Technical Weekend 105 JTD Brakes need advice

Currently reading:
Technical Weekend 105 JTD Brakes need advice

Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
73
Points
20
Location
Pontefract W.Yorks
Hi Folks,

A couple of this things have crept up recently with the trusty Marea Weekend. Firstly I suspect another MAF problem but I will ignore it for now until this brake problem is sorted.

My wife complained recently that the brakes felt funny. I tested the brakes and agreed they they used to be a lot keener, now you have to apply pressure and come to a gradual halt. At standstill if you press the brake pedal it will go hard as normal, if the engine is on it will then go softer again but with the engine off remain stiff.

Anyway, I replaced the front brake disks and pads at the weekend, in the rain, took the skin off my knucled and caught a cold :eek: but the brakes dont feel any better. I have noticed that the handbrake lever now has quite a distance of slack travel before being useful so I suspect the rear brakes.

I have never tackled brake drums before, I guess the two main components are the drums and the shoes kinda like the disks and pads but cylinder like. Anyway would like to know if its easy to do, if any special tools will be required. When I read brake shoes and adjustment I am not sure what sort of adjustment is being talked about. I would be tempted to replace just the shoes to start with would it be prudent also to change the drums ?

I realise also that brake fluid change is probably due but dont think it is this that is causing the relatively poor braking. Dont get me wrong the car stops but I remember once being impressed by the braking of ability now not so much so I think something is up.

Any help / advice received gratefully and thanks in advance :worship:
 
mIght be worth bleading you system if it feels spongy remember rear braking is only something like 20% bias. Handbrake can be adjusted and is more to do with the handbrake cable stretching than the brake shoes being worn. Although that can contribue just alot smaller.

There is an adjuster nob under the handbrake gator to tighten the handbrake.
 
fluid should be changed every 2 years, may as well do it if your bleeding. And remember your new pads will take a little while to "bed-in" to the discs.

there is a download link on this site for the workshop manual which is great and will help with the rear drums, i'm looking for it now but can't place it??
 
sounds like the distance between the shoes and drum is now excessive, so when you break the shoes have to travel before effective braking is achieved. the automatic adjusters should always maintain the correct gap between shoe and drum, even when the shoes are very worn, so it may be worth cleaning the adjusters and give then a check to see that they still adjust.
 
Hi there,

I have similar feeling that the brakes arenot as good as they used to be

They are quick in the sense that I can feel them engage the very moment I touch the pedal. But then... I have to push hard to reduce speed. Plus... as velocity lowers they block the wheels so I need to depress them while closer to a standstill.

I replaced the disks, the pads, the fluid, bleeded all well, went to a shop to check my rear brakes, adjusted the handbrake.... no change.

Now as I got used to this I've found one line in the manual (Zebowicz's - kinda like Haynes) that whenever ANY problem occurs it is necessary to check and eventually clean the negative pressure (would you call it this in English?) hose that goes from the manifold to the servo.

I'll try this on Saturday and let you know if there's any change.
 
Well , I have adhusted the handbrake, feels much better now. Cleaned the air flow meter and tested the brakes again.

I think the comment about the new brakes bedding in was right, only light touch not needed to feel the car slowing down, press harder and it comes to a rapid stop. How it should be I guess. Also car is pulling again thanks to the alcohol bath and MAF.

So results all round, pretty good day at work too (y)

I wont bother playing with the bleed, the pedal feels solid so I will leave alone. If the MOT points out that the rear brakes need attention I will have that done at the same time, only 3 months away.

One final question. I noticed from my first test drive after replacing the disks/pads that I could smell a burning smell when I got out of the car. Today I took it out again and performed a couple of fairly slow emergency stops and soon after pulled into the drive. I could smell it again.

Is this normal for new brake disks/pads. I used brake cleaner to clean off the oil film from the outer surfaces of the vented disks , could the smell be the rest of the oil burning off the disks ? It could also be the fact I didnt use a lint free cloth the wipe them with so have little yellow cloth fibres kicking about that will eventually disapear.

Is this normal ? The smell not the cloth :rolleyes:
 
the smell is normal, once the oil burns off it will stop. next time dont use brake cleaner, just fit them as they come. if you clean them then they tend to rust quicker, if you let the oil burn off it leaves a slight residue in the non-contact areas preventing surface rust.
 
Thanks , thats reassuring :)

I was once told that the oil is to protect the disks from rusting whilst in storage and to clean it off before fitting because oil and brakes/friction dont mix :confused: Though I guess it would wear off / burn off quickly being how thin it is.

Thanks for the tip
 
Back
Top