Re: IML: 1960 master cylinder/Dual versus Single Pot

[RandalPark@xxxxxxx]

I will be happy to do that. I have explained this before, but first, you have left out the fact that I also said that the dual master cylinder is "a good idea".

When I learned to drive, I was taught to drive as if my car had NO brakes. I use them sparingly, and I am as certain as I can be that they are in top condition. While preparing to stop, I am frequently checking to make sure that they are there for me. Panic stops are another story, but I can count the number of them I have had to make in my life on ONE hand, and my brakes have been there for me EVERYTIME. Panic stops are generally the result of not looking ahead, or paying attention to ones driving. Half of mine were due to that one very serious human frailty.

I have driven over 1,500,000 miles during my driving career. I have lost my brakes due to component failure between 15 and 20 times in 37 years. None of these incidents resulted in a crash. The reason is that I knew that my brakes were going before I absolutely needed them to stop. Five of these were while driving my own vehicles, three of them in old Imperials. I was able to stop my car using what was remaining of the service brakes, and/or the emergency brake, which I keep in top shape at all times. That brake and my driving skill make up my safegaurd. 

The emergency brake cable on my '65 Imperial is currently broken. As a result, I have not driven it anyplace except in my yard. It has a single pot master cylinder, and without the emergency brake, my skill/confidence to stop that car is severely compromised.

In my experience brakes rarely suddenly fail. If one wheel goes, there is usually enough "oomph" to at least stop the car once before there is no fluid. Other failures give lots of warning, particularly if you know what to look out for. In most cases of brake failure, I have discovered it by noticing the brake pedal gradually sinking while at a stop, or while preparing to stop. This alerted me very quickly to the problem. 

Having a dual mater cylinder is a very good idea, but it is not totally safe either. It can fail in such a way that both pots become useless. I still think that the best practice is to be prepared that the brakes MIGHT fail, but I don't believe that people drive this way any more. Seeing how many people drive while having a casual conversation on their cell phone proves this to me. I can NOT drive well unless I devote my full attention to it. If I can't then I know that others can't either. I worry more about having an unpreventable crash with one of them, then worrying about my car having a single pot master cylinder.

Paul W.

 

In an email dated Fri, 11 11 2005 7:48:26 am GMT, "Rob van der Es" <r.vdes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

>@Paul:
>
>Can you please explain to all of us why a dual master isn't necessary?
>I think it will add a lot of safety, if one circuit fails there will be
>another circuit that allows you to stop that heavy car!
>
>Being the owner of a 1960 Crown I am still in doubts if I have to switch
>over to a dualmaster cylinder or front disc brakes..
>
>I agree with you that a well maintained standard system will do the job
>perfectly, but there are no safeguards...
>
>Robert
>
>
>On Vr, november 11, 2005 04:17, RandalPark@xxxxxxx said:
>> This is worded as though it is the only choice available. The original
>> brakes will work fine if properly rebuilt and maintained. A dual master
>> cylinder is a great idea, but hardly necessary.
>>
>> Paul W.
>>
>>
>> In an email dated Fri, 11 11 2005 1:42:21 am GMT, SALVAGE04@xxxxxxx
>> writes:
>>
>>
>>> CONVERT THE CAR TO A DUAL MASTER CYLINDER AND DRIVE WITH CONFIDENCE.
>>> CAN YOU IMAGINE BLOWING A WHEEL CYLINDER UNDER A HARD STOP AND ?RUNNING
>>> INTO
>>> A NEON.
>>> OR BETTER YET PUT DISC BRAKES ON THE FRONT (AAJ KIT) AND REALLY STOP
>>> ?WITH
>>> CONFIDENCE. DO THE BRAKE JOB ONE TIME AND CORRECTLY.
>>>
>>>
>>> ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?SMITTY
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> ----------------- ?http://www.imperialclub.com ?-----------------
>> This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please
>> reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be shared
>> with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the Administrators
>> should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to
>> http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>----------------- ?http://www.imperialclub.com ?-----------------
>This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
>reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
>shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
>Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm
>
>


-----------------  http://www.imperialclub.com  -----------------
This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm