Where to check/service Brakes?

[Flaser]

My brakes feels a bit too spongy for my liking. Where's a good place to go to check and service my brakes? Preferably in Central or West?

 

Thanks!

[Andrewkb]

Stamford Tyre, flush brake at $30

[Pauly75ts]

"brakes feels a bit too spongy for my liking."

 

Hi! there, Flaser,

 

Renew the brake & clutch fluids.

 

Is there a leak in the brake/clutch system? Do you have to top-up often?

 

Rgds

 

Paul Yong

[Flaser]

Hi Paul!

This afternoon, I actually went to have the rubber brake hose replaced with stainless steel braided hose. Included in the package is the replacement/bleeding of the old fluid with new DOT 5.1 fluid. The last time I'd replaced my brake fluid was in Dec'02 and I'd never had to top up.

 

After replacing the hoses, the brakes does seem a bit more firm (not as much as I'd expected/hoped though). But there is still quite a bit of travel on the brake pedal (about halfway down) before I feel the brakes engaging.

 

The quesiton is, how do I adjust the brake pedal travel? Is it because of the drum brakes?

[Andrewkb]

Soft Pedal feeling probably due to brake fluid .. nothing to do with brake drums ...

 

Just flush again should help...

[Yeobh]

Flaser, I suspect there are still air bubbles trapped in the brake system. What your mechanics need to do is to pressure or vaccum bleed the system one more time. Bleeding the system by just pumping the brake pedal is not acceptable practice for vehicles with ABS system

Hope this helps

[Cloverleaf]

for the brake pedal travel, not sure what car or what kind of brake set up your car has, but it could be your handbrake adjustment.

[Cool]

HI Friend...

 

Regarding your Drum Brake.. maybe the shoe has worn out.

 

Maybe you might want to call my mech.. he specialised in Brakes. PM your mobile, I will SMS you..

 

regards,

[Cool]

Agree with you.. some workshop have those VAccum equipment, it seems to be more effective

 

Alternative, do you thing the vacuum hose is acting strange on this. ?? i.e. small leak.. or brake line has leak ?

[Saaber]

That's a possibilty too or a very small leak at the brake hose could be the culprit too....

[Yeobh]

Cool, if the vacuum hose to the brake booster unit is leaking, there will be no vacuum to assist the driver in multiplying the light foot force applied to the pedal.

 

Yes, there is a possibility of small hair- line crack in the old flexible brake hoses or the joints are not properly seated. The other possibility may be leak at the master or slave cylinder seals.

 

Pressuring the whole brake system and isolating each component systematically may detect the leak.

 

PS Please take care , do not DIY brake system repair or service if you do not have the training and trade knowledge as any slight mistake can cause fatal accident.

 

Do not mix mineral base brake fluid with silicon brake fluid ( most of the DOT 5 brake fluid are silicon base )

 

Hope this helps

[Cool]

No worries.. the reason why I asked abt the vacuum hose cos I have heard that some vacuum capsules after putting in, increases braking power. THerefore, if the hose is faulty, will it effect this ?

 

thanks... when comes to brakes, I am greek on the system.

[Sky8807]

Changing your brake fluid, at the same time, did you check you brake pads condition especially the rear drum.

 

If you drum is not check for some time, then you need to check inside. One possible reason for you poor braking is the brake piston jammed. Can only verify when you check the horseshoe(drum brake pads) or go to a brake testing machine like the inspection centre.

Edited August 8, 2003 by Sky8807

[Flaser]

Flaser, I suspect there are still air bubbles trapped in the brake system. What your mechanics need to do is to pressure or vaccum bleed the system one more time. Bleeding the system by just pumping the brake pedal is not acceptable practice for vehicles with ABS system

Hope this helps

 

 

Thanks everyone for the advices! Let me try to provide more info on this.

 

Thanks Yeobh!

Yes, the mech only used the pumping the brake pedals method, no vacuum bleeding. No worries, I won't dare DIY my brake system except to top up fluid if necc.

Have been monitoring the brake fluid reservoir, no drop so far.

 

Thanks Cool! Would love to get your mech to check.

And to answer Sky's question too. That day, the mech did check my drum brake linings for me and use high pressure air gun to blow all the dust away. He said there's still plenty of lining left. I asked if he could adjust the lining nearer to the drums, he fiddled a bit but din seem to know how to do it. He concluded that mine is the auto-adjust type. I've also read that modern drum brakes have auto-adjust mechanism? Front pads and discs still plenty.

 

I do need to pull my handbrake quite high, and have also read somewhere that the metering valve will engage rear drums first before the front discs do so. Thus I suspect the pedal travel is due to that?

 

I've done the test I learnt in my previous car's manual. i.e. while engine is off, pump the brakes till any vacuum reserve is gone (pedal is very hard), and hold the pedal down firmly. Then start engine, the pedal then goes down smoothly. Is this to test for any vacuum leaks?

 

Also to clarify, the brakes are still firm, and even firmer after I change the brake hoses. It's just that from the pt the brakes engage to the pt the pedal hit bottom is only a very short distance. In other words, would like to have less pedal travel before brakes engage. Btw, is it normal for brakes pedal to hit bottom?

 

Once again, thanks all!!

Edited August 8, 2003 by Flaser

[Flaser]

Hee... just realised I hit 2nd gear liao! Yippee!

[Paladin]

Stamford Tyre, flush brake at $30

 

What's a brake flush?

[Modeldriver]

believe that's to flush out the old brake fluids from the brake system and replenish with new brake fluid.