Re: CAUTION ON THE USE OF SILICONE BKAKE FLUID IN ESAMATIC BRAKE SYSTEMS

Posted by Peter Packard On 2007/10/24 5:33:20

Well, Gentlemen, you have certainly convinced me that the Treadle-Vac has a potentially serious problem, far worse than any conventional single master cylinder problem such as on all of the non Treadle Vac Packards. There are undoubtably a large number of Packards on the road with Treadle ? Vacs or single cylinder master units.
Do we have a ?duty of care? to warn them?
I think not, because
1. Each Packard is equipped with an emergency cable brake on the rear brake shoes, the system should be in good operating condition.
2. Each Packard has a manual or auto gearbox in which a lower gear may be selected to assist in retardation.
3. Each Packard is equipped with an ignition switch which cuts the engine ignition.

I have had a number of complete brake failures, the most notable was in 1967 on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, in a 1939 Chev Master Deluxe, when I broke an axle which moved out and rendered me brakeless, gearless and speechless. The incident wrecked a good car and a potentially good relationship with my then girlfriend.
Notwithstanding that service records do not exist for over 50 year old vehicles, bad news travels via Service Bulletins, Jungle Telegraph and the Mechanic's grape vine. I have heard many stories about car's weaknesses but I have heard none about the treadle ?vac. I hope that mine continues to give good service in the 56. I am about to fit a remote power booster ( non treadle ?vac) to my 1938 Packard 120 and that may be another thread. Best regards and it has been a very interesting item, once again I am sorry that I unfairly involved Silicone brake fluid. Peter Toet