[joecherian]

My 6 yr old Indigo needs to go for a change to her brake booster assembly. Prerana Motors is asking 8000 bucks for the same. I would like to know whether I can get the same outside ? Does any one know some shops in Bangalore where in I can get the same ? OR is it better to go with the quote given by Prerana ?
For Indigo, which brand of brake booster is the best in terms of reliability ?

[trrk]

Hi Joe,

This is what I got from Justdial search:

Brakes India Ltd
Mr Mohan Raj
+(91)-(80)-23336211, 26494436
No.8, 80ft Rd,hmt Lyt, R T Nagar, Bangalore - 560032

See if this helps. A post in another thread suggests this manufacturer.

[rkbharat]

AFAIK Tata cars comes with two brands of booster KBX and I think TVS. I once changed the brake booster of my Indica from outside. Bought it from spare shop for 2500 Rs and labor 900 Rs.

8000 is too high, unless there is some thing great in those boosters.

I suggest procure it from local spare shop. Check the brand currently fitted.

Any good Tata Mechanic will fit it.

[trrk]

Hi,

If it is KBX, then the following could be useful. Got from the same source.

Kalyani Brakes Ltd
Mr Nibulkar
+(91)-(80)-22120309
Lalbagh Rd, Bangalore - 560027

I hope these entries are correct!

Anyway this is what I have:



It is a TVS one.

[SLK]

Slightly off topic, but would like to know:-

What are the symptopms that suggest that the booster is bad?

Isn't it just a thing which will either perfectly work or completely fail? - how are you still driving?

[yzfrj]

Originally Posted by SLK

What are the symptopms that suggest that the booster is bad?

Isn't it just a thing which will either perfectly work or completely fail?

Well for starters, you'll feel the brake to be spongy and braking distances will be more.

Simple way to check if the booster thingy is doing its stuff :
-Press down the brake pedal with the engine off.
-Start the engine with you foot on the brake.

-You should feel the pedal pushing (very mild)

If it remains as is, chances are the brake (not necessarily the booster) is having some problem.

Well I've had 2 booster failures, one on my bro's wagon r and one on my zen.

I was driving the zen without the booster for more than a year.
As per the service guys it was not "fully" gone.
But yes the brakes were spongy and the pedal was lifeless.

Bottom line it was a failure, but not a failure that made the car/brake dangerous (well yes the brakes were bad compared to the original) but its still drivable and will not stop the show.

However in my bro's wagon r, it was more "drastic" oil was leaking into the booster assembly (I had to top-up every 200-300kms). In this case immediate replacement was the only solution.

Zen it came around 4k, wagon r it was around 5k.

[drpullockaran]

The only part that can go easily is the bellow. I suggest you change just this part.
Bye and wear your seat belts.

[SirAlec]

Booster can't be repaired. Its a sealed unit and there is a reason for keeping it that way. But the good thing is its failure rate is low.

Whay did you came to the conclusion that its faulty.

[joecherian]

Originally Posted by trrk

Hi Joe,

This is what I got from Justdial search:

Brakes India Ltd
Mr Mohan Raj
+(91)-(80)-23336211, 26494436
No.8, 80ft Rd,hmt Lyt, R T Nagar, Bangalore - 560032

See if this helps. A post in another thread suggests this manufacturer.

Thanks trrk. I tried the number but it seems they have shifted the office from this location. Trying to contact Madras Auto service as they are the distributors for TVS break boosters

Originally Posted by trrk

Hi,

If it is KBX, then the following could be useful. Got from the same source.

Kalyani Brakes Ltd
Mr Nibulkar
+(91)-(80)-22120309
Lalbagh Rd, Bangalore - 560027

I hope these entries are correct!

It is a TVS one.

I will contact them too to see whether they have the Brakes India brake boosters as the TATA uses them from Brakes India ( which I guess is a TVS group company)

Originally Posted by rkbharat

AFAIK Tata cars comes with two brands of booster KBX and I think TVS. I once changed the brake booster of my Indica from outside. Bought it from spare shop for 2500 Rs and labor 900 Rs.

8000 is too high, unless there is some thing great in those boosters.

I suggest procure it from local spare shop. Check the brand currently fitted.

Any good Tata Mechanic will fit it.

yes, even I felt it same. 8000 seems to be th every high extreme and hence trying to figure out alternate sources.

Originally Posted by SLK

Slightly off topic, but would like to know:-

What are the symptopms that suggest that the booster is bad?

Isn't it just a thing which will either perfectly work or completely fail? - how are you still driving?

Originally Posted by SirAlec

Booster can't be repaired. Its a sealed unit and there is a reason for keeping it that way. But the good thing is its failure rate is low.

Whay did you came to the conclusion that its faulty.

Well, I felt like braking is less effective, more over, the pedal goes way down . These were the initial symptoms and then I took my car to Prerana where they diagnosed that oil was going inside the booster assembly and hence proper vaccum was not getting created. It seems Indigo ( mine is the first batch) has hydraulic assisted vaccum brakes (?).

Originally Posted by yzfrj

Well for starters, you'll feel the brake to be spongy and braking distances will be more.

However in my bro's wagon r, it was more "drastic" oil was leaking into the booster assembly (I had to top-up every 200-300kms). In this case immediate replacement was the only solution.

Mine is the same case. Oil is going inside the booster assembly( as per the service technician)

[ilangop]

Originally Posted by joecherian

Mine is the same case. Oil is going inside the booster assembly( as per the service technician)

Oil leaking into the vaccum booster could be due to worn out Master cylinder seals. You may either replace with a new MC kit or replace the master cylinder itself. Have you tried out the pedal travel test for the booster, as mentioned in one of the previous posts.

[joecherian]

Originally Posted by ilangop

Oil leaking into the vaccum booster could be due to worn out Master cylinder seals. You may either replace with a new MC kit or replace the master cylinder itself. Have you tried out the pedal travel test for the booster, as mentioned in one of the previous posts.

Well, I haven't tried the pedal test , but as per the service advisor who inspected my vehicle, they told that the booster assembly has to be replaced. I am not sure whether they wanted me to buy the unit as a whole ( to make some bucks) instead of replacing the master cylinder.

Can the MC be replaced on its own or is it part of some larger component which has to be replaced as a whole ?

On a different note, does anyone has any contacts in Madras Auto Service ? I called their bangalore office for getting the booster assembly , but, it seems they won't sell it to individual customers and only to dealers. Hence, looking for some contacts who can help me get the same from Madras Auto Service.

[joecherian]

Can anyone provide me the part number for brake booster assembly for KBX as well as Brakes India ?

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by joecherian

Thanks trrk. I tried the number but it seems they have shifted the office from this location.

Sorry about that. Can't find anything on the online BSNL directory either!

Originally Posted by joecherian

I will contact them too to see whether they have the Brakes India brake boosters as the TATA uses them from Brakes India ( which I guess is a TVS group company)

No way. This is is a different company and they won't be able to give you a TVS product. I mentioned it here only because rkbharat mentioned this as another OEM.

Originally Posted by joecherian

they diagnosed that oil was going inside the booster assembly and hence proper vaccum was not getting created. It seems Indigo ( mine is the first batch) has hydraulic assisted vaccum brakes (?).

I can't comment on the technical aspects of the problem, but be reassured that every Indica / Indigo and its cousins have the same arrangement.

In a diesel car, this vacuum is created by a pump which is fitted behind the alternator.

They should find out why the oil leaks into the booster. Does your brake fluid gets empty?

Sorry can't be of much direct help here. Also if you go by their diagnosis and rectification, ensure that the problem gets rectified to your satisfaction before you pay up.

Just take a look at the following:

Yahoo! Groups

[joecherian]

Today, I went to a local mechanic for double checking my brake issue and the mechanic had a different version. His findings are that the master cylinder has to be replaced and not the booster assembly.Now, I am having double thought regarding the same as to why did Prerana ask me to replace the entire brake booster assembly.Anyways, I am planning to take the vehicle to another TASC to get their diagnosis..

[joecherian]

I don't want to compromise on safety and hence am thinking of replacing the entire brake booster assembly. Hence, would like to know whether this indeed is the right step or should I go ahead and replace just the master cylinder ?