allinger Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 After a long and tedious search I managed to find out that the odd button labeled "test" was actually a brake fault indicator thingamajig. Now, as the button/switch seems to be out of function (and I'm fresh out of Märklin H0-trainset lightbulbs to replace the one in place to find out it that's whats broken) I made an effort to understand how this thing is connected and so far I've come up with a broken connector on the brake servo and a loose lucar plug in the passenger side wing (that'd be driver side for all of you of RHDers) that may or may not be involved. However, none of the manuals that I have has been of any use, so now my question is - could anyone explain to me how this thing was wired in the first place, is it a must-have or am I disrupting the natural order of cosmos should I bin this? Or should I just not bother? And one more thing - I understand that the SafariTruck, being a -74 vintage SWB, has but one brake circuit - is it possible (for a spanner-challenged person like myself) to "upgrade" this to a two-circuit system, i.e. bringing it out of the dark ages? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 And one more thing - I understand that the SafariTruck, being a -74 vintage SWB, has but one brake circuit - is it possible (for a spanner-challenged person like myself) to "upgrade" this to a two-circuit system, i.e. bringing it out of the dark ages? I cannot help with your other query I am afraid, but I am currently doing the same as you mention to my '72 Series III. It was originally single circuit non servo assisted 10" all round. By the time I'm finished it will be twin-circuit servo-assisted with 11" TLS on front and 10" on back. 1980 onward spec basically. As far as I can see, it's simply a case of swapping the parts over. I have a brake pedal box and servo from an early 90/110 (small type servo), and a new master cylinder (NRC6096). I'm not putting in the weird valve thing as all I've heard it does is provide bleeding problems! All you would need to do, providing my information is correct, is get a new dual-circuit master cylinder (and a servo setup if you'd like to go power-assisted too) and re-run the lines. The parts manual is very helpful for working out what bits one needs. It's worth noting that if you want to add servo assist you will need a new pedal box as the servo and non-servo models had different setup. Unfortunately the Series pedal box for servo-assisted models is NLA new, consequently very rare and hard to find, despite the actual servo still being available new. This is why I've gone for the early 90/110 setup, plus I heard it is a tad more powerful. Apparently Hope that helps, I'm sure some more experience Series people will be along too. This is just what I've learned over the past month of research and parts-sourcing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbarton Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Easiest to bin it. Dual circuit upgrade is not hard, go for the V8/6cyl/1ton setup which is the "best" drum setup and pretty good when adjusted correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allinger Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Thanks! That's the one I've got. Couldn't make heads or tails of it though... Did I mention that if you look up "inept" in the Oxford Dictionary, you're likely to find my name there? Anyways, thanks for prompt and constructive advise - as always. Given the temprature outside I've plenty of time to do some proper research, not to mention sourcing parts (vintage LR parts aren't exactly dime a dozen in my corner of the woods...) for the conversion. And that's about the only positive side to be said about living in the icebox of Europe - it gives one plenty of time to do research. And just to show who the sheriff is in these here parts I'll bin the tester thingamajig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbarton Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 It's dead simple, any one of the switches closing puts the lamp on. Can't remember which is which, but they are Test button Pressure Differential Warning Appartus Low Vacuum Excess pedal travel There may be a low fluid level switch also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondjeremy Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 There are in fact a number of versions of the brake system - and curiously the later one (which I think was introduced with metric pipe connections) only has the pressure differential warning light actuator as the source for the light - the low vacuum and excessive pedal travel warnings having been deleted. The parts list for the earlier version is in the OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT parts book (a separate publication) I think the later one (metric) is in the normal parts book. Currently I have 2 diesels (76 and 79 I think) with the 2 line servo brakes and 3 point warning system - and a SWB petrol Safari (76 or 77) with no servo or twin system! Presumably 7 lives and a more powerful engine didn't merit better brakes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 There are in fact a number of versions of the brake system - and curiously the later one (which I think was introduced with metric pipe connections) only has the pressure differential warning light actuator as the source for the light - the low vacuum and excessive pedal travel warnings having been deleted. The parts list for the earlier version is in the OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT parts book (a separate publication) I think the later one (metric) is in the normal parts book. Currently I have 2 diesels (76 and 79 I think) with the 2 line servo brakes and 3 point warning system - and a SWB petrol Safari (76 or 77) with no servo or twin system! Presumably 7 lives and a more powerful engine didn't merit better brakes! They had the pressre differential and brake servo vaccum switches in 1982. The press to test switch had also been replaced with a self check when the starter motor was activated - the ignition switch has an output with a smaller diameter white wire with red stripe that runs to the stsyem's relay, which earths the system like any of the other switches while the key in is position III. I don't think reservoir level sensors were ever fitted to the SIII. I am retro-fitting one from a Discovery; the caps are dimensionally identical and a straight swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbarton Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 .... I don't think reservoir level sensors were ever fitted to the SIII. I am retro-fitting one from a Discovery; the caps are dimensionally identical and a straight swap. I couldn't find any reference to one in my manuals, maybe mine came from another vehicle too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondjeremy Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 My 'X' reg 109 does not have the servo warning sensor. I think it was a 2.25 petrol originally which may have something to do with it and it seems to be a fairly basic spec. So far as I know Land Rover never fitted fluid warning sensors to Series vehicles - which I find a bit strange as they were fitting them to saloons from at least the middle 60's (Mk11 3 litre?) and coupling the light to the hand brake warning light. The 3 litre used a 'Baked Bean can' type reservoir like Land Rovers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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