Braking problems

[NicholEvans]

After putting these new brakes in and also putting a new hydraulic component in the rear passenger side, i find that the pedal seems to go to the floor without much resistance and it feels like the drums arent perfectly round because when i do brake, there is resistance to the point that the pedal is pushed back up. If i pump the pedal a bit then i get a bit more feel, the brakes still work but they are terrible! could anyone give me some advise on what it could be?!

[dellerie]

master cylinder?

[NicholEvans]

thats what i thought! im just not sure though and i want to be before i go buying a whole new part and wasting my time

[MarkyB]

Now you have driven it a bit go round and check the adjustment again, they have probably got lined up properly and bedded in a little.
While you are doing that, turn the drums and rest your thumb nail against the edge to make sure they turn true.

[NicholEvans]

what about the absence of pressure and the pedal basically going to the floor? can you help me with that problem? i will for sure have a look at that though! thanks!

[MarkyB]

If it still does that after you have adjusted them there may still be air in the system.
I hope you didn't throw away the old drums, it's just possible that one of the new ones is duff.

[NicholEvans]

if the new drums arent right then ill just take them back! erm the old drums had massive score marks through them due to the shoes being completely bare! ha!

[bmcecosse]

What exactly did you do to the brakes - " putting these new brakes in " doesn't give us much to go on....... Did you bleed the brakes after fitting " a new hydraulic component " - what was this - a rear wheel cylinder??

[SvMinor]

I recently replaced my brakes, new cylinders, shoes, brake lines, and nipples all from bull motif in a kit. I got the lockheed kit, cost a bit extra but worth it in my opinion.

After fitting what happened to me was similar to your problem, the pedal was going to the floor, and when going down a steep hill they just about stopped me with a little help from the hand brake.

So what I did was, jack car up, remove all 4 wheels, turn all adjusters clockwise til all wheels are locked and dont turn,leave handbrake off,then get a jar or glass 1/4 fill with brake fluid, get a piece of rubber tubing attach it to the bleed nipple of the rear offside hub,make sure the other end of the tube is in the glass of brake fluid,(Hold it in the brake fluid) get someone to pump the brake peddle several times and on the last stroke keep the pressure on the peddle, then you open the said nipple(quickly) the peddle will the go to the floor then tighten the nipple up again, then let the peddle up slowly,

Then move on to the rear offiside, do exactly the same as before,
Then move on to the front nearside do the same again,
and finally the front offside,

keep the master cylinder topped up with brake fluid between each hub.

and I kept the top on the master cylinder while bleeding each hub.

you may need to go round the car 2 or 3 times, I did and it passed mot the next day, mot man said the brakes were very good.
I was worried it would fail on the brakes.

Just be patient and you will get it sorted.

Mark

[Alex'n'Ane]

That sounds a slighly weird way to bleed the brakes imo.. Look on here for other threads about how to bleed the brake system, this is most likely what needs doing. Imo also worth getting a 'one person bleed kit' basically just a pie with a non return valve, still always have one person to watch, but easier than opening and closing the nipple each stroke.

[SvMinor]

Well it worked for me and the car passed MOT so cant be much wrong with this method, I actually got this method off this site! And this is how another member told me how to do it, so I thought id explain it in my words, Each to their own!

I did not say open on each stroke, I said pump the peddle several times, then hold the presssure, then open the nipple, peddle goes to the floor, tighten nipple and move on to the next 1.

[Alex'n'Ane]

No no i wasn't saying there was anything wrong with doing it that way, it works by building up the hydraulic pressure, but that would not be the usual way to completely bleed the brake system after fitting new cylinders.

[NicholEvans]

I replaced the rear cylinder and then i went round the car with help, bleeding the brakes. there was a lot of pressure at the front and not much at the back if im honest! i will keep at it though because bad brakes arent the best problem to have. found today that after leaving my lights on the other day, i have ruined the battery so i will be needing a new one....

[NicholEvans]

While we're on the subject of problems with my car, i have a problem with the passenger side suspension that i have had since i took ownership of the car where the whole front of the car on the passenger side is sagging? its slightly dramatic. the damper also needs replacing since it is very very soft and when i tried putting more oil in, it made no difference at all... i have the feeling that the car has been adjusted and not put back? or could there be a problem with the torsion bar being past its best maybe?

thanks for your help guys

[mike.perry]

Quote "I have ruined the battery so i will be needing a new one"
Try re charging the battery, you might save yourself some money

[ASL642]

Does sound like you need a new damper. Check the other side as well.

Has the seal gone on the master cylinder? I had this. Replaced the m/c and all worked fine. Bleeding the brakes is a real pain, but keep at it. Air always gets in if something has been changed. Brake bleed kit is well worth the investment.

[bmcecosse]

The torsion bars don't go 'past their best' - until they snap..........

[MarkyB]

How many have you snapped, and under what circumstances?
Inquiring minds need to know!

[bmcecosse]

Me - none! But I believe some have done so - but usually caused by some physical damage to the bar starting a stress crack - they operate WELL within their elastic limit on the car - and although folks are always advised to keep the T bar on the same side of the car, I actually wonder if swapping them over would make the slightest difference. That damage can be caused eg by reversed bolts for the master cylinder rubbing on the T bar (so it's important to cut them down) - but a 'slip' with an angle grinder during resto work would not help either!

[katy]

NicholEvans wrote: "replaced the rear cylinder and then i went round the car with help, bleeding the brakes. there was a lot of pressure at the front and not much at the back"

I had a similiar problem, except there was NO pressure at the rear brake cylinders. I found the flex hose between the body and the rear axle to be plugged solid. It was swolen up so much inside that it couldn't pass any fluid at all.