Can you get the feel of power...
Can you get the feel of power brakes without a booster? Well, no, but this month we will show you how the new Red....
No matter if your Mopar came with disc or drum brakes from the factory, there were only two choices when it came to the pedal effort required to actuate those brakes. Real gear heads generally ordered or bought cars with manual brakes, no doubt planning to install a camshaft with so much overlap as to render power brakes inoperable and dangerous. For the milder enthusiast, or for the one with a girlfriend or wife to help make the car-buying decision, power brakes were the only option.
....Bore master cylinder from...
....Bore master cylinder from Just Suspension lightens the pedal effort of your Mopar's manual brakes.
Though these choices were the norm for the era, automotive brakes had not evolved as they have today, and both power and manual brakes had flaws that are difficult to deny. Manual brakes required a somewhat-overwhelming pedal effort, and repeated maximum performance braking often ended with a shaking knee and tired muscles. Power brakes of the day necessitated a cumbersome booster and required almost no effort, making it easy for the driver to lock the brakes accidentally; increasing braking distance and offering no road feel at all.
Fortunately, the new Red Bore master cylinder from Just Suspension gives us a happy medium, offering pedal efforts lighter than typical for our manual brake Mopars. Additionally, this master cylinder gives the driver a better feel for the road, and for what the brakes are actually doing, allowing the driver to attenuate the brake pedal accordingly. This month, we'll install the new Red Bore master cylinder on our '67 big-block Barracuda, and show you just how it performs.
The Red Bore master cylinder...
The Red Bore master cylinder comes as a kit, with all the necessary hardware to complete the installation. With a smaller bore diameter, this master cylinder offers higher hydraulic pressure for a given pedal effort.
Prior to installing the master...
Prior to installing the master cylinder we put it in the vice and bench bled it per the instructions. Rather than using rubber hose, we fabricated metal lines which we can use each time we bench bleed a master cylinder in the shop.
Installing the master cylinder...
Installing the master cylinder is a snap, as it bolts in place of the factory unit using a supplied adapter.....
.....After installation, we...
.....After installation, we filled the system and bled the brakes so we could test the unit.
Prior to installing the Red...
Prior to installing the Red Bore master cylinder, we took the car out for baseline testing. Using a Powerhouse valvespring tester between our foot and the brake pedal, we recorded consistent 45 psi readings with the factory style master cylinder during controlled stopping from 45 mph.
After installing the new master...
After installing the new master cylinder, we took our 'Cuda out for duplicate stopping tests under the same conditions. While the new master cylinder didn't give power-brake pedal efforts, the pedal effort to stop from 45 mph dropped some 15 psi, taking 30 psi of effort to stop the car.
We were impressed by not only...
We were impressed by not only the all-aluminum construction of the Red Bore master cylinder, but also by the reduced braking effort required. This is a quality piece that actually does what it's advertised to do. Thanks, Just Suspension!