Load compensator

[Ricky]

After reading a lot of things on the '6 forum, I am now confused about whether I need to keep my rear brake compensator..

I don't have ABS, have '6 brakes front and rear. I have a new beam to go on without a compensator, but apparently it wont be safe without the compensator on? Strange because I swear there are plenty of people without it who also don't have ABS..

Can anyone shed some light on this? My compensator is pretty knackered and I really don't want to pay out for another one..

[cwspellowe]

Erm, I have 302mm fronts and gti disc rears and no ABS and no load compensator and I have no trouble at all.

The gti forum (also known as the Ed Doe family reunion forum) will have you believe that the difference in brake bias will have you roll into a field and die a horrible fiery death.

[spike2002]

I converted my old 1.6 from drum beam to a disc beam. and didnt use the compensator and just cut the abs sensors off as the car had no abs
but if i hit the brakes hard the rear would lock up so my advice is fit the compensator

[cwspellowe]

I converted my old 1.6 from drum beam to a disc beam. and didnt use the compensator and just cut the abs sensors off as the car had no abs
but if i hit the breakes hard the rear would lock up so my advice is fit the compensator

..or fit better front brakes?

[Ricky]

Erm, I have 302mm fronts and gti disc rears and no ABS and no load compensator and I have no trouble at all.

The gti forum (also known as the Ed Doe family reunion forum) will have you believe that the difference in brake bias will have you roll into a field and die a horrible fiery death.

Haha pretty much sums up what I have been reading on there!

I converted my old 1.6 from drum beam to a disc beam. and didnt use the compensator and just cut the abs sensors off as the car had no abs
but if i hit the brakes hard the rear would lock up so my advice is fit the compensator

Problem I can see though, is that they tend to seize within 12 seconds of driving, so am I right is saying it's pretty much the same as not having one?

[spike2002]

The front brakes were fine. under hard brakeing with out a compensator the rear would lock up.

[cwspellowe]

The front brakes were fine. under hard breaking with out a compensator the rear would lock up.

..but evidently not good enough. If you want a decent brake bias you want them locking up slightly before the rears, or for a bit of tail happy action the rear locking up first. If you've too much rear bias, you can either adjust the bias via brake pressure or by increasing the braking force at the front with calipers/pads etc.

I have no brake assists or bias valve and the fronts definitely lock before the rears.

And OP, depends how the compensator has seized, either on, off, or somewhere in the middle. A seized one means the bias can't be adjusted but isn't technically the same as not having one, with none at all the rear bias would be at its maximum iirc

[Ricky]

is it a big job to fit an in line bias valve?

---

The front brakes were fine. under hard breaking with out a compensator the rear would lock up.

..but evidently not good enough. If you want a decent brake bias you want them locking up slightly before the rears, or for a bit of tail happy action the rear locking up first. If you've too much rear bias, you can either adjust the bias via brake pressure or by increasing the braking force at the front with calipers/pads etc.

I have no brake assists or bias valve and the fronts definitely lock before the rears.

And OP, depends how the compensator has seized, either on, off, or somewhere in the middle. A seized one means the bias can't be adjusted but isn't technically the same as not having one, with none at all the rear bias would be at its maximum iirc

I know the spring is loose and rattling around. I think if I slammed on they would lock first, my first drum beam with a valve would lock the rears very easily..

[Mattcheese31]

iirc you don't need the compensator if you have ABS . . .true story . .