hey guys
Had a couple of problems with my brakes this week. I'll start with what brakes:
Im using VT SS brakes at frount and drums at rear. Been like that for years
Anyway other day my brake pedal travel really gets bad. So i went and bought a new master cylinder (1 inch diameter) and installed it and bled the brakes at work. Bled all old fluid out and replaced with new.
Anyway my brakes are heaps better, car is now stopping however pedal travel is still not good. My brakes will lock up if i really press down but my foot goes to the floor. Also the pedal feels really spongy.
Could a handbrake adjustment affect this as i tightened up the handbrake bia the cable and on the drums a week earlier. Otherwise what could this problem be. There are no leaks anywhere. The brakes were bled proplery a mechanic at work gave me a hand. Just want an idea for tommorow when i put the car on the hoist at work
Cheers
James
i had the same problem with mine sept ive got disc rear and for some reason after a week of driving it like that it firmed up big time and now the work awsome??????
Spongy brakes is almost guaranteeded to be some trapped air somewhere still, probably at the master cylinder end given that u changed that.
Try putting a bunch of rags around the lines coming off the master cylinder, crack both line flare nuts off a bit, then press the pedal all the way to the floor and hold it there, and get someone to nip the flare nuts back up tight then slowly let the pedal back up.
Don't press the pedal too hard or fluid may squirt out over ur engine!
Make sure to press the pedal all the way to the floor.
It takes very little trapped air to make brakes feel spongy.
Hand brake [rear shoe] adjustment will only affect pedal travel.
Quote:
Originally Posted by VLHDT 86
Spongy brakes is almost guaranteeded to be some trapped air somewhere still, probably at the master cylinder end given that u changed that.
Try putting a bunch of rags around the lines coming off the master cylinder, crack both line flare nuts off a bit, then press the pedal all the way to the floor and hold it there, and get someone to nip the flare nuts back up tight then slowly let the pedal back up.
Don't press the pedal too hard or fluid may squirt out over ur engine!
Make sure to press the pedal all the way to the floor.
It takes very little trapped air to make brakes feel spongy.
Hand brake [rear shoe] adjustment will only affect pedal travel.
My pedal has always been a little bit spongy since changing to bigger brakes. However pedal travel was never that bad. I tightened my handbrake up quite a bit. So i assume backing it off a bit at either the cable or drum side of things will fix the pedal travel?
adjusting the handbrake cable is not gonna affect the shoes unless u do it right up. back the cable right off then adjust the shoes up the nip up the cable so youve got a good handbrake
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Originally Posted by Benny01
adjusting the handbrake cable is not gonna affect the shoes unless u do it right up. back the cable right off then adjust the shoes up the nip up the cable so youve got a good handbrake
Thanks.
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So i assume backing it off a bit at either the cable or drum side of things will fix the pedal travel?
No, more travel at the shoes = more travel at the pedal.
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adjusting the handbrake cable is not gonna affect the shoes unless u do it right up. back the cable right off then adjust the shoes up the nip up the cable so youve got a good handbrake
yeah thats it, loosen cable first, then adjust at the shoes where the self adjuster is [supposed] to do it for you.
Getting this adjustment right will be difficult to impossible if your drums are worn with too big a lip at the outer edge.
If they are ok, then adjust the shoes out so you can only just get the drum back on by hand.
At this point the brake pedal should feel good after a couple of presses, if not then there's still too much movement of brake components somewhere, eating up too much pedal travel.
If all is ok now, then tighten the hand brake cable til the hand brake feels good.
Frount pads are 2 months old
I have a lip on my drum so it made it hard to put the drums on when tightening them up too much. My handbrake before was virtually non existant and my brakes never used to travel as far. I'll do as suggested. try and get the drums on when i readjust and back of the cable first. See how we go. I really think my cable is too tight i did it up at work with an air ratchet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dragme
. I really think my cable is too tight i did it up at work with an air ratchet.
not very smart. do u have a brake lathe to grind off the lip at work. you could even use a file. ive used a angle grindr a few times with great success. otherwise you wont get them adjusted properly
yeh got a brake lathe at work. Try and find time during the week which will be a challenge. I might try back the cable of tommorow. Unfortunately verry hard to get access to workshop for your own car.
