MK4 Brake Balance Bar Questions

[lewma]

Guys

Got some questions on setting up the balance bar. Right now I'm trying to adjust my balance bar ( without any brake fluid in the system yet ). I have the .75 wilwood master cylinder connected to the front brakes and the .62 wilwood master cylinder connected to the rear brakes. The manual shows that the front master cylinder has more piston travel than the rear cylinder yet on my system the .62 rear cylinder travels more and with less force than the .75 front cylinder.

Perhaps I need to add in the fluid and adjust from there ? Any idea when dry, the cylinders are perfoming in reverse to what's in the build manual ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

mark

[Yama-Bro]

Hey Lewma,

I just put mine together. It does exactly what you are describing. I expect when we add the fluid it will operate differently.

[Boydster]

Set the balance bar in the center and wait until the entire system is filled and bled. Actually, true brake bias / balance should not be set until the car is brake-tested for lockup. Different corner weights, pedal pressures and road conditions will make things act differently and you cannot set balance by looking at the way the master cylinders are reacting... especially when dry. Carry On!

[Desert Cobra]

I had to open the top of the foot box to access the brake balance bar. Cut an over sized lid and rivnuts back on. The brake peddle effort had been so high that I had to stand on them just to slow the car down. Adjustment was not covered in the FFR manual but in a Wilwood 4-5 page document. At go cart stage things seemed OK, but with new pads, no power brakes, etc. I didn't really know how much effort was "normal". The reset was to engage the front first and then with more peddle travel the rear comes in. That way you are not pushing against both masters at the exact same time to the exact same degree. Be sure to put a "door" on the top of the driver foot box. After a thousand miles you will need to adjust the balance bar again.

[lewma]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll get things roughly aligned, then fill the system, then do the balance bar work after the system has been bled.

[edwardb]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll get things roughly aligned, then fill the system, then do the balance bar work after the system has been bled.

Install it per the directions, centered as shown. I'd recommend any adjustment be based on actual driving and testing. Not by what you see (or think you see) when pushing the pedal down. I've personally found the brakes to be well balanced right from the start. The different size MC's for the front and rear work well. Also, don't be too quick at first to judge pedal effort and how well they stop. The pads need to be broken in and bedded. Wilwood has good instructions for this, even if you aren't using Wilwood brakes.

[boat737]

Balance bar adjustment. https://www.wilwood.com/PDF/DataSheets/ds252.pdf

[lewma]

Install it per the directions, centered as shown. I'd recommend any adjustment be based on actual driving and testing. Not by what you see (or think you see) when pushing the pedal down. I've personally found the brakes to be well balanced right from the start. The different size MC's for the front and rear work well. Also, don't be too quick at first to judge pedal effort and how well they stop. The pads need to be broken in and bedded. Wilwood has good instructions for this, even if you aren't using Wilwood brakes.

Sounds good to me.

[lewma]

Balance bar adjustment. https://www.wilwood.com/PDF/DataSheets/ds252.pdf

Thanks boat!

[roadscholar]

Install a Wilwood balance bar adjuster. I believe I got it from Breeze. I have it mounted below the steering wheel under the dash.

John