very long since I've posted on here so hello 😊 oi have my saxo back on the road after many years sitting on the driveway. It has what I feel crap brakes not the most responsive . My car is the early furio which shares some bits from the west coast kfx engine etc . Can I upgrade to a better servo say a vtr one without having to change any other parts . I'm enjoying driving it again just the brakes that let her down .. cheers

[MartinObviously]

Originally Posted by nuttysaxo

It's been a very long since I've posted on here so hello �� oi have my saxo back on the road after many years sitting on the driveway. It has what I feel crap brakes not the most responsive . My car is the early furio which shares some bits from the west coast kfx engine etc . Can I upgrade to a better servo say a vtr one without having to change any other parts . I'm enjoying driving it again just the brakes that let her down .. cheers

They're drums at the rear aren't they.

It's 100% the drums causing the shit brakes. My pedal almost touches the floor until I fitted new shoes and adjusted the handbrake cable back up. If the shoes are even one mm off the drum, the pedal has to take up that gap before it can put pressure to the front calipers.

Try adjusting the big nut under the car on the handbrake first. You want it adjusted so that the handbrake is dragging slightly on both wheels. It'll then re-bed itself in.

Changing the servo will do exactly the square root of nothing to your brakes. I run a tiny 1.5d servo with 1.5d brakes (solid discs on front, drums rear) and I use that on track with my 16v and it stops the car over and over.

[nuttysaxo]

Hello mate , sorry not been on for ages , the handbrake etc was adjusted up yes its rear drums on this with the VTR set up at the front , the pedal has pressure in it just lacks that bit of bite , I purchased a servo repair thing the bung that goes into the servo on the vacuum hose ! think that it what it is called ? , was looking at getting new rear drums I have had this car for 12 years now and I am not sure if these are the original drums its got a few miles on it now 110 thou , sure these non abs ones are 180 with drums .. cheers bud

[MartinObviously]

Originally Posted by nuttysaxo

Hello mate , sorry not been on for ages , the handbrake etc was adjusted up yes its rear drums on this with the VTR set up at the front , the pedal has pressure in it just lacks that bit of bite , I purchased a servo repair thing the bung that goes into the servo on the vacuum hose ! think that it what it is called ? , was looking at getting new rear drums I have had this car for 12 years now and I am not sure if these are the original drums its got a few miles on it now 110 thou , sure these non abs ones are 180 with drums .. cheers bud

No worries at all

it's common for the auto adjust ratchets to get stuck, and it keeps the shoes too far away from the drum. My pedal used to go almost half way until i fixed it with a good greasing.

Yes 180mm rings a bell. ABS ones are 200 ish - you'd know if you had them, they look ridiculously skinny.

I know the bit you mean on the servo, it's just a one way valve. so it holds a bit of vacuum if the engine cuts out. When the engine is running you have plenty vacuum when slowing down anyway.


Actually, if it's just lack of bite (sorry I just assumed it was maybe down to pedal travel), it could be something as simple as the brake pads being glazed. They might just need a good stamp from 50/60mph a few times. Or the calipers on the front might be slightly sticky.

I've just put new replacement calipers on mine with DS2500 pads and the bite is far better than before, the old caliper slides were sticky and almost stuck on one side.

[nuttysaxo]

Originally Posted by MartinObviously

No worries at all

it's common for the auto adjust ratchets to get stuck, and it keeps the shoes too far away from the drum. My pedal used to go almost half way until i fixed it with a good greasing.

Yes 180mm rings a bell. ABS ones are 200 ish - you'd know if you had them, they look ridiculously skinny.

I know the bit you mean on the servo, it's just a one way valve. so it holds a bit of vacuum if the engine cuts out. When the engine is running you have plenty vacuum when slowing down anyway.


Actually, if it's just lack of bite (sorry I just assumed it was maybe down to pedal travel), it could be something as simple as the brake pads being glazed. They might just need a good stamp from 50/60mph a few times. Or the calipers on the front might be slightly sticky.

I've just put new replacement calipers on mine with DS2500 pads and the bite is far better than before, the old caliper slides were sticky and almost stuck on one side.

Hello mate , I have got a new mintex rear brake kit to go on soon , going to go big spend on this ! lol , I saw a servo going cheap VTS / VTR it does not matter all should fit onto the master cylinder and pipe work without altering anything else ? .. I'm replacing the axle too soon for MOT its starting to go , do you know where I can find new mounting bushes for axle to car body I assume there must be something under where it bolts under rear seats .. cheers for your help

[MartinObviously]

Originally Posted by nuttysaxo

Hello mate , I have got a new mintex rear brake kit to go on soon , going to go big spend on this ! lol , I saw a servo going cheap VTS / VTR it does not matter all should fit onto the master cylinder and pipe work without altering anything else ? .. I'm replacing the axle too soon for MOT its starting to go , do you know where I can find new mounting bushes for axle to car body I assume there must be something under where it bolts under rear seats .. cheers for your help

Yes all the servos are interchangeable. They're a massive pain to change though, the bolts are on the back.

You can use a bigger master cylinder on the original servo. That's how I have it set on my 1.1 turbo.

Yes, you'll be able to get poly bushes and even solid plastic metal ones from the usual places that sell performance 106 parts. Spoox have a big selection of different bush types https://spoox.co.uk/567-rear-suspens...derway=asc&p=3 or try Pug1off. Can even get bushes on eBay etc if you want cheaper ones.

Only thing to watch out for, is there are 2 types M10 and M12. You will need M12.

[nuttysaxo]

Originally Posted by MartinObviously

Yes all the servos are interchangeable. They're a massive pain to change though, the bolts are on the back.

You can use a bigger master cylinder on the original servo. That's how I have it set on my 1.1 turbo.

Yes, you'll be able to get poly bushes and even solid plastic metal ones from the usual places that sell performance 106 parts. Spoox have a big selection of different bush types https://spoox.co.uk/567-rear-suspens...derway=asc&p=3 or try Pug1off. Can even get bushes on eBay etc if you want cheaper ones.

Only thing to watch out for, is there are 2 types M10 and M12. You will need M12.

Cheers for that , its got a tiny lean on drivers side , overtime not sure if I remember it this way as I did not drive it for a very long time , its a bit skippy at rear on corners , rear dampers are standard bilstein ones with standard bilstein up front with eibach drop is 40 , on vts alloys , I have now learned not to push it anymore ! , things on list is sorting leak on mid section magnex , might go mild steel and just join it the magnex backbox , the next thing when i hit around 60 it has a flat spot its terrible , I was told lower manifold is blowing can't hear nothing still sounds quiet not sure how much power loss would come through this , did think of eventually upgraded to a better cam and remap not into big power gains just a bit of mid range to get past milk floats ..

[nuttysaxo]

Originally Posted by MartinObviously

Yes all the servos are interchangeable. They're a massive pain to change though, the bolts are on the back.

You can use a bigger master cylinder on the original servo. That's how I have it set on my 1.1 turbo.

Yes, you'll be able to get poly bushes and even solid plastic metal ones from the usual places that sell performance 106 parts. Spoox have a big selection of different bush types https://spoox.co.uk/567-rear-suspens...derway=asc&p=3 or try Pug1off. Can even get bushes on eBay etc if you want cheaper ones.

Only thing to watch out for, is there are 2 types M10 and M12. You will need M12.

oh no does dash have to be removed to release the servo , think I have seen two types one seen listed is an upgrade master cylinder

[MartinObviously]

Originally Posted by nuttysaxo

oh no does dash have to be removed to release the servo , think I have seen two types one seen listed is an upgrade master cylinder

No it's all accessed from under the bonnet. It's just a massive pain in the ass.

On some versions, you'll be lucky enough to get a small 1/4" drive ratchet in there with a 10mm socket.

Upgrading the master cylinder will be more than enough. Personally I haven't really noticed any difference in pedal lightness between the small and the larger servos.

[VeiRoN]

Originally Posted by MartinObviously

No it's all accessed from under the bonnet. It's just a massive pain in the ass.

On some versions, you'll be lucky enough to get a small 1/4" drive ratchet in there with a 10mm socket.

Upgrading the master cylinder will be more than enough. Personally I haven't really noticed any difference in pedal lightness between the small and the larger servos.

I think having that massive linkage bar going to the master cylinder on the passenger side ruins the brake feel for me,adjusted it a million times got better but i can never get it quite how i want it to be,reason I will go to a pedal box.

I used to have a left hand drive VTS with the master cylinder on the other side and dont remember it being it this bad and that was was witht everything standard,now i have 266mm discs with DS300 pads,23.8 master cylinder,braided lines and rear discs conversion with bias valve and feels worse than that,it's not the stopping power just how the brake pedal feels and its travel,this was ages ago though,so maybe thats just how i remember it lol.

[MartinObviously]

Originally Posted by VeiRoN

I think having that massive linkage bar going to the master cylinder on the passenger side ruins the brake feel for me,adjusted it a million times got better but i can never get it quite how i want it to be,reason I will go to a pedal box.

I used to have a left hand drive VTS with the master cylinder on the other side and dont remember it being it this bad and that was was witht everything standard,now i have 266mm discs with DS300 pads,23.8 master cylinder,braided lines and rear discs conversion with bias valve and feels worse than that,it's not the stopping power just how the brake pedal feels and its travel,this was ages ago though,so maybe thats just how i remember it lol.

Yes RHD setups the whole bulkhead flexes. don't look at it when you press the brakes

Lefties are direct onto the master, they feel great in comparison.

Mine feels shit, but stops me over and over, that's all I'm worried about. It's just a case of learning the shitness

[nuttysaxo]

Veiron I saw a couple of your videos on YouTube a few days back giving it some beans you was

[fethiyelee]

Thanks for information

fethiye tours

[nuttysaxo]

After going through the brakes I replaced the drums the pads rear brake cylinders hand brake cables new fluids it now works great . Bought a bunch of new spares that will most likely come in handy in the future for the brakes ..