Ferodo/Tapley Brake Tester / Deccelerometer

[mik_ok]

I have an old brake tester that I inherited from my dad. Still fully working - it's the rarer clamp-on version with gimbal mount.

No interest in selling it, but interested to know a bit more if anyone has any knowledge?

I understand these date back to around 1960, but the clamp design on mine is slightly different to all the others that I have seen. Interested to understand if that identifies it as an earlier, or (I suspect) newer version?

Clamp-on versions I have seen elsewhere.


Mine:

Edited by mik_ok on Friday 18th August 12:37

[spoodler]

Can't answer your questions, but what a lovely thing to own.
Up until a few years back, the garage I used for m.o.t.s still used something very similar - I believe, as no data existed for the old/modified kit cars and specials that I'd take in.

[Turbobanana]

I can remember back in the eighties working at a garage where I'd occasionally be asked to assist the MoT tester, an elderly gent who loved the old ways of doing things and - unlike some testers today - actually wanted your car to pass. Sometimes he felt disinclined to believe the rolling brake tester attached to the inspection pit, so he'd break out the Tapley. This was, from memory, a floor mounted one mounted on a heavy steel plate, which he'd install in the passenger footwell and he'd get me to drive round the yard, applying the brakes every so often while he watched the meter from the passenger seat. If we couldn't get a decent reading he'd say "let's take it out on the road". After this had happened 4 or 5 times I timidly mentioned that as I was only 15 I probably shouldn't be driving. I'm not sure he heard.

[52classic]

Lovely thing to own. My local MOT station still has one, a great contrast to all of the electronics he has there now.

Reminds me of a feature in Practical Classics, many years ago, about brake testing.

They advocated this cheap DIY brake tester...... Essentially an ordinary house brick placed in the passenger footwell longest side across the car.

With the smooth side down and the frog facing forward a foot-brake should be capable of tipping the brick over.
Stood on its end, again frog forward, the brick should be toppled by the handbrake. Simpler times for sure.

[Decky_Q]

I've used a much newer version with some electronics when testing brake balance. Only when rr brake tester is out of action. I always doubted the accuracy of the results, you could run the test multiple times and get different results for both dec and balance.

[Maxdecel]

I've only ever seen the plate mounted version, the clamp had me wondering just why would you or where would you mount that ?
Aaah
Maybe older than you thought !

[grumpy52]

I seem to remember some 4WD vehicles didn't tolerate the regular brake rollers used for MOTs so a Tapley meter had to be used .

[gt40steve]

grumpy52 said:

I seem to remember some 4WD vehicles didn't tolerate the regular brake rollers used for MOTs so a Tapley meter had to be used .

Yes & hand brake tested on a slope aswell.