Thread: Steering brakes on a Defender

Originally Posted by Reads90

Mm disagree seen personal far too many times in sand and mud where a Detroit and turetrack will STOP the car from turning as it just pushes the car forward. This was the main reason they were never used in winch challenging in the uk as you could not turn them of like an ARB or Maxi Drive locker. Seen people get really really stuck and have to be towed out just because of a Detroit and then see a car with nothing just drive straight around an obstacle with ease.

That's been my impression also, the Truetrac Eaton locker seems to work a bit better in that regards.

The fiddle brake I have seen over my time on land rovers have been totally separate from the original brake system. Normally another set of calipers put on each rear disc with a separate weld on mounts and separate system.

I would like to look at a bracket that is used to fit disc brakes to the rear of a drum braked Defender, then see what is available in electrically operated disc calipers for trailers.
.

I built a couple of sets of hydraulic turning brakes as a lad when I was into dune buggies. A couple of modified trailer brake cylinders with levers operate the standard rear wheel brakes, one for each side, i.e. you need two brake lines and flex hoses to the rear axle assembly. The foot brake is then plumbed via a tee piece to the reservoir inlet ports of each trailer cylinder. The reservoirs are cut off and the inlet nipple is drilled into the casting opposite the reservoir inlet port. A stout stop prevents foot brake pressure popping out the trailer brake pistons. The foot brake overrides the hand lever, indeed it pulls it out of your hand. There is no way the brakes can lock on with either lever or pedal. You bleed the system the normal way, by pedal.

If I dig around the back shed the remains of one may still be there for piccy purposes.