GMC Brake guards

thomas g. warner

New member
Mar 24, 1998
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I am having a hard time believing that an accumulator with no hydraulic
source will compensate for out of round drums, reduce heat at the pads etc.
The only function of an accumultor is to increase the brakeline pressure to
the calipers and brake cylinders. The accumulator stores brake fluid at a
higher pressure and when the brake is depressed it trips a valve in the
accumulator which applys the higher pressure to the brake cylinders or
calipers. While you may not feel the pulsation in the brake pedal because of
the isolation of the accumulator it is still never the less there. My only
question is how the accumulator compenstes for the reduced pressure
everytime it is used?
I went to http://www.brakeguard.com/product.htm and found the following
information.

Description of Basic Operation

1. Brake-Guard is a mechanical 4 wheel safety system (non-electronic) that
uses the service brake system of a vehicle and operates automatically at
every brake application using brake fluid pressure.

2. A hydraulic/pneumatic responsive system that operates from signals
generated at the braking surface of each wheel and transmitted through the
service brake system via hydraulic fluid. These signals actuate the system's
two modulators (regulators) to help control the degree of wheel skid (slip)
during braking, within the threshold range by compensating for brake
irregularities, braking differentials between wheels and sudden spike
pressures from emergency braking. This provides constant, equal braking
force at all brake surfaces continuously during braking, substantially
improving overall braking and brake life.

3. This uniformity of braking further results in shorter more controlled
stopping through a more uniform/equal transfer of braking effort from brake
surfaces to roadway with a corresponding reduction in braking effort and
pressure.
Brake Guard actual location on vehicle

AT $595 each I believe it is over priced and still do not understand how it
works.

>Thomas & Frank SW Indiana
>Paul Bartz is correct, Brake Guard is an accumulator valve, and always
>has been, that removes the pulsation/pressure modulation in the
>hydraulic fluid caused by out-of-round & non-flat drums/rotors. The
>resulting effect is to maintain a constant pressure on the drums/rotors
>as they rotate. The heat is minimized & therefore the braking efficiency
>is maintained for shorter stoping distance under maximum stopping
>conditions.
>The design of the Brake Guard has not changed, however they are not
>allowed claims as "Anti-Lock Brake System" (ABS). I never considered
>them as ABS, however they do indeed improve your stopping distance by
>reducing the Hot Spots in the Drums/Disks. Ask my wife, she had to pick
>up all the items that went on the floor during my before & after tests (3
> runs each). The items only ended up on the floor after Brake Guards
>were installed (same stopping conditions....60 mph to dead stop). My
>Brakes are OEM except, 1 1/16" mid axle wheel cylinders. Asbestos shoes
>on rear & Performance Friction Pads on front. I have all the brakes that
>one could ask for except for repeated braking & then 6 wheel disk braked
>will out perform due to minimum fading. I also have Bob Lameys
>sensitized (Handicap) vacuum brake booster. This only lets you push with
>less effort of equal braking.
>Good brakes is a must, so one can pick & choose their mix. GM spent
>megabucks developing this vehicle & I am one not to mess with the brakes.
> If you see my coach, it is pretty much original '73.
>
>Duane
>
>___________________________________________________________________
>You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
>Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
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>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
Rick:

Like you, I've been holding back also.

Previously I mentioned that Consumer Reports had several articles (Nov 94
and Mar 96) about the ABS Trax, Brake-Guard, and ABS BrakeSafe, the makers.
In the Mar 96 issue, their article title is: Bogus ABS devices.

However, what is confounding are the results Duane claims???

When Classco was in business, their catalog listed Brake-Guard for $325.00.
I bought them and after seeing the Consumer Reports Nov article, returned
them for a refund without ever mounting.

I recall a GMC owner at a GMC Convention in 95 or 96 selling the units for
$225.00. Guess it's whatever the market will bear????

Believe it or not, but Clarence Buskirk used the Brake-Guard on his latest
personal stretched coach. i saw them at Marion NC.

Paul Bartz

From: RickStapls
Sent: 3/14/99 3:37 AM
Subject: Re: GMC: GMC Brake guards

> AT $595 each I believe it is over priced and still do not understand
how it
> works.

Tom,
$595!!!!! If you did not slip a decimal point there, your instincts
are
right on! $595 a pop for an item that costs, let's be charitable, maybe
$50 -
$100 to manufacture, will pay for a lot of advertising and comissions
along
the way. I've been biting my tongue on this one, not wanting to step on
any
toes, but that's outrageous!
If you wade through the semantic exercise you quoted, you will see
that it
is nothing but a passive accumulator, absorbing pulsations in fluid
pressure
caused by panic application or (theoretically) by warped discs or drums.
That
is, it's sort of like having a spongy brake hose. When you think about
it,
that's all it CAN do. The likelihood that this will somehow reduce hot
spots
in pads, shoes, discs, or drums, ranges from slim to nil. If you have
crummy,
pulsating brakes, or are a panicky driver, it MIGHT reduce your odds of
skidding SLIGHTLY. If neither of these conditions apply, then neither
does
the "Brake-Guard".
Of course, if you've already equipped your GMC with Gas-Line Magnets,
Turbo-Catalyst sachets in the air cleaner, and dual St. Cristopher
medals, and
have added Engine Overhaul pellets to your gas and oil, then by all
means get
one or two. They have a potent placebo effect.
One thing I have learned in this world: It's all too easy to convince
a man
of something he really WANTS to believe in.

Rick Staples
'75 Eleganza
Louisville, CO
 
Rick the power of the GMC net is proven once again and may save others money
(not important to anyone that owns a GMC since there is none left) and
frustration. Isn't slaying dragon myths fun? Another scam uncovered.

>
>> AT $595 each I believe it is over priced and still do not understand how it
>> works.
>
>Tom,
> $595!!!!! If you did not slip a decimal point there, your instincts are
>right on! $595 a pop for an item that costs, let's be charitable, maybe $50 -
>$100 to manufacture, will pay for a lot of advertising and comissions along
>the way. I've been biting my tongue on this one, not wanting to step on any
>toes, but that's outrageous!
> If you wade through the semantic exercise you quoted, you will see that it
>is nothing but a passive accumulator, absorbing pulsations in fluid pressure
>caused by panic application or (theoretically) by warped discs or drums. That
>is, it's sort of like having a spongy brake hose. When you think about it,
>that's all it CAN do. The likelihood that this will somehow reduce hot spots
>in pads, shoes, discs, or drums, ranges from slim to nil. If you have crummy,
>pulsating brakes, or are a panicky driver, it MIGHT reduce your odds of
>skidding SLIGHTLY. If neither of these conditions apply, then neither does
>the "Brake-Guard".
> Of course, if you've already equipped your GMC with Gas-Line Magnets,
>Turbo-Catalyst sachets in the air cleaner, and dual St. Cristopher medals, and
>have added Engine Overhaul pellets to your gas and oil, then by all means get
>one or two. They have a potent placebo effect.
> One thing I have learned in this world: It's all too easy to convince a man
>of something he really WANTS to believe in.
>
>Rick Staples
>'75 Eleganza
>Louisville, CO
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach