1964 RHD 230SL Brake Booster

[jdrestorer]

Hi, I have a problem with the brake booster in my RHD 1964 230sl. I need to rebuild or replace the booster as I have the typical symptoms of diaphram failure i.e. rising engine revs and hissing sound when the brake pedal is depressed and extremely heavy brakes.

Having tried all of the usual suppliers, even ATE, I cannot find a replacement RHD booster or a rebuild kit in the UK or Europe. I am aware of one in the USA but with shipping the cost is prohibitive. I know the the LHD and RHD boosters are different but I don't know what the differences are or whether the parts are interchangeable? My 230SL is a daily driver so I am not totally concerned with originality, I'm more concerned with getting the car back on the road.

Can anyone suggest an alternative to the stock item bearing in mind any RHD differences or would it be possible to take a refurbished LHD unit and modify it using parts from my RHD booster?

Sorry for the slightly rambling nature of this email but I am getting desperate, I may have to take a second mortgage and buy the one in the USA!

[George Des]

I just went through this same drill although from a different angle. My cR us a left hand drive Euro model with the T51 brake booster. Same symptoms and tried to use the newer  version that evidently is only available as per fitted to RHD models. Was told when I ordered it that the only real difference was the location of the vacuum attachment and that a longer hose could be used tonwirk around that. Well, that is not the case. The actuating arm that attaches to the brake linkage is entirely different. The RHD uses a short actuator with a ball shaped end that mates to the firewall linkage while the LHD version uses a u-shaped attachment with an eccentric bolt for adjusting it. As near as I could tell, you would have totally disassemble the units in order to exchange these parts. Not even clear whether this can be dome by the typical DIY but perhaps one of the brake booster rebuilders could do it.

[jdrestorer]

Thanks George, that was kind of what I was expecting even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear. I find it suprising that no-one can supply refurb kits for the boosters given their age and capacity for failure. I'll keep looking!

[Richard116e]

Hi

You could try Past Parts in Bury St Edmunds I have used them for re-builds of other servos I just gave them a call to see if they have some experience with W113 Servos and they said they do

http://www.pastparts.co.uk/contact.htm

Regards
Richard
Classic Car Oil London

[stickandrudderman]

If you do a search you should find plenty of posts on this matter; all of which conclude that the main diaphragms are not available so if that is perished you need a replacement.
You can send the booster to me and I can disassemble it but if when I get it apart I find the main diaphragms are split then you are scuppered.