Boosted/Servo install in 1968 RHD Lowlight

[_666_]

Hi all, as the topic states.. im looking to install a booster into my 68 Lowlight, i have heard it isnt straight forward, im open to remote and non remote options, if anyone is able to explain how they have managed to do it and also what their results that would be awesome. i have drum brakes all around at the moment but im considering installing front discs and rear drums from a late bay soon

edit - i did do a search on here and there many very similar posts but non that had an resolution to them or pictures showing what anyone did..

 

[ozziedog]

Can’t help you I’m afraid but it’s on my list of jobs to do so I’ll be waiting to hear when others tell you how they’ve done theirs. So I’ll be watching with interest .

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,and a massive welcome to you too

 

[gagvanman]

Also looking to do this. Had all the bits and pieces to complete for a year now, just never got round to doing it. Hoping to do it soon, will take pictures...

 

[67westy]

I fitted the csp front disk kit a couple of years ago and it made a nice difference, especially not having to adjust the drums all the time!

I've looked in to the remote servo a couple of times but not gone ahead yet. I know Graham at midland early bay does the conversions.

 

[sparkywig]

@Graham L

 

[67panel]

Have a look at my build thread under Spliffy, I fitted a late bay servo but had to make up a cross linkage to operate it. Works fine though.

 

[paul_q]

Should be easier on a lhd but as mentioned above needs a cross linkage fabricating on a rhd

 

[Graham L]

Cheers for the tag @sparkywig

We've fitted both on beam and off beam solutions on a few buses, for the 'on beam' style its easier to buy a servo kit as you need the servo, new MC, bracket for the beam and extended pushrod. You'll need to weld the bracket onto the beam which isn't overly easy with the beam in situ. You'll need to re route the hard brake lines to the new relocated MC and extend the filler pipe.
The other option is a dual circuit remote servo set up, these utiise your existing pedal & MC set up but the hard brake lines are rerouted so you go:
Original MC>>>Remote Servo>>Front Brakes and the same for the rear, if you mount the remote servo midship on the chassis you can then just break into the rear line, we tend to fit the remote kit more often, I'll get a pic of the remote servo install on my 68 Crewcab

Hope that helps and feel free to drop me a PM if you need more info

 

[62 deluxe]

Unless you have everything to swap over, I think a remote servo set up would be best.

 

[Graham L]

 

[NigelDenham]

Hi, I put one on my ‘71 model using this near complete kit from Just Kampers (UK), see link below. It uses a Brazilian servo and m/cyl. I was lucky that my beam already had a factory servo bracket which the servo bolted onto (the stud spacing’s a little different to German servos I believe so bracket needed a little fettling). Mines RHD so I’m not familiar with LHD setup, crossover, etc. The servo isn’t as large as some I’ve seen- original European fitments and remote aftermarket kits, but it does make a real difference to the braking effort required.
I also found an article from practical motorhome (2nd link below) where they fitted one.
I have the one year model discs and later callipers on mine.


https://www.justkampers.com/vw-t2-b...ake-servo-bundle-kit-vw-t2-bay-1967-1979.html
https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/advice/how-to-fit-a-brake-servo-to-a-bay-window-vw-campervan

 

[NigelDenham]

Cheers for the tag @sparkywig

We've fitted both on beam and off beam solutions on a few buses, for the 'on beam' style its easier to buy a servo kit as you need the servo, new MC, bracket for the beam and extended pushrod. You'll need to weld the bracket onto the beam which isn't overly easy with the beam in situ. You'll need to re route the hard brake lines to the new relocated MC and extend the filler pipe.
The other option is a dual circuit remote servo set up, these utiise your existing pedal & MC set up but the hard brake lines are rerouted so you go:
Original MC>>>Remote Servo>>Front Brakes and the same for the rear, if you mount the remote servo midship on the chassis you can then just break into the rear line, we tend to fit the remote kit more often, I'll get a pic of the remote servo install on my 68 Crewcab

Hope that helps and feel free to drop me a PM if you need more info

Yes, I was lucky that I found I had a bracket already on my beam (I guess it had been swapped out for a later one sometime), so a “Brazilian” kit was quite straightforward I think I’d probably have gone for a remote setup otherwise

 

[NigelDenham]

Just remembered, one of the handbrake cables does rub against the servo, so you have to come up with a dodge to get round that….. Well, not sure you “have” to, but probably good practice long term

 

[mike202]

I’ve got the remote servo on my 1970 bus. It’s great, makes the brakes a lot better. I’m saving up for disks

I bought mine from VW Jim.

 

[naskeet]

I retro-fitted two remote servo units to my 1973 VW 1600 Type 2 during the winter of 1988/89, of which these are some pictures on The Samba forum

1968~79 VW Type 2, modified hydraulic circuit for remote-acting vacuum servos

25 mm square-section, tubular-steel, custom, home-made cradle, with 3 mm thick duralumin, brackets, supporting ATE Alfred Teves, remote-acting, hydraulic, vacuum-assisted, brake servo units (i.e. brake boosters in USA parlance), of the type which were factory-fitted, to right-hand drive, 1970s vintage BMW cars and possibly VW Golf GTI Mk. 1s.

This is fitted to my British specification, 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Westfalia Continental campervan, which was NOT equipped with a factory-fitted, direct-acting brake servo, unlike the 1972 VW 17/18/2000 Type 2s, despite having front disc brakes.

 

[Graham L]

I’ve got the remote servo on my 1970 bus. It’s great, makes the brakes a lot better. I’m saving up for disks

I bought mine from VW Jim.

We sell a very similar kit and get the servo itself from the same supplier as Jim

 

[Graham L]

I retro-fitted two remote servo units to my 1973 VW 1600 Type 2 during the winter of 1988/89, of which these are some pictures on The Samba forum

1968~79 VW Type 2, modified hydraulic circuit for remote-acting vacuum servos

25 mm square-section, tubular-steel, custom, home-made cradle, with 3 mm thick duralumin, brackets, supporting ATE Alfred Teves, remote-acting, hydraulic, vacuum-assisted, brake servo units (i.e. brake boosters in USA parlance), of the type which were factory-fitted, to right-hand drive, 1970s vintage BMW cars and possibly VW Golf GTI Mk. 1s.

This is fitted to my British specification, 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Westfalia Continental campervan, which was NOT equipped with a factory-fitted, direct-acting brake servo, unlike the 1972 VW 17/18/2000 Type 2s, despite having front disc brakes.

Looks a good setup, luckily you can now get dual circuit servos in one unit so makes it a much simpler process.

 

[naskeet]

Looks a good setup, luckily you can now get dual circuit servos in one unit so makes it a much simpler process.

Back in 1988/89, identifying suitable sources & types of remote-acting brake servo was a major challenge in itself!

 

[_666_]

So dual servos are good and all.. but what’s wrong with a normal remote servo with a t splitter and a bias valve installed (for disc/drum combos) would that not work just as well? The benefit is that’s way cheaper and MUCH easier to source parts for.. the dual servos are like £265 in freight alone to get it to Australia

 

[naskeet]

So dual servos are good and all.. but what’s wrong with a normal remote servo with a t splitter and a bias valve installed (for disc/drum combos) would that not work just as well? The benefit is that’s way cheaper and MUCH easier to source parts for.. the dual servos are like £265 in freight alone to get it to Australia

Unless I am mistaken, using a single remote-acting servo, with a dual-circuit hydraulic system, would negate the safety advantages of having a dual-circuit system and would probably create other deleterious effects, as well as infringing all sorts of regulations.