35 replies to this topic

[Spider]

I've bought two of these valves recently in the UK. Both of them have 'volcano' seats inside the outlet ports (but, oddly, not the inlet port). Don't know whether these will work well with bleed nipples?

 

You've raised a good point here.

The original valves took Double Flares and the new replacements now have some ports that take the original Double Flares and some that take Invert Flares. Standard Bleed Nipples will seal on an Invert Seat if the Bleed Nipple comes to a point, though, it's not ideal.

[Ethel]

Or get one of these.

 

Pay attention to the pipe union thread type though.

[alpder]

The joy of the original (unadjustable) type is that you fit it and - provided you have the correct rear cylinder size - you can assume it just works as the designer intended. I.e. the rear brakes do b****r-all but at least the front and back of the car stay in their respective positions during an emergency-stop. I didn't go for an adjustable because it feels a bit suck-it-and-see. How would it be properly adjusted? Keep increasing the rear brakes until the car does a 180... and then back off a turn?

[Quinlan minor]

The joy of the original (unadjustable) type is that you fit it and - provided you have the correct rear cylinder size - you can assume it just works as the designer intended. I.e. the rear brakes do b****r-all but at least the front and back of the car stay in their respective positions during an emergency-stop. I didn't go for an adjustable because it feels a bit suck-it-and-see. How would it be properly adjusted? Keep increasing the rear brakes until the car does a 180... and then back off a turn?

Something, in the back of my mind, nags me that adjustable ones aren't legal on road cars.

[alpder]

Something, in the back of my mind, nags me that adjustable ones aren't legal on road cars.

 

I think they are legal (UK) but the adjuster must not be accessible while driving. Under bonnet, OK. Beside the driver's seat, not. Probably varies by country.

[Ethel]

An inertia valve is an alternative.

 

If you fitted an adjustable one, a friendly MoT tester should be able see you right on setting it up.