TR2/3/3A TR3 Rear Brakes -- A Bold Experiment

[TR3driver]

I soon realized that <span style="font-weight: bold">I had driven all summer with NO rear brakes. </span>

You're certainly not the first to do that, either. Unfortunately, most people don't notice, until it's too late. That's why I make a point of testing, from time to time, just what happens under "panic" braking.

Physics was one of my favorite classes in HS, much more interesting than most of them, IMO. But it also helped that the Physics teacher was a personal friend of mine. In fact, that year I was rebuilding a car engine in his garage, and frequently cut his class to go work on my car! (With his knowledge, of course.)

Never did get that engine (Olds 425) rebuilt properly, but it taught me a lot about what not to do :laugh: Kind of embarrassing too, after it finally threw a rod through the side of the block (about 10 miles after the third rebuild), I bought a perfectly good engine from the local junkyard for less than the rebuild parts had cost.

Might even be why I love TRs so much, I've never had a TR engine go sour on me like those first few GM engines did.

 

[svtmikey]

Seems to me that having custom brake linings made up is a whole lot more complex than putting in a proportioning valve. If it was that easy, car makers would have simply done that in modern cars, but that's not the case. I think all you are going to do is heat up the brakes shoes more since you won't have the surface area on them to bleed off the heat to the drums. I would be interested to see what exactly this will do for you, but I would bet it will shorten your rear brake life significantly...but to be honest I'm not sure, so please give us an update.
More modern braking systems use a metering valve and a proportioning valve most times when they have a front disc/rear drum brake set up. The metering valve basically delays the front brakes from getting pressure and braking until the rear brakes have had time to move take up the slack in the return springs. Once the rear brakes start to catch, the proportion valve attempts to limit the amount of braking done by the rears to prevent lockup.
IMHO a proportioning valve is the way to go, keep the brake pads the way they were designed and simply limit the amount of pressure the rears get. You can get proportioning valve from places like Pegasus Racing for a pretty resonable price. The ones I've used are adjustable, so you basically "dial in" the amount of rear braking you want...very cool, and even cooler is that some allow you to do it from inside the car.

Mikey

 

[TFB]

If the idea is to lessen the braking of the rear for better braking balance,what about improving the front brakes .Maybe more aggressive pad set?
How common is this rear locking up first issue with 10" drums?
Thanks

Tom