hello,

I was wondering what kind of things would cause a braking imbalance? I took my panda for a pre mot the other day and they told me there was an imbalance but it should sort itself out if I changed the brakes.

I did that yesterday, but the pads didn't look worn out at all. I just left the shoes on the back cause they looked almost perfect. There was nothing to see to suggest any trouble, apart from one rear drum being a bit rusted. I still managed to get it off and on ok and again the shoe was fine. There is also plenty of fluid in the reservoir.

Is there anything else obvious I should be looking for? I may just have to try get it tested and see what happens I suppose...

thanks
richard

microphonehead said:

hello,

I was wondering what kind of things would cause a braking imbalance? I took my panda for a pre mot the other day and they told me there was an imbalance but it should sort itself out if I changed the brakes.

I did that yesterday, but the pads didn't look worn out at all. I just left the shoes on the back cause they looked almost perfect. There was nothing to see to suggest any trouble, apart from one rear drum being a bit rusted. I still managed to get it off and on ok and again the shoe was fine. There is also plenty of fluid in the reservoir.

Click to expand...

Imbalance is any or all of the following, probably in this order:

corroded up sliding caliper (inside pad worn more than outside)
sticking piston
contaminated pad(s)
anything else I've forgotten.


If you dismantle enough to replace the pads, but clean up the surfaces of the locking block, the caliper, and the bits of the frame where all these bits touch, then reassemble using some "copper ease" in the places detailed in Haynes, you may well have fixed the imbalance.

If the pads are fairly well down, and a piston is sticking at that point, it might be worth replacing the pads and working with the pistons further down their bores, rather than buying a new caliper cylinder..

Does the car pull to one side when braking? As john said the steel sliders on the alloy calipers can seize very badly. Once the sliders are off its a good idea to chisel their surfaces as the corrosion can become very compacted and can soon cause them to seize again copper grease or no. What did the garage want to replace exactly?

Re: rear braking imbalance troubleshooting - 2001 Panda 1.1

I've got a rear brake imbalance according to my CT (mot) station.

I bought a complete kit of parts inc drum brake linings, wheel cylinders, springs and clips.

My question is, what part of the rear brake is likely to be causing the imbalance? If it's a seized wheel cylinder, how difficult are they to replace.

I've done a lot of work on brakes but it's always been disc brakes, not touched drum brakes in 40 years !!!!


Dave

Wheel cylinders are stupidly cheap. If your going to replace the shoes then do them as well..... Two small bolts and they are off...dead easy....or is it three bolts??...

purple haze said:

Wheel cylinders are stupidly cheap. If your going to replace the shoes then do them as well..... Two small bolts and they are off...dead easy....or is it three bolts??...

Click to expand...

Thanks PH for the reply, I've got wheel cylinders in the kit I bought.

My concern is not the 2 retaining bolts, but the disconnection of the brake pipe. Every time I've had anything to do with the brake pipe fixings on any car they are always rusted to buggery and a real pain to get off 'cleanly'.

You couldn't point me to a "How to....." for the rear brakes could you? My Haynes manual is next to useless on the subject plus it has the older style self-adjusters - mine has the cam-style ones.


Dave

My guess would be wheel cylinders, I had a similar problem.

Did the garage specify footbrake or handbrake? The linkages where the handbrake cable attaches behind the drum rust and seize regular as clockwork, usually just need freeing off and cleaning up.

firstcar-Y10 said:

Did the garage specify footbrake or handbrake? The linkages where the handbrake cable attaches behind the drum rust and seize regular as clockwork, usually just need freeing off and cleaning up.

Click to expand...

If that was aimed at me, the CT was talking about the front rear imbalance.

This afternoon, outside in the mud I had the rear brakes apart. The LHS was just worn shoes but on the rhs the wheel cylinder had been leaking for a while so I replaced it as well as the brake shoes.

Just got in after a long after on the car but she feels loads better now.


BTW I found it loads easier to take off the hub before installing the new components. The only thing I wasn't sure about was the torque for the hub stake nut.

I did it up quite tight on the LHS but trying the same on the rhs I found if I did it up real tight, it started to drag on the wheel???? I'll keep an eye on this I think.

Anyway, all done now, I'm leaving the test-drive until tomorrow.

Cheers
Dave