Help........Brake Problems

[Si]

Bit of a long one this, but any help would be apprieciated.
Right, it's a 1997 HGT with uprated 6month old Red Dot 20 grooved discs front and rear and fast road pads.
Braking performance was good, until...
I was involved in an accident when someone pulled out on me, meaning an entire new front end. Bumper, bonnet, passenger side wing, headlight, etc...
After driving away from the scene of the accident, the brakes felt a bit soft/odd.
I mentioned it to the garage who carried out the repairs who say they didn't and can't find anything wrong, but I know the brakes are not how they were.
You really have to stamp on the peddle to get the car to stop.
Yes the car was at the garage for 3 months (Yes..3 months!!), but since getting the car back i've done nearly 1000 miles in 2 weeks!! so they've had plently of usage and time to get warm to remove rust and move the brake fluid around a bit.
I've checked the brake fluid, but thats fine and fully topped up.
I'm convinced that theres a problem and its not that i've forgotten how they worked after so long and after driving a hire car.
Someone mentioned to me that maybe the brake servo needs replacing.
I wondered if perhaps it took a knock during the accident. Does anyone know where the servo is located?
I asked the garage to check it, but they just road-tested it and said it was fine! Useless!

Anyone got any other ideas on why theres a loss in braking performance before I take the car to an independent to check them out?

 

[Anonymous]

Have you bled the entire system? Usually if the servo has gone the pedal is very stiff so its probably not that.
Could be a crushed brake pipe somewhere or you have bent a disc.

 

[Spyder]

Re: Re: Help........Brake Problems

You may have air in the system, that's what I find gives a spongy pedal and the all or nowt feeling, as above give it a good bleed allround.
Don't think it'll be bent discs as you should feel that in the pedal, pedal wiil osicilate slightly.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Re: Re: Help........Brake Problems

Thanks, I try having the system bled.
I don't think it is a disc problem. I've had warped discs before where the brake peddle hammers back up against your foot when trying to brake, but it's certainly not doing that at the moment.