Adding hydraulic brake/caliper to existing disc?

chimmike

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So short of replacing my entire axle (manco 7/8" hex) and all associated stuff, would it be possible/not entirely difficult to convert the manual brake to a hydraulic caliper/pedal setup?
 

Joe-405

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Yes. I converted my alsport over from mechanical band brake to hydraulic disc.
 

landuse

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got any photos? be interested in seeing!
I think it would be somewhere in this thread

 

DukeKL

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I think it would be somewhere in this thread

Nice works. We may do the same conversion for the kart. I'll just finish installing the parts from 4Wheelonline onto the Jeep and I'll start working on the kart.
 

madprofessor

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If you do it, I highly recommend that you choose a master cylinder with a reservoir cup instead of just the barrel. I bought the cheap Chinese hydraulic setup that's just a single-barrel master cylinder, about 18" of hose, and a caliper. If you're willing to wait 6 weeks for it, it's an Ebay thing for about $20, while my 1" bore 8" solid brake disc was $32.40, and I replaced the little hose with an 84" one. Bleeding the brake is a nightmare where I hold the master cylinder in my hand plunger up at the floor, pump a couple of times, pour a thimble-full of DOT#4 fluid into the open barrel, repeat, repeat, etc., and remount the cylinder. You can leave one with a reservoir in place and just pour in the correct fluid. Me cheep and stoopid, you hoapflee knot.
 

Oldsman

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Did this to a Manco XTK with hex axle. Used the "Mid S brake kit" from GoPowersports ($100) specifically because a review stated it would work with Manco/aftermarket brake disc. Won't lock the tires but stops far better than mechanical brake.
 

madprofessor

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Ever heard of a scrub brake? It was the way they built karts when I was a kid. A flat plate of steel on a pivot, almost laying against one tire. Push the brake, plate presses flat against tire tread, you replace worn out tire every week.
Today somebody's still using that method. Me. I need a parking brake that's not hydraulic, electric, anything like that. In other words, failsafe. I'll build it on with a parking lever that locks, and when my raised idle on that bad_ss engine tries to make it take off down the street when it cranks up, the failsafe is safe from failing.
If you can't get lockup from whatever brakes you end up with, even Oldsman's Mid S kit can't, then having that mechanical lever right beside you as not only a parking brake but an emergency brake as well might save your bacon one day. Especially if you have a sudden brake failure altogether.
Very cheap to make from scraps of steel, and really nice to have.
FORGOT TO ASK: Is that a live axle (straight-axle)? Hope so, that means both rears brake when you hit it. A scrub brake would do the same. I try to tell everybody that 1-wheel braking is absolutely unsafe and not enough. Even a scrub brake fails on a wet road, steel plates just skim across wet rubber. You try to lock up a single wheel, especially when wet, it's like Possum-boy said: Ain't nuthin' like that fine feelin' of flight when you bounce off that shiny Mustang bumper!
 
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