NoRol

[Ohjai]

I was just reading about the NoRol option in the 1941 Data Book. 
Did it work? 
Do many existing cars still have working systems? 
If someone wanted to add it, are the parts available?

Tell me more about it.

Thanks

Jim

[MikeLawson]

Jim,

I had a NOS NoRol installation kit for a 1948 Buick I once owned. I never actually installed the device because I didn't want to disturb a braking system that was working correctly. The unit itself was very simple with only a few moving parts. I've included a copy of the instruction sheet that came with the NoRol kit, hopefully this will give you an idea of what the device looks like and how it worked and what was involved with the installation.

[Ohjai]

Thanks Mike, that answers many of the questions I had.

Jim

[Bob Schuman]

Jim,
The 41 I bought in 1973 had the NoRol, and it worked great for quite a while, easy to start from a stop on an upgrade, and no drawbacks. Eventually it would allow the car to creep backward, then get worse until it would no longer hold. I rebuilt it several times over a period of 35 years, each time restoring it like new for a few years. Easy to rebuild THEN. The word "then" is critical, because eventually I was unable to find repair parts, and removed and sold the complete setup and then had normal brakes.
To my knowledge there was never a rebuild kit for the internals of the control valve, but NOS valves were readily available from Studebaker vendors, and the internals were interchangeable. (Studebaker was the largest user of the Wagner NoRol from 1936). Eventually even NOS valves in original sealed boxes were useless because of age deterioration of one critical part. That was the rubber valve seat molded into one end of a stainless steel cage inside the control valve assembly. When that rubber seat deteriorates the device does not work properly. Possibly someone can re-mold a new rubber seat into the cage, but it is not a simple part, and I could never find anyone doing such a job.
To summarize, the NoRol was great, but presently of no value if there is nobody re-molding the rubber seat into the metal cage. That is the only wearing part that is critical to the system.
Wagner Electric, the NoRol manufacturer, was located in St. Louis. That company and anyone associated with it is long gone, and my attempts to get help from a Wagner successor were futile.

[Ohjai]

Thanks Bob.  It sounded like an interesting option that I don't have to try and find.

Jim