Remote Servo position

[Mike Pim-Keirle]

I am installing a remote Lockheed type (copy) servo in my 1965 B. I have mounted it just in front of the scuttle on the near side, which I believe is the original position used by the factory for cars supplied with a servo - MGB Hive supply a kit including a purpose made bracket to fit this location. Their are 3 mounting holes to fix the servo to the plate and one can therefore rotate the servo into any one of three positions to fix it. Is there any reason why I should not fit it with the plastic air valve cover pointing back towards the scuttle? This provides the easiest access to fix the brake pipes, but the most difficult access to the air valve. I can't think of any reason I would need to get at it, and also this location will be the cleanest. Any comments please?
Mike

[Peter Cresswell]

Hi Mike
See here: http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/servo.htm
The supplied brackets will usually sort out the angle of 25 to 45deg, but the large plate bracket will give you alternative options as to the orientation of the valve. It is important that you follow these or the instructions that came with the kit otherwise you can get air trapped in the servo that you cannot bleed out. There is a link for you to download the Lockheed instructions. So long as the air valve points downwards, I don't think there will be a problem as to which side it is on. There is though a picture in Clausager's book that shows the air valve pointing upwards!
Once the servo is fitted you will notice the brakes have a slightly spongy feel compared to the fairly hard feel the brakes (should) have without a servo. For this reason many people (including myself) don't fit a servo as you get more feel in the brakes. Also a servo doesn't make the brakes better, it just reduces the effort of pushing on the brake pedal.

[Mike Pim-Keirle]

Hi Pete and thanks for your very informative reply.
I've owned my 1965 roadster since 1985 and never thought much about fitting a servo. However, in the last few years, a couple of things have changed my mind. Firstly, I also have a Lotus Elan +2S. This had no servo when I got it 12 years ago, but when I splashed out on a new chassis 3 years ago Miles Wilkins,the Lotus guru who did the chassis change for me, suggested I have one fitted (they were standard when new, mine must have been removed). I have to say I find the brakes much improved in every sense with this now done. Secondly, as I get older (72 now) I get weaker and the knees and ankles more arthritic - though not seriously so yet - so a little brake assistance on the B would be appreciated. Lastly, my son, who has owned his servo-ed 1974 MGB GT 18 years and knows it quite well, declared after a recent drive of my car that the brakes have far less feel than on his GT!
Consequently I now have a servo bolted in place, but not yet connected. The picture you mention in Clausager's book shows the servo in the same position as the one in my son's car - and also in my own 1974 MGB GT V8. I have fitted mine in the same place, but rotated 120 degrees backwards. This places the air valve about 15 degrees lower than it would be if facing the front, though it is still above the centre line. Hopefully it will work OK and be possible to bleed.
Thanks again for your time.
Mike

[Peter Cresswell]

Hi Mike,
I recognise those problems well. I'm same age and have same problems with knees and ankle, and a few other joints! One thing I have done is to replace the original seats with more modern and stronger seats (from an MX5) so the effort I can exert on the brake pedal is wholly transferred. I have found this to be quite an effective alternative, and on even long trips (we went to the south of France last Summer) I have not experienced a flare up of arthritis. The original seats are well wrapped up and safely stored. The headrests are easily removed (much more so than the later MGB seats with headrests, so you get a nice flat tonneau cover.
See this thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=100&hilit=mx5#p532
Unfortunately something seems to have happened to the picture on page 2 so here is another couple of pics, which were taken during a front wing replacement hence no windscreen.
[attachment=0]Seat 2.JPG[/attachment]
[attachment=1]Seat 1.JPG[/attachment]

[Peter Cresswell]

Not sure what happened to the second picture so here it is:
[attachment=0]Seat 2.JPG[/attachment]

[Andrew Tilney]

With reference to servo position, for the best and shortest pipe run, I always fit them to the R/H inner wing, in this position it does not get in the way of any service actions, or engine removal

[Ray Masters]

Hi Pete. If l may barge in on Mike’s topic , regarding the photo you submitted showing the alternative seats you use , l noticed you have fitted a non-standard steering wheel. I have just had power steering fitted to my BGT and wondered about changing the standard wheel for something smaller. I tried a 13inch semi-dished one and thought it too small. I was curious to know what size you have fitted , l see it is also a flat wheel , and your thoughts on its use.
Any advice from other forumists would be welcome. Ray..

[Peter Cresswell]

Hi Ray
It is a Motalita wheel, and I think it is 15in diameter against the 16.5in diameter for the original wheel. A 14in wheel is about as small as you would want to go but that will mask some of the instruments including the important oil pressure/water temp gauge. This means you have to look around the rim of the wheel to check these. I don't have power steering and the effort on the wheel is only really noticeable at parking speeds despite having the adjustments to the suspension geometry outlined below. A flat wheel gives the driver the same comfortable driving position as the car originally had, but this is personal. Motorlita do spacers so the position can be adjusted with a flat wheel.

For others reading this - the most important areas for light steering are the alignment of the top and bottom parts of the steering column at the U/J and the top bearing in the kingpin assembly. An out of alignment column puts loads on the universal joint which makes it stiff and the top bearing in the king pin assembly can be changed for a needle roller bearing. Do these and the steering will be almost as light as with the power steering kits, and will retain the feel of the original set up. Other influences are the caster angle of 7 deg which is too high as standard for modern radial tyres, and the camber angle of 1 deg positive on the front wheels. Caster reduction kits are available (but you have to realign the two parts of the steering column) and the camber can be made slightly negative (to 1 deg negative) by using off set lower bushes in the king pins which is a bit fiddly as they have to be taken apart to measure this or by using the longer bottom arms which give around 2.5 deg negative camber but still need the off set bushes so it can be adjusted to be the same on both sides. The setup on my car is 4 deg caster angle using the B&G kit, and 1 deg neg camber using offset bushes and 8.5in free length 600lb/in front springs, plus 3/4 in antiroll bar with polybushes.

[Ray Masters]

Peter. Thanks for the info on your steering wheel. There are many things to consider when changing from the original one and , ideally , one needs to try out the different sizes and styles available but that’s not possible. Will give it some thought !. Thanks again . Ray.