TheSamba.com :: View topic - 4 wheel disc pedal questions. and yes I searched.

Wed May 04, 2005 7:11 pm

I'm in the middle of switching all the running gear from my rail over to a baja. Also doing serious upgrades. I planned on 4 wheel disks with a CNC or Neal style hydraulic set up. I was informed that I needed a Tandem hydraulic pedal set up to get good braking with 4 wheel disks. First guy that told me this was a salesman. I thought he was sucking me into selling me a much more expensive pedal set. Then 2 more people told me the same thing.

Can someone help me out. I hate to spend $500 on a set of pedals. I also don't really want to skimp on the brakes after spending so much on other things. If I have to I will reluctantly buy them.

I searched the hell out of this forum and can't find anything about this issue. I found info on using a Super M/C with discs. Can I safely run 4 wheel disks off a super m/c? Stock pedals are pretty enough for me.

I love the idea of going hydraulic but, I'll leave the billet parts to the guys that use a california duster to clean their off road vehicles. First time I climb into the Baja with muddy boots the pedals will look like crap anyways. What are my alternatives here? Anyone know?

Wed May 04, 2005 8:22 pm

Hey there Jowlz.

I recently changed out the stock pedals on my Thing for hanging CNC hyd units. Major fab to make it all fit. I can assure you my car has never seen a Cal Car Duster (I use a pressure washer instead). I built it to run hard and that's the way it's driven. Getting back to your subject, what type of 4W discs are you planning on using?

I put the Kar Tek (yep, they are billet) front disc hubs on mine and am still running the stock rear Thing drums until I can get the Jamar rear discs I have put on. I have the dual master brake pedal setup from CNC with remote reservoirs (clutch too) and a balance bar. This setup really pissed me off for a while because I had a bad rear steel M/C that wouldn't pressurize correctly and other fine "new car won't stop" issues that drove me nuts.

Finally got the bad rear m/c replaced and now all is well (at least with the bastard disc/drum setup). Figured out the proper residual valve (10 instead of 2 psi) and got it all bled out.

Long story short, make sure that you match the proper parts up with your components and everything should work out fine for you. You need a dual master IMO so you can get the F/R brake proportioning correct. My street/dirt setting are VERY different.

Don't know if this helps but I hope so.

Wed May 04, 2005 8:35 pm

I'll most likely get the kits from my local buggy shop. Shipping on parts from the west coast is a killer for me. Shipping can be more than the part itself. From the descriptions I have read I think they are a Vargas/TRW kit. $210 seems to be the price I paid for the swing axle version. Going IRS/King pin with the Baja. Can't change that now as I ordered every suspension part I thought I would need.

The rail/baja project falls in line behind my motorcycles and snowmobiles. Can't spend a fortune or I wont be able to afford all 3 hobbies. The car will never see the street. I'm still doing more reading elsewhere and alot of people seem to have luck with the late dual circuit M/C or a Type III disc M/C. Thanks.

Wed May 04, 2005 10:15 pm

The proportioning valve is a good idea if running four disc brakes. You can get one through McKenzies (and other places I'm sure). A balance bar works too, but the valve is better. You need to adjust so you do not have equal pressure to your discs, otherwise you'll be skidding your rear brakes (approx 75% of proper stopping happens with the front brakes - you have a motorcycle so you already know this - ever panic skid the rear wheel?). However, rear drum brakes work just fine if you have front disc brakes (unless you're trying to lighten your unsprung rear wheel weight). Then, you can usually avoid the whole proportioning issue as the rear drums are no where near as effective as front discs. I have the basic Varga/Type3 front disk setup on my Super with boring plain 'ol stock rear brakes. Can't say I can stop on a dime, but certainly a quarter. I think I recall you already have the rear disc brakes, so I'd recomend the double resevoir and the proportioning valve. Remote resevoirs are really a nice way to go as mentioned above. Thinking about making that switch on my street Super and its a definate on my pending Baja project. I love the swing pedal idea as well, but like above, some serious fabricating to do it right.

Thu May 05, 2005 7:52 am

I have wide 5 jamar discs in the rear and the Kartek PRM disc set up in the front and i replaced the stock master cylinder with a bus master cylinder and have had no problems. Stock pedals and all. I bought the master from Chirco. it's the one they used in their baja build on the website.

Mon May 09, 2005 8:30 am

Thanks for the answers. Going to the parts house now to get a M/C and a proportioning valve.