Brakes!

NZ · 23-07-2005, 10:40 AM

I had a few drama's with my front brakes yesterday. I had picked up a covered trailer and was on my way to melb to pickup a few parts. I noticed the brakes weren't up to their usual standard. It was taking substantially longer infact to pull the car up even considering i was towing. Then I heard the graunching noise of a brake pad against rotor. Yep no more pad left. I stopped at supercheap and shelled out a massive $40 on some ferodo pads. I was a little skeptical I had heard things about them i couldnt remember if it was that they were dusty or they didn't stop well.

I shot back home and lifted the car up and stared to change them. On both sides one slide on the calipers was completely seized. Since I was in a fair hurry I just took the she'll be right attitude, belted the slide with a hammer till it was back far enough that the camliper would go back into its mounts. Mistake #1

The brakes after that were really bad. I could probably have got a greaterrate of decelleration if i hald a plastic bag out the window like a chute. At the time i put it down to the pads needing to bed in so I carried on my merry way.

The next thing I noticed the car seemed to be really working in top gear trying to maintain 100. I put that down to the trailer drag, even though it was only a 7x5 and the roof of it was only as high as the roof line of the car.

The next warning sign was when i stopped at an intersection I felt the brakes grab as the car came to a stop. Just one of those things that you sort of notice because you know what your car does and doesnt. I kept gong anyway. I wasn't about to stop on the side of the highway to check it out

Fuel consumption was around the 15.5l/100 for open road driving which is pretty poor.

I stopped at a mates place in geelong and we pulled the calipers back off again with the intention of freeing up the slides. The first side was easy, the rubber was torn so it was full of dirt etc. put it back on, bled the brake. The other side was a different story. As I was belting this slide on the caliper with a hammer it got to a point where it stopped. So I hit it harder (know where this is going yet?) Then BANG! The whole bloddey slide mount broke off the caliper lol. (oh f***) was the only thing said. That was till wayne realised he had 2 old calipers in his shed complete with red racing paint. So we wacked one of his on had to go buy more fluid and rebleed. It was noted that the pads had only been worn on a couple of small patches which explained the total lack of braking. I guess the jammed slides were forcing the caliper to twist. Now she's all honky. Stops, goes as it should.

My first tank of fuel I got 300km from 55l which is shoicking. On the way back I only used 1/3 of the guage (which is like 1/2 a tank anyway) to do the same. I was quie surprised at the effect of slightly dragging brakes.

EL_futuraistic · 23-07-2005, 10:53 AM

Yeah, especially with brakes its always a good idea to take time and do the job properley. That was a lucky score getting already red calipers, I hope you changed the other one also to match.

Thanatos · 23-07-2005, 10:55 AM

God, don't talk to me about brakes! After the week i've had with brakes, i reckon the plastic bag out the window is sounding good! :P

I was going along the freeway at 100+km/h, go to overtake a car, floor it in 5th only to find the car not accelerating AT ALL, change to 4th, get marginally more power, change to 3rd get marginally more, but not even as much as i would normally have if i'd left it in 5th! Pull over on the side of the road, only to see ALL 4 brakes smoking like a mofo!

Turns out my nice v8 brake booster that i'd fitted a few weeks ago has died, and seized all 4 brakes ON!

LUXO_8 · 23-07-2005, 11:21 AM

sorry dave but LMFAO. as bad as that sounds, its funny all the same

damn V8 parts hey

Thanatos · 23-07-2005, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MADNC_8

sorry dave but LMFAO. as bad as that sounds, its funny all the same

damn V8 parts hey

Nah, that's ok, i couldn't help but laugh afterwards as well!

I shoulda known better than to put a v8 part on my car, huh?! :P

Psycho Chicken · 23-07-2005, 01:46 PM

Ferodo pads from Supercheap? Hope you like cleaning up dust!

How great is it when the fronts sieze? I had to put mine in a vice to push the pistons back. Probably rooted the seals, ah well.

SileNceR · 23-07-2005, 04:50 PM

I had fun with my brakes the other night... downshifting and heavy braking at high speeds in a non abs car not advised! scary .

EFFalcon · 23-07-2005, 05:57 PM

SileNceR: Yeah, but damn it looked cool

TIKFD6 · 23-07-2005, 10:35 PM

ferodo are the dirtiest pads ive ever run.
Dave why the change in booster?

Also does anyone know the size of an AU T series booster?

LTDHO · 24-07-2005, 12:16 AM

My question is.
Why did you let them get that low in the first place?
You shouls have changed them months ago!

SileNceR · 24-07-2005, 10:43 PM

lol john, alesia didn't think so... :-/

NZ · 24-07-2005, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTDHO

My question is.
Why did you let them get that low in the first place?
You shouls have changed them months ago!

The seized slide was causing the inner pads to wear faster. The bendix don't have the squeel strip so yeah.