Replacing the brake force regulator by a simple Tee distributor?

[GGR]

Hi all,

As noted in the other thread I started on bleeding the brakes, it seems there is something wrong with the brake regulator.

I noted that the like the 280SL the W108 250 SE has a brake regulator but that has been replaced by a distributor ( a simple tee) on later models like the W111 Coupe 3.5 or the W108 4.5 which have a similar braking system to the 280SL. Would there be anything wrong with replacing the reguilator with a distributor? Or is the shorter wheelbase exacerbating weight transfer to the front making rear wheels more prone to locking on SLs than on coupes and sedans? 

Did anybody do this already? For example by letting the 230SL distributor while upgrading to rear disc brakes? With what results?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[graphic66]

Not a good idea, brakes are the most important safety element of your incredibly great designed vehicle. Plenty of thought was put into these cars and stopping without spinning in circles was one of them. I put a disc brake axle in my drum brake 230SL, I even needed to change the master cylinder as it for some reason is different, I didn't want any compromise in safety with my car. Get your proportioning valve working correctly at any cost. Think of your passengers and others first. My guess is that your rear brakes will lock up, and the fronts will be ineffective and your first panic stop my end abruptly. I don't think experiments in this area are a good idea. 

[Naj ✝︎]

Same discussion as

http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=13956.0

 

[GGR]

Yes, but someone with knowledge about this, gained in swapping rear axles for ex, may open a subject titled "Replacing the brake force regulator by a simple Tee distributor" and not necessarily a subject titled "New Pagoda owner and problem bleeding the brakes" as that latter title does not necessarily implies the possibility of replacing th regulator by a distributor.

[jacovdw]

...I put a disc brake axle in my drum brake 230SL, I even needed to change the master cylinder as it for some reason is different... 

That is correct. There are essentially 2 versions of the master cylinders used on pagodas - those with drum brakes in the rear and those with disc brakes in the rear.

For the earlier cars with drum brakes in the rear the current version of the master cylinder is version 2, meaning that it has a special check valve incorporated in the master cylinder body where the fitting for the rear brake circuit goes. The main function of this check valve is to maintain a certain amount of residual pressure in the rear circuit to enable the drum brakes to "react" quicker.

For cars with disc brakes in the rear, there is no special check valve incorporated in the master cylinder body, but a calibrated bore (like the front circuit). However, the brake force regulator was fitted near the rear axle to reduce the chances of the rear brakes locking up prematurely during hard braking.
The master cylinder used for cars with disc brakes in the rear is currently version 4.