Rear Brake Question.......

[Andy Rundell]

Hi Everyone,

Had an MOT failure today, the description was that the rear brakes increase/decrease at different rates.

This is not the handbrake - it is for the regular hydraulic brake activation - anyone experienced this before ? any advise welcomed before i do a blanket change of the shoes/springs - already checked the wheel cylinders which operate perfectly.

cheers.............

Andy

[Mark S]

imported post

Your MOT man must be very picky IF the cylinders are ok. They are from a common hydraulic supply so must get the same pressure. Are you sure one piston isn't stuck in one of the cylinders? Are your shoes contaminated with brake fluid or copper grease? Does he mean you have oval drums? For the sake £20 I would clean everything up and change the cylinders to prove that you have made the effort.

Can't be much else to cause your symptoms.

Mark.

[Andy Rundell]

imported post

Hi Mark,

thanks for your reply - i'll give them an overhaul this weekend which should sort things out - good point about the potentially warped drums i'll check them out - hadn't thought of that one.

I think it is part of the MOT tester job description to be a little picky !

cheers...

Andy

[Mark S]

imported post

If it is a stuck piston all well and good, but I have foundtesters are usually a little more "forgiving" of thirty year old cars with very minor design characteristics (faults).

Mark.

[DJT]

imported post

Andy,

Are your flexible rubbers in good condition? If old they may be breaking up internally and affecting the flow of fluid one way or the other.

Dave

[Andy Rundell]

imported post

Hi Dave,

The flexibles are all S/S braided - a couple of years old - which all appear in very good order. I'll do some bleeding and check there is a steady flow of fluid.

The irony is that the brake perform very well in daily use- No prizes for guessing what i'm up to over the long weekend !

Thanks for your reply..... cheers

Andy

[TimShoubridge]

imported post

Hi Andy,

Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your problem. I live just down the road from you, Windlesham, and a couple of pals on this forum are also close. We meet up as and when we can and it would be good to catch up with you at some time. Unfortunately, I'm away until next weekend, but after that if you're around one weekend I'm sure we could meet up and compare notes.

Tim

[Andy Rundell]

imported post

Hi Tim

thanks for the suggestion, sounds like a good idea,i have anotherstag-ownervery close by, i'll sound hm outas well.....

cheers

Andy

[Stagdad]

imported post

DJT wrote:

Andy,

Are your flexible rubbers in good condition? If old they may be breaking up internally and affecting the flow of fluid one way or the other.

Dave

Dave ,Andy

I had this on one of my front hoses .i wouldn't have thought possible but it was competely blocked even under full pressure which ment the pistons in the caliper siezed through lack of movement.

Good point ,worth keeping in mind

Steve

[TimShoubridge]

imported post

Andy Rundell wrote:

Hi Tim

thanks for the suggestion, sounds like a good idea,i have anotherstag-ownervery close by, i'll sound hm outas well.....

cheers

Andy

Good stuff.

Just a small point. I notice your Stag is white, so are my two pals. As you can see I have a green one and I'm beginning to feel intimidated.. Please tell me the other owner has something other than white? Please.

Sorry, I know this will start another "what colour is best?" thread, but what can a guy do?

[DJT]

imported post

TimShoubridge wrote:

Just a small point. I notice your Stag is white, so are my two pals. As you can see I have a green one and I'm beginning to feel intimidated..

Tim,

We hunt in packs :P. As you can see, we had Simon Preece's blue car surrounded at Powderham this year.