Servo

Hi. I had my +2 servo reconditioned 6 years ago - yes that’s how long it’s taken to get the rest of the car up to scratch - and have just discovered that the little rubber tube that runs over the top of the servo into the back, has a split on the inside of the bend. The people that restored the servo reckon that’s not surprising as it’s sat so long. I reckon they split it when they assembled it - if you don’t push it on as you assemble the halves of the chamber it has to be bent back to fit it and would break at that point… I don’t see how a rubber tube can split all on its own. They also reckon the servo will be ‘stuck’ by now so will leak. As I’m tired of sending parts away for months at a time, I’m trying to sort this out myself - I really want the car on the road now…

Anyone know where I can get a replacement rubber pipe? Even an old one would be appreciated.

Sean.

Hi Sean,

Give J and L a try:

jlspares.com/index.htm

I got a seal kit from them to re-build my servo. Their prices are very good, but didn’t come with the special grease to lubricate the leather seal in the drum.

Given the time it takes to re-build a servo, its quite a nervous time testing it works the first time!

Alex

Hi Sean, If you mean a Lockheed servo then 3/8" servo hose from Halfords etc should do it. Must be hose that is marked fuel or oil as other stuff will perish. If it’s an original Girling servo then its a seal kit part. I guess you have a Girling servo. I’ve got some tie rod ends that were new from a dealer 2 years ago and the rubbers are starting to perish. I guess it depends how long these parts are on the shelf before we get them.

regards
Mark

Hi. Thanks for the suggestions - I’ll follow up both. I’ve attached a photo of my servo in all its glory, mounted in the engine bay. I’ve repaired the offending rubber tube with a bicycle puncture repair kit for now. That’ll allow me to test the rest of the braking system and see if there are leaks etc. I think the pipe has a special moulding on the end so, unless I beef up the puncture repair by fitting a copper tube inside it, I’ll be buying another. I should only need a seal kit though shouldn’t I, at worst.

I’ve just been out to check and it says 5/8 Girling on the top of the metal body - so that’s a kit repair then I guess.

All the best.

Sean.

Hi Sean,
The rubber elbow is secured by a plastic plug which is inserted from inside the can so you will have to remove the clamp ring and split the two halves to replace the elbow - beware of the big spring !!!
I’ve just rebuilt my servo with a kit from J & L Spares and the plastic plug was not included but the old one was still OK.

I have a diagram of the Girling servo which I could scan and PM to you if it helps.
Regards,

Oldelanman, thanks for the offer. I had to take my servo apart to refit the existing rubber tube after repairing it. It was tricky to put together - it’s one of those jobs where I suspect a bit of practice helps. My servo looks new, as it was restored, so apart from the rubber pipe that they split as they assembled it, I should only need seals that may have perished while it was on the shelf.

A diagram would be very much appreciated. These devices are a really neat design - real mechanical engineering at its best. If you have any tips on how to get the two halves together and put the band on without damaging anything that would be appreciated also.

Looking at the J&L site there’s an expenive repair kit for ?100, and a less expensive one for ?30, depending on which version of the servo you have. Ok, let me guess which one I’m going to need… From memory a recon servo is only ?180 or so isn’t it. If it takes me more than a couple of hours to mess around with mine, fitting all the parts from the kit, then a recon may be the way to go. Bother!

All the best.

Sean.

Hello Sean

In the factory the two halves would have been put together with vacuum applied to the can. You can do the same thing by running the engine or another engine with a longer bit of vac pipe. This will pull both cans close enough together to put the band on.
These things only had a six month shelve life when new so once built they need to be used ? sitting doing nothing in a classic car is asking for trouble.

If you need a diagrams etc I could sort some thing out.

Cheers
Steve

Hi Sean,

I think J and L’s prices are ?30 for the Mk2a which I have and ?100ish for the Mk2b which I believe yours it. This price difference is because yours had the rubber diaphragm in the drum. The links below are re-build guides for both models of servo. They are also very useful for understanding how they work…!

Mk2a
head2head.free-online.co.uk/ … _sheet.htm

Mk2b
volvo1800pictures.com/document/G … d%202B.pdf

Alex

Alex, those links are brilliant - thanks very much. Mine is indeed the mk2b. I have a quote from J&L at ?95 + dreaded, and at the same time Sue Miller has soured a pipe on its own. So I’m off to the garage tonight to test it. Suffice it to say it’ll be sat in a tray to catch the fluid.

Wish I’d known about the shelf life before - learn as you go along with this game don’t you.

All the best.

Sean.

Hi Sean,

Good the links helped!

When you take the drum apart to change the rubber elbow, you can press the diaphram in and let it push back out again. You should be able to feel if the seals in the cylinder it drives move back out too.

To check the seals in the upper cylinder, you would need to take the side clver panel off (held with 4 screws). The best you can do there is move it slightly with a screwdriver. No too scientific but much easier than a full rebuild. Yours looks too good to strip completely anyway!

Alex

Hi. Well, I’ve put the pipe in from the master cylinder to the servo and put a blanking pipe on (crimped copper pipe) at the outlet. I’ve a little air in there after bleeding, but can feel pressure on the brake pedal. I’ve run the engine with it all hooked up, and so far there’s no sign of a leak when I press the brake pedal and pump it. I think it’s operating ok, so am going to press on and put the last copper pipe in, then go through the fun of bleeding whole brake system and trying it out. It’s a bit of a sick joke that brake fluid happens to be corrosive to paint!! I’m checking every movement I make…

I’m off to the Beaulieu auto jumble tomorrow morning so hoping to spot a similar rubber pipe to the one I need.

All the best.

Sean.