Brakes: Reduced braking efficiency

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Bashy

I think I get it now, its meant to be front left hand brake NSF, the hyphen makes it look like they mean front left - (then) hand brake

But the route is different to what you describe, I have just checked Vida and they confirm what Haynes says, so are you sure you've been doing it correctly? see image from Vida.....

What about the left front wheel?

Originally Posted by Bashy

Ha, ya welcome, its easy when ya don't know diddly lol I can easily hear hissing when I put me foot on the brake, it sounds louder than I would expect and its coming from the pedal area, other than that, not popping or other sounds that I've noticed from the system.....

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Thanks guys, with the sealey one, do you crack each corner separately or all together, I'm not sure if my small 2T jack is strong enough to put the car onto 4 axel standssaying that, I have 2 jacks now so maybe with both doing 1 side it may work it, but I have a feeling you mean it still only 1 corner at a time regardless of system used?, it was the "crack each corner at your leisure" that threw me a little lol

Can you hear any hissing without pressing the brake pedal out of curiosity? Start the engine, make sure all the doors etc are closed with the radio off & listen closely for a hissing noise. If you hear it, press the brake pedal to see if the hissing noise stops. If it does, then that indicates there's a vacuum leak because of a perished seal, which is quite common. Although, it sounds as if you have a vacuum leak anyway because you can hear it when you press the pedal.

I know about this, as I had this exact issue I've mentioned (Except I had to press the pedal for the noise to stop, you can hear the hissing noise when you press the brake pedal... Opposite way around). I ended up replacing the servo with a guaranteed second hand unit (£80 plus labour to fit). There's a repair kit that comes with the seal that you can purchase, but working room is tight & its a bit of a fiddly job. My local garage said I'd pay more in labour for them to fit a seal to the existing servo than to purchase a used one that already had seals intact etc, so I opted for the latter. Since it was done, there's no hissing noise & the pedal is much firmer.

So in your case, investigate the hissing noise you're hearing first before purchasing & fitting new discs & pads. After all, it'd be pointless fitting them if there's a vacuum leak from the servo.

[Bashy]

Originally Posted by lynns hubby

Looks like I done them the wrong way round. I don't expect it matters in my case as I was changing the fluid as opposed to bleeding air out of the system.
However, point noted thank you.

No worries, like ya said, as long as no air in the system in the 1st place, prob not mattered, thanks for your advice

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Bashy

I think I get it now, its meant to be front left hand brake NSF, the hyphen makes it look like they mean front left - (then) hand brake

But the route is different to what you describe, I have just checked Vida and they confirm what Haynes says, so are you sure you've been doing it correctly? see image from Vida.....

Gosh that goes back to the 1970's we have been using pressure bleeders now for the last 30 years . which flush it all out ...

[Bashy]

I used a tyre pressure bleeder and im sure it said to refer to the owners manual as to the order in which to bleed.

We cant assume everyone uses pressure bleeders, heck, I didn't even know there was such a thing til I as started on about bleeding the brakes on the forum. To be honest, had I had someone else to help, I wouldn't have bothered spending the extra on pressure kit, glad I did mind and I would advise anyone else to get one too, the tyre versions are a bit of a pain mind, what with having to empty to 20psi, then refill after the 1st calliper and I don't think 20psi is enough for the back ones, took much longer to do compare to the fronts

[AndyV7o]

Should really use vacuum bleeding anyway, brake fluid will absorb air under pressure, and release air under vacuum, since air in fluid reduces performance and lowers the temperature rating of the fluid, pressure bleeding is in itself old-hat!

Try owning a mountain bike, a lot of brakes require the (fresh!) fluid to be degassed, and you would be stunned to see how much comes out!! (It is drawn out by vacuum using a bleeding syringe, then the brakes bled by vacuum once the fluid is degassed, with another bleeding syringe, air exposure during the procedure is almost non existent)

[Bashy]

As long as ya dont let the resi run dry then there is no chance of letting air into the system, as for the absorption, would that that be of any concern seen as its not under a closed system, i.e. its flowing out of the (.)

[AndyV7o]

Aye, its an open system, but pressure can force more air in, compromising the fluid from the outset is all. Still be miles better than 10 year old fluid!