The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

The trials of converting a 1500 to a Sprint.

I have the Sprint brakes and rear axle, but I don't have a load sensing valve. Since they are like hens teeth and I don't fancy locking the rear brakes and spinning into a tree. I wonder if I could fit a race style balance valve to bias the brakes to the front for a road car?

I also have to change the pinion oil seal, but the nut came off easy and this time I marked it with a punch and photographed by removal.

cleverusername wrote:The trials of converting a 1500 to a Sprint.

I have the Sprint brakes and rear axle, but I don't have a load sensing valve. Since they are like hens teeth and I don't fancy locking the rear brakes and spinning into a tree. I wonder if I could fit a race style balance valve to bias the brakes to the front for a road car?

I also have to change the pinion oil seal, but the nut came off easy and this time I marked it with a punch and photographed by removal.

LSVs are hard to find at best. In your shoes I would do what I did, I got a pressure control valve from a Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0ltr and fitted it in the line to the rear brakes. It's a small cylinder maybe 3/4" Diameter and 2.5" long. Works perfectly on the Carledo and I will be doing the same on the Sprint even though it has a LSV atm. Someone on here recently found one on ebay (new) for about a tenner IIRC. Race style bias normally requires a conversion involving 2 master cylinders.

Steve

Carledo wrote:

cleverusername wrote:The trials of converting a 1500 to a Sprint.

I have the Sprint brakes and rear axle, but I don't have a load sensing valve. Since they are like hens teeth and I don't fancy locking the rear brakes and spinning into a tree. I wonder if I could fit a race style balance valve to bias the brakes to the front for a road car?

I also have to change the pinion oil seal, but the nut came off easy and this time I marked it with a punch and photographed by removal.

LSVs are hard to find at best. In your shoes I would do what I did, I got a pressure control valve from a Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0ltr and fitted it in the line to the rear brakes. It's a small cylinder maybe 3/4" Diameter and 2.5" long. Works perfectly on the Carledo and I will be doing the same on the Sprint even though it has a LSV atm. Someone on here recently found one on ebay (new) for about a tenner IIRC. Race style bias normally requires a conversion involving 2 master cylinders.

Steve

Thanks for the reply, I don't think it is safe to run without a balancing system. Can I check, is this the part you are using http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brake-Valve-P ... SwjVVVnRLc

I have also come across posts saying a Renault 12 part will work, but I guess they are as rare as Sprint parts.

Since this is just a valve am I correct in thinking I can plumb it anywhere in the rear brake line? Just thinking it might be better in the engine bay away from road crud.

Sorry about all the questions, but brakes are not something to mess with without being certain what you're doing.

I did shout it here before but an '90 hyundai h100 van has the same lsv as the sprint. Same bracket and even the same rods. A direct replacement. Only the thread of the brake hose outlet is metric but easy to solve with a little adapter union from metric to unf.

Jeroen

soe8m wrote:I did shout it here before but an '90 hyundai h100 van has the same lsv as the sprint. Same bracket and even the same rods. A direct replacement. Only the thread of the brake hose outlet is metric but easy to solve with a little adapter union from metric to unf.

Jeroen

Sounds promising, is this still a readily available part?

I have a few for sale if you need one

Here's the hyundai part with numbers.

Jeroen

Bedford TK is a similar age vehicle and seem to have an indentical lever system to the Sprint, having a google the valve body is not too dis-similar either and fits in an identical bracket.

Malcolm

And I fitted an adjustable valve, which works a treat! not expensive either.

cleverusername wrote:

Carledo wrote:

cleverusername wrote:The trials of converting a 1500 to a Sprint.

I have the Sprint brakes and rear axle, but I don't have a load sensing valve. Since they are like hens teeth and I don't fancy locking the rear brakes and spinning into a tree. I wonder if I could fit a race style balance valve to bias the brakes to the front for a road car?

I also have to change the pinion oil seal, but the nut came off easy and this time I marked it with a punch and photographed by removal.

LSVs are hard to find at best. In your shoes I would do what I did, I got a pressure control valve from a Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0ltr and fitted it in the line to the rear brakes. It's a small cylinder maybe 3/4" Diameter and 2.5" long. Works perfectly on the Carledo and I will be doing the same on the Sprint even though it has a LSV atm. Someone on here recently found one on ebay (new) for about a tenner IIRC. Race style bias normally requires a conversion involving 2 master cylinders.

Steve

Thanks for the reply, I don't think it is safe to run without a balancing system. Can I check, is this the part you are using http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brake-Valve-P ... SwjVVVnRLc

I have also come across posts saying a Renault 12 part will work, but I guess they are as rare as Sprint parts.

Since this is just a valve am I correct in thinking I can plumb it anywhere in the rear brake line? Just thinking it might be better in the engine bay away from road crud.

Sorry about all the questions, but brakes are not something to mess with without being certain what you're doing.

The bit you have linked is what I am using, I've mounted mine in the engine bay where the dual circuit pressure fail switch used to be. I ditched that useless and obstructive thing too. If you use one of these Vauxhall valves you will have to make pipes with metric unions to fit it, lengths dependent on what system you presently have on the car.
I can assure you this works, I have had it in service for 4 years now with both standard spec and TJ front brakes and have used it on track in soaking wet conditions on more than one occaision and performance was faultless. Before I fitted it the car had a very disconcerting tendency to lock the rears before the fronts, even on a dry road. I would not wish that on anyone, it's a real brown trouser moment! So yes, fitting something to control the oversize rears is a definite necessity!

Steve

Thanks for all the replies, rebuilding the car is a interesting learning experience. Limiting rear brake pressure would have never occurred to me.

I have bought a part off a club member, so hopefully that will solve the problem.