Daihatsu F50 Hydraulic Handbrake

Submitted by scots4x4 on

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I managed to acquire another Saxan Crusader (F50 with fibreglass body) today which I am quite pleased with. She has the running on problem and has to be stalled to stop the engine running but I have read Nev K's list of common problems and think I know what to do about that. The reason for posting is the vehicle is fitted with a hydraulic handbrake which requires me to pull a knob/lever on the dash whilst trying to engage/disengage the handbrake. It is really fiddly..........and I wondered if anyone has a hydraulic handbrake fitted to their F50 and how easy it might be to fit a normal manual cable handbrake?

Does the gearbox have a drum

Submitted by Nev. K on

Does the gearbox have a drum break on the back, or has someone put a later transfur in it?

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.

Drum brake

Submitted by scots4x4 on

Nev K I am not sure and the vehicle's away for its MOT so I'll need to check it when I see it. On a separate point and excuse my ignorance but do you think it damages the vehicle in any way by stalling it 4th gear as a means of stopping it? Or are these F50's so tough it probably makes no difference at all?

Unless the rules have changed

Submitted by paul.humphries1 on

Unless the rules have changed a hydraulic handbrake isn't acceptable for MOT purposes.
It has to be a completley seperate, mechanical, system.

Paul Humphries.

MOT rules

Submitted by scots4x4 on

Hi Paul well strangely enough the guys at the garage raised this earlier today. But they seemed to think that provided the handbrake is on a totally different hydraulic system it would be fine...the vehicle did of course pass its last MOT with the hydraulic handbrake so I assume it must have been on that basis.

We'll see..........

Cheers Dave

I think you are lucky in that

Submitted by paul.humphries1 on

I think you are lucky in that the MOT tester didn't double check what he can and cann't pass.
If you look at the links section you can get access to the MOT testers manual that states a reason for issuing a fail is -
"For vehicles first used on or after 1 January 1968 the parking brake is not capable of being maintained in operation by direct MECHANICAL action only."

Sorry for sounding negative but like I said before unless the law has changed hyrdaulic handbrakes aren't legal for road use.
The fact you have a MOT pass certificate doesn't means it's now legal - just that the tester made a mistake.

Paul Humphries.

A liquid link would still be

Submitted by Nev. K on

A liquid link would still be a MECHANICAL action. The lever would be mechanicaly pushing the master cylinder, and the slave cylinder would be mechanicaly moving the hand break. Mechanical in it's simplest terms is a series of moving parts, conected togther in such a way as to do a set job.
So a generous MOT'er could well say that's OK, as long as there is no leakage in the liquid link (Ie the fluid does not seep back to the resevour around the plunger.
However this could just be arguing sumantics. I think the liquid link is soposed to be a no-no becouse it's not likely to be totaly in-falible over a prolonged perioud.
Basicaly as with all thing MOT, it's down to who does the test.

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.

MOT Fail Point

Submitted by scots4x4 on

Paul and Nev thanks for the feedback......I will let you know how I go on.....:(

Cheers Dave

Hydraulic Handbrake and the MOT and general

Submitted by scots4x4 on

Well the MOT tester is fine with the hydraulic handbrake his only comment is that the "cage" surrounding the handbrake mechanism at the back needs to be fixed or replaced because it is metal and ripped leaving a jagged edge.

But I have been reading the net (google = hydraulic brake brake MOT) and there are lots of different views expressed there most of them coming down on the side of Paul's view that a hydraulic handbrake is not fit for MOT purposes. So this must have been a specialist retrofit....can't think why it is not a rally vehicle so having a hydraulic handbrake is no real advantage for a F50............

I am going to see if the vehicle can be put back to standard.

Sorted the fuel pump controller thingie........just put it back on and it works fine. Switches the engine off no trouble.

Dave

Good show old boy. Another f

Submitted by Nev. K on

Good show old boy. Another fine motor on the road (or off it) for a further 12 months. Keep her going as long as you can. Best 4x4 ever made.

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.

Eventualy it might damage the

Submitted by Nev. K on

Eventualy it might damage the clutch plate. But not anytime soon. You say you've read an earlier tread about this problem? If so I'd sugest you go for the handle inside the cab method, as the easiest way of 'fixing' this problem.

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.