Just back from a week's vacation in sunny Arizona!
This has been done and explained many times here over the years. There
is a lot of information about it in the archives. Several current active
IMLer's will have all the
details needed to make this modification. The original style wheel
cylinders can remain, but I believe a proportioning valve that is mated with
the master cylinder is a
must.
Although this modification is an excellent safety enhancement, it is
not necessary in order for the car to be considered safe. Proper maintenance
of the original braking system is adequate protection against "catastrophic
brake failure". Brake failure is not "catastrophic" (although very
un-nerving) if driving defensively, along with being conscious of the idea that
anything can happen anytime.
While an excellent idea, installing dual master cylinder, along with
necessary proper maintenance will not make the Imperial safe. That is
totally conditional upon what is going on in the head of the
person behind the steering wheel. Driving is a full time job. Talking
on cell phones and day dreaming (about the Imperial's next restoration project) are not conducive to safe
driving. Being prepared, anticipating problems both with the car and other
drivers, and considering what might be ahead are what makes the car safe
while on the road.
Just a note of caution, a friend driving a 1981 Lincoln T&C with
front disc brakes and a dual master cylinder, unexpectedly lost his brakes
(according to him) without warning. It was later discovered that the front
wheel portion of the m/c reservoir was
bone dry. This went unnoticed because the car stopped well enough with the
rear wheels that the driver was unaware of the lack of front braking. Lack
of maintenance eventually led to the rear wheel brake failure as well. The
car had been routinely serviced by a shop, but no one ever looked in the
master cylinder.
No number of safety improvements can take the place of proper
maintenance and safe driving.
Paul W.
Paul W.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark
Alexander <m.alexander@shaw.
ca>
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sun, 30
Apr 2006 09:13:13 -0700
Subject:
IML: Dual Master Cylinder Install -
63
Getting ready to
dust of the 63 Crown for the summer, one of the projects which I am planning
on tackling before hitting the road is replacing the standard single
master cylinder with a dual master cylinder. The main purpose of doing this
is to avoid catastrophic brake failure which happened once when a wheel
cylinder failed, luckily it was while I was waiting a at drive-thru
window and was able to stop using the parking brake without any
damage.
So the plan is
to install a dual reservoir master cylinder and run separate lines for front
and rear brakes. I have some questions if anyone was done this
before:
- Is there a
recommended master cylinder that bolts into 63 and has the required cylinder
reservoir capacity?
- Are the
stock brake lines separated into front and back and brought back into the
engine compartments or will I have to run all new brake
lines.?
- It appears
that single master cylinders were used so that each wheel would have equal
braking pressure applied, and larger wheel cylinders were used in the front
to proportion additional braking to the front wheel. Will changing the
master cylinder also require changing each wheel cylinder?
- Any
recommendation on parts suppliers or possibly a kit to make these
modifications?
Thanks
MOA
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