Brake pulsing...time for some new discs?

[Eyebrows123]

Definitely more obvious under heavy braking. I've never seen the ABS warning light come on in the car (apart from when the ignition is turned on). The fluid I have a feeling is old, that is something I want to change (and will probably get the garage to do it as it I don't have a pressure bleeder). The car had actually been parked up for 2 weeks over Xmas prior to the bad fluctuation in a closed barn. So could well have been the pads rusted on a little. In fact, thinking about it, when I drove out of the barn there was definitely a brief "snap" which I assume was the disc braking away from the pad surface. I didn't leave the handbrake on in the 2 weeks so I guess it wasn't that.

So, yes it certainly had got worse after laying it up for 2 weeks so I reckon I'll give power braking a go see if I can clean the discs up. Does this give the excuse to do a standing burnout

Really appreciate the offer of help, unfortunately I've just left cambs and am down in Bristol. However, will be back in a couple of weeks time for my MOT. So if that goes tits up then maybe I might have to call on help but for now I'll keep my fingers crossed!

[Laird Scooby]

With that extra knowledge, i'd give the "apply the brakes gently for a mile or two" trick before the heavy braking. The handbrake has separate shoes so won't interfere with the discs/pads but a wise move leaving it off while parked up!

If all goes pear-shaped then i do happen to have a pressure bleeder.

See how it goes with the brakes gently applied for a mile or so, just enough so you can feel they're doing something but not so much you have to floor it just to keep going! Takes a little practice but you'll soon get the hang of it.

[volvoid]

take off wheel, put straight edge across brake disc, see if its bent or not.

[aardvarkash10]

Originally Posted by volvoid

take off wheel, put straight edge across brake disc, see if its bent or not.

OK, if you have some mechanical ability, this is easy. Alternatively, a DTI if you have one, or a poor man's DTI - anything that will highlight run-out in the disc, which is the most obvious cause.

There are LOTS of other, less obvious causes and they appear to have mostly been canvassed already.

I appreciate your skint condition, but the reality of this fault is that you are probably going to end up replacing something - likely a set of discs. The economics of old car ownership is often not honestly discussed - they are a money hole into which you can pour your entire income plus 10%

[Laird Scooby]

What Ash says is right, older cars can be a black hole lurking in the bottom of your wallet to swallow the first (and last!) money you put in there.

However, looking at the evidence here it strongly suggests it's going to be something simple, easily and cheaply fixed.

Give the driving with brakes lightly applied a try then move on to the more complicated and potentially expensive solutions from there. In my experience, most faults are something simple so it usually pays to try the simple stuff first.

For example, the vacuum cleaner in your student digs/halls stops working and you need to clean your room - what do you check first?

Besides plugging something else in that does work to prove you still have a supply to the socket, you check the fuse first - you wouldn't start stripping it down to change the motor. You get the idea.....

This is known as the "KISS" method - Keep It Simple, Stupid!

[Eyebrows123]

Just thought I'd update

Car was still pulsating badly so I drove for a mile or so with the brakes applied, didn't really fix it. So I did it again at maybe 30-40mph for a couple of miles and it definitely made a huge difference removing the majority of the wobble out making it much more acceptable.

It then went for an MOT, last year I got advisories on 2 brakes suffering a little fluctuation (one front, one rear). This year I only had one advisory with a fluctuation on only the front brake - it would appear the rear fluctuation has cured itself!

So we'll call that a success and now i know what to try doing before diving into new discs and pads!