HI from Bedford TK owner :)

[MazTalks]

Thanks for your comprehensive reply!

The mechanic says that the air piston bit (the servo) is leaking and he is worried that the membrane inside is going to be perished or will perish eventually(?). He also said the master cylinder was leaking and super old (maybe the original from 1977!)
He said that it would be quicker in man hours to get new ones as then he just needs to stick it on and bleed the system (if i understood him correctly)
He said i could get new seals, but this would involve lots more man hours.

There isnt really anywhere else to take it to here,. we live in rural france and he is the only hgv garage for miles and lots of people here recommended him... so i am a bit stuck with him i guess.

For now i can keep driving it, as long as i keep checking the brake fluid levels, whilst i try to find the parts.

[G-CPTN]

I've just remembered - your vehicle (depending on date of manufacture) might have a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) visible through the windscreen on the top of the 'fascia' (not the instrument binnacle - the sheet metal of the cab structure) which will look like a 'dymotape' strip (though metal). This might provide information (such as the chassis number) that might be missing from the model plate that you found under the seat.

It's a complex number and not easy to decode:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle...rer_Identifier

[G-CPTN]

OK, so now we have more information about the fault (air servo leaking - suspect perished diaphragm, master cylinder leaking - old anyway) you need to start a search for parts for an EJM - either new or reconditioned (or even from a scrapper if 'guaranteed').

I'll see if I can find what you need (on the basis that I will provide links that I can find rather than me actually verifying if the parts are correct!).

I presume that your vehicle is right-hand drive? If not then you might need different parts (or maybe the mounting brackets allow for that) - worth checking with the supplier who should know more than me.

Describe your vehicle as a TK EJM 1977 (?) to provide as much information as you have for the supplier to ensure you get the correct parts.

If you cannot find assemblies, then you might find seal sets are your answer (even with the extra labour cost - the actual work isn't difficult and should be well within the capability of any 'mechanic'). I agree that assemblies removes the possibility of further complications, but I can reproduce the instructions from my MK manual which will explain what is needed to be done. I'll see whether I can get my scanner to work (it's actually the printer bit which isn't printing) or I might buy a new printer (actually cheaper than buying ink cartridges!).

[G-CPTN]

From what I have discovered so far, it seems that the air actuator (servo) might not have a diaphragm, but be a piston type.
Of course this depends on the age of your vehicle and actual model, but '330' TKs are coming up as piston type, and a repair kit is reasonably priced (IMO):-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bedford-TK...item2310bf9064

From:- http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Bedford-TK-...4.l1581&_pgn=2 (shows the early 220 diaphragm repair kit).

Some suppliers of Bedford parts:-

http://www.powertrackbrakes.co.uk/contact.html

http://www.bedfordparts.co.uk/contact.shtml

This is a brake master cylinder, but for a heavier model than yours, and I don't know whether it would fit:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bedford-TK...item2313e96950

It says KG/EPR which is heavier than your KB(?)/EJM - Maybe your model is KD? (I wish I could remember the 'new' designations - ie the third letter (M) in your EJM). The third letter (which indicates the allowable maximum weight) is in the sequence from A rising to Z (though the extremes A and Z weren't used IIRC), so a letter M is lower GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) than a letter R (which I know was a KG). Third letter V was a KM (16 tonner), X was 22 tonner (and 24 tonner, too IIRC).

It seems (from the interweb) that the third letter G was a KB, so maybe yours is a KD (I don't think it is a KE or KF though it could be if it was coded with small wheels - which were usually fitted to KB as standard.

I've just found a 'translation' list:-

Third letter:-
F=KA
G=KB=TK570
L=KC=TK750
M=KD=TK860
N=KE=TK1000
R=KG=TK1260
T=KH=TK1470

Which seems to confirm your vehicle as a TK KD/TK860 (your allowable weight (GVW) should be 860Kg?

Sorry if this confuses you, but when they changed from simple KA/KB to EOF/EOG I lost interest!

Here's another translation list:-
http://avi-ltd.co.uk/id18.html
Which might mean that the digits that you thought were 2000 or 2060 could be 2BCO (with the 2 being the wheelbase designator).

I don't remember what the next letter indicated, but the CO meant (IIRC) supplied with a fully-built cab (a letter Z indicated no cab).

It's been 30 years since I was involved in such matters, so it's no surprise that I've forgotten some of it!

[G-CPTN]

I've just read your replies again (it seems we were crossing).

Don't worry whether your vehicle is a KC or a KD as they were closely related and with coded tyres they overlapped (so you could uprate or downrate according to the size of wheels and tyres).

A KC would have a 4 cylinder 220 cu in diesel engine rather than the 6 cylinder 330 cu in diesel - so you have the better option, believe me - the 220 diesel was exactly 2/3rds of the 330 and so performance suffered accordingly!

The important thing is that you now have the official designation (EJM) even though it now seems to be a TK750 rather than a TK860 - this would be done to permit it to be driven without a HGV licence in the UK.

In a way that's good, because horses aren't as heavy as bricks and if your vehicle was originally a TK860 that has been downrated to a TK750 it just means that you have slightly sturdier components (though as I said there was an overlap of parts).

The downrating might explain why the badges were removed, otherwise when it was presented for testing they would treat it as an HGV rather than a 7.5 tonner.

I hope this helps to clarify what might seem to be confusing information.

[MazTalks]

Originally Posted by G-CPTN

I've just read your replies again (it seems we were crossing).

Don't worry whether your vehicle is a KC or a KD as they were closely related and with coded tyres they overlapped (so you could uprate or downrate according to the size of wheels and tyres).

A KC would have a 4 cylinder 220 cu in diesel engine rather than the 6 cylinder 330 cu in diesel - so you have the better option, believe me - the 220 diesel was exactly 2/3rds of the 330 and so performance suffered accordingly!

The important thing is that you now have the official designation (EJM) even though it now seems to be a TK750 rather than a TK860 - this would be done to permit it to be driven without a HGV licence in the UK.

In a way that's good, because horses aren't as heavy as bricks and if your vehicle was originally a TK860 that has been downrated to a TK750 it just means that you have slightly sturdier components (though as I said there was an overlap of parts).

The downrating might explain why the badges were removed, otherwise when it was presented for testing they would treat it as an HGV rather than a 7.5 tonner.

I hope this helps to clarify what might seem to be confusing information.

Wow thanks for all your time an effort, you have found out loads more than i have been able to on the net! So now i will look for an air servo and brake master cylinder for a TK750 and keep my fingers crossed we can find some

[MazTalks]

this is a link to a garage in Kent who does TK parts and spares http://www.bedfordparts.co.uk/contact.shtml
Spoke to a guy called david, who has the repair kit for the servo and a new master cylinder and he is going to send them over for next week!
So thanks all of you for your help and advice

[G-CPTN]

Sounds good!

I'll send you the instructions to 'service' the servo.

[MazTalks]

wow, that would be super

[G-CPTN]

Right, before we start (or before your mechanic starts) see:-
http://www.truckandbusforum.com/show...8&postcount=10
and:- http://www.truckandbusforum.com/show...?t=3901&page=2
which covers wheelbrake adjustment (which should be checked first IMO).
Then, if it is decided that the master cylinder and air actuator need replacing/overhauling, here are the instructions which will assist your mechanic:-