Master Cylinder Brace Available!

socalsean · 07-21-2005, 09:21 AM

My buddy went down to Stillen yesterday to talk to a sales associate and was informed about their new master cylinder brace! He ended up purchasing it and man, the difference is night and day! The M/C had soooo much flex before the install and with the brace installed it hardly even moved! The cool thing is it bolts onto a few unused holes that the ABS bracket has! No drilling or modifying anything! I bet this part will be one of the many upgrades to help the titan overcome it's poor stock braking system. I think he paid like 50-60 bucks for it. I didnt't get a chance to drive his truck but he said it made a big difference considering the price. It might be up on their website....I didn't check.

sean

TCW · 07-21-2005, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by socalsean

My buddy went down to Stillen yesterday to talk to a sales associate and was informed about their new master cylinder brace! He ended up purchasing it and man, the difference is night and day! The M/C had soooo much flex before the install and with the brace installed it hardly even moved! The cool thing is it bolts onto a few unused holes that the ABS bracket has! No drilling or modifying anything! I bet this part will be one of the many upgrades to help the titan overcome it's poor stock braking system. I think he paid like 50-60 bucks for it. I didnt't get a chance to drive his truck but he said it made a big difference considering the price. It might be up on their website....I didn't check.

sean

Hopefully I'm not the only one wondering, but how does the new brace help your braking?

Thanks.....

**goathead** · 07-21-2005, 11:51 AM

just thinking the same thing......more info please!!!

socalsean · 07-21-2005, 11:54 AM

Have someone get in your truck when its parked and have them push on the brake pedal. Push hard...like you're trying to stop in a panic. Look at the master cylinder while your friend is doing this. Notice how the entire master cylinder moves and flexes against the firewall?

The force you're applying to the master cylinder to pump the brake fluid through the lines is being "eaten up" since the mount flexes. It'd be like if you were trying to jump up and touch the ceiling but the floor you're jumping off from flexes soooo much that you can never touch the ceiling. Same priniciple. The brake pedal will feel more solid, stiff, less muchy, and the force from your foot pushing on the pedal will get transfered to the mastercylinder instead of just bending it. Hope that made some sense.

sean

37L1 · 07-21-2005, 11:56 AM

Where do you work, Sean?

emerilnut · 07-21-2005, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCW

Hopefully I'm not the only one wondering, but how does the new brace help your braking?

Thanks.....

Yeah these came out for the Miata years ago, but supposedly, with the pressures involved in your brake lines and the pedal, the brake master cylinder bears the brunt....so in fact, when you hit your brakes when in motion, the master cylinder flexes and even expands silghtly under all that pressure. Supposedly that means that before the pads press on the rotors to stop the car, first the master cylinder has to flex and expand, costing you about 1/2 an inch or so in brake pedal travel. So the theory is to use this brace (mounted up agains the master cylinder) that prevents the master cylinder from flexing so that "all" your foot force actually goes to stopping the truck (moving fluid through the brake lines).

After MUCH discussion of the Miata unit, we decided that it actually can't improve braking at all, what it really does is change the feel of the brake pedal (making it a stiffer pedal with a higher engagement point). But then again, better feedback through the wheels and pedals is always better for the driver, right?

socalsean · 07-21-2005, 11:57 AM

I work for my friends construction company in San Diego and go to school part time. Every once in a while I run my fathers Sound Equipment rental company...but thats more of a hobby than anything else. Need a PA system?

I even went out to check my daily driver (volvo) and the MC flexes too. I'm going to have to conjour up something to keep that sucker from flexing. Sounds like a worth wild mod IMHO.

CJ3FLYR · 08-07-2005, 08:00 PM

I am excited and a little PO'd at the same time. I ordered one of these and it doesn't fit. I'll contact Stillen tomorrow and I'm sure they'll make it right. I am discovering that Titans may have some substantial differences with brake systems. I purchased a Stainless Brake line kit (not Stillen) and they modeled the kit on a non-ALBS model. It came through short one line. Now my master cylinder support misses by an eighth of an inch. I can't help but wonder if Brake Assist, ALBS and non-ALBS don't have slightly different dimensions. This thing is not right and I’ve gone out three times with fresh, rested eyes.

mysecondnissan · 08-07-2005, 08:52 PM

CJ3FLYR, I am interested to know how things go with Stillen. I was about to order the line kit and thought about ordering the brace as well but I may not now. I too have an ABLS Titan and do not want to have a fitment issue. Thanks in advance. On a side note, how many stainless lines does a ABLS Titan need?

yogibm1 · 08-07-2005, 09:49 PM

I can always appreciate better braking

CJ3FLYR · 08-08-2005, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mysecondnissan

CJ3FLYR, I am interested to know how things go with Stillen. I was about to order the line kit and thought about ordering the brace as well but I may not now. I too have an ABLS Titan and do not want to have a fitment issue. Thanks in advance. On a side note, how many stainless lines does a ABLS Titan need?

Mine needs six lines... Where my kit 'fell down' was on the lines from the body to the top of the rear axle. The kit had a single line down that Tee'd off to the right and left side. I have two separate lines. I've been in contact with Goodridge (purchased through RotorPros) and they are making it right. I always thought a single line was a tell tale sign of 3 channel ABS. I thought all Titans were true 4 wheel ABS, oh well, perhaps they modeled the kit based on a prototype.

CJ3FLYR · 08-11-2005, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mysecondnissan

CJ3FLYR, I am interested to know how things go with Stillen. I was about to order the line kit and thought about ordering the brace as well but I may not now. I too have an ABLS Titan and do not want to have a fitment issue. Thanks in advance. On a side note, how many stainless lines does a ABLS Titan need?

The guys at Stillen were first class. They admitted they made a mistake with the dimensions. It sounds like I had the right idea with ALBS, Brake Assist and non-ALBS having some effects on the dimesions. They sent UPS to pick it up, they also said a brace that fit would be ready very soon

.

I also mentioned my brake line deal on another forum and was informed that the Stillen kit comes through with all six lines.

mysecondnissan · 08-11-2005, 05:59 PM

Thanks for the update CJ3FLYR. I was about to order the brace and lines but it looks like I am going to have to wait for now. This is what the forum is all about.

CJ3FLYR · 08-12-2005, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mysecondnissan

Thanks for the update CJ3FLYR. I was about to order the brace and lines but it looks like I am going to have to wait for now. This is what the forum is all about.

No need to hold on the lines if you by the Stillen sold/endorsed kit. Their kit had all 6 lines, my kit was from another supplier.

CJ3FLYR · 10-01-2005, 08:57 AM

Anyone know if they've updated the master cylinder brace?