Hi,

Maybe you remember my earlier posts about my brake setting quest. I thought I had it settled down. Well, I hadn't...I'm now about to get the car officially back on the road (I've made a few illegal test runs ;-)...). I appears that the rear brakes lock before the front ones do. I'm afraid "they" won't like it when safty checking the car...
After reading quite a lot of data about braking systmes fitted onto Amazons, including the posts on this board, I've installed the following components on my car: front callipers, master-cylinder, brake valve and booster out of a 1966 Estate. The rear cylinders are new ones that were bought for a 1968 sedan (european), so they are the small model (i.e. not the earlier one inch ones, I dont' remember the exact diameter of the 1968 ones, 13/16?). At first I didn't touch the brake valve setting. The pedal was normally soft (compared to others Amazons I've seen). When pushing the pedal, I could go 3/4 down before hearing the valve opening. After noticing the problem, I tightened the valve, which made the pedal get a little harder, & I couldn't hear the valve opeinig anymore. But the road handling didn't improve: the drums still lock before the rotors.. The front brakes work: when lifting the car & pressing the pedal, the front wheels can't be moved.

What do you think this could be? Is it that the Estate valve that doesn't fit on sedans because it is intended for a heavier car? Are the rear cylinders too small? I don't think so because I've read a post stating that "small cylinders came on cars with a brake valve, big ones on cars without". I carefully built the rear brakes according to a picture that was posted on the board (I think it was by George). Is there a mistake I could have made that could cause the drums to lock too easily?

Well, I'm puzzled. Next thing I'm planning to do is to fit a 1969 (dual circuit) brake valve to see If it helps. I've read that the rear cylinder Im 'currently using are the ones used on the B20 amazons: maybe they'll like the later valve... Before I do something else wrong, can the gurus ore any one else help me? Thanks a lot
Séb