VAC E-mail List Archive
The Vintage Airstream E-mail List
Archive Files
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[VAC] Hydraulic Brake Conversion/Tow Vehicle
Hi RJ and fellow listers: Regarding the hydraulic brake conversion from
Stromberg to electric and all the machining, reconfiguration and expense that
you mentioned that is required with a changeover, why not set up your tow
vehicle with the Stromberg hydraulic equipment like I did with my '58 Flying
Cloud and '95 Landrover Defender 90? It cost me less than $250. It involved
splicing into the brake line on one side of the rear axle, inserting a T
connector to that line, then connected to a flexible brake line to the T,
installing a bracket near the bumper connected to the flex line and affixing
the dog -eared connector (I found a limited indirect source for this part if
any of you want to contact me off list) and then connected the dog-eared
connector to the hydraulic brake unit on my rig, and viola, I have the
original brake system set up for my rig in full working order. This is the
same system that was on my rig with the previous original owner who had towed
the rig in the Yucatan, Europe and elsewhere without incident. Recently, I
had a full panic stop on an LA freeway towing the rig and the brake system
performed admirably. I understand that there is a difference of opinion on
the safety issue of this brake system, but IMO why fix somethin' that ain't
broken!
Regarding the issue of tow vehicle which appeared recently on the list, I
have a '95 Defender 90, 4 liter V-8 with a 4 speed (low and high range 4x4).
It is listed in the operating manual to tow 3500 lbs. in high range on road,
and 5000 lbs. in low range on road, with a 350 lb maximum permissible tongue
weight. In high range, a 22ft older trailer like mine is the most it should
tow because of the short wheelbase (93 inches) and the 3560 curb weight of my
vehicle. How does the GVW (gross vehicle weight) of 6001 figure in the
calculation of the towing capacity? All in all, I am very happy with my
vehicle as a tow vehicle and particulary off road, but a Defender 110 (longer
wheel base) would have been a better tow vehicle for my rig. Recently someone
voiced a complaint about their Landrover Discovery as a tow vehicle, but that
is a similar, yet different vehicle. There actually is a photo in the
vintage photo page on the VAC website of vintage Landrover pulling a 'stream
through the desert...
John M. Woodburn
WBCCI 11942/VAC
'58 Flying Cloud, 22 ft.
'95 Landrover Defender 90