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General New Brakes

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General New Brakes

Code Breaker said:
I do recall he said its weight was 4300kg (rated at 4.5kgs), its a Mellor minibus
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So quite a heavy beast.
I take it you had to go to a commercial type testing station, class 5?
That weight of vehicle unless a camper has to be kept off road overnight.
I always kept to a max of 3.5 tonne for my vans.
 
Yes my first commercial after 25 years, learning as I go, yes parked up on my driveway, yes I have to take it to a commercial mot tester down road, looking to convert to a camper.
 
Check the servo is fully operational. Maybe change the vacuum pipe and check the vacuum pump is working properly. Car MOT is certainly 16%. Im not sure what this means as the handbrake on our last MOT was not much more according to the test but will easily lock both wheels. As the rear brakes were specifically serviced by the testing garage the day before it seemed odd it was so poor on the test. All corners low suggests servo or master cylinder may be a cause?
 
bugsymike said:
So nothing terrible then.
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As long as they are genuine parts. Its so difficult not to get done these days even with places as well known as GSF. They should be OK ,though I had a lot of trouble with a door lock from them that were not decent and not suitable for RHD cars. They are not bomb proof.
 
The Panda Nut said:
Check the servo is fully operational. Maybe change the vacuum pipe and check the vacuum pump is working properly. Car MOT is certainly 16%. Im not sure what this means as the handbrake on our last MOT was not much more according to the test but will easily lock both wheels. As the rear brakes were specifically serviced by the testing garage the day before it seemed odd it was so poor on the test. All corners low suggests servo or master cylinder may be a cause?
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Once the wheels lock/skid then no more braking effort can be read on the meters, however if you put two or three passengers in the same vehicle , then that hand brake reading would be higher, so in effect a higher % brake reading of efficiency.
So arguably if a braking system can lock the wheels of a 1 tonne car, if the same braking system could lock the wheels on a much heavy car then a higher brake meter reading would show.
However if the weight of the heavy vehicle is entered into the efficiency highest reading before locking/skidding the wheels then % would change also.
Obviously the servo operation is important, however I was taught at college that all the servo does is reduce pedal effort, so a strong man pressing the brake pedal could stop the car with no servo as well as a weak man with a servo.;)
 
bugsymike said:
Once the wheels lock/skid then no more braking effort can be read on the meters, however if you put two or three passengers in the same vehicle , then that hand brake reading would be higher, so in effect a higher % brake reading of efficiency.
So arguably if a braking system can lock the wheels of a 1 tonne car, if the same braking system could lock the wheels on a much heavy car then a higher brake meter reading would show.
However if the weight of the heavy vehicle is entered into the efficiency highest reading before locking/skidding the wheels then % would change also.
Obviously the servo operation is important, however I was taught at college that all the servo does is reduce pedal effort, so a strong man pressing the brake pedal could stop the car with no servo as well as a weak man with a servo.;)
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Thankyou for the explanation. I feel better about the low reading now,

You might say tha about a servo, but I wouldnt stop anything much without the servo these days. Has the tester got a wooden let though?? If the servo lacks and he just aint pushing hard enough. If hes 10 ton weakling like me......

EDIT
My total milage driven is nealry 1.9million miles. My right leg is still 50% larger in circumference than my left 10 years after retirement, from being either used to make the throttle pedal make a dent in the the floor boards or the brakes being used ato the max. Funny thinking about braking. Its a fact that company cars stop in 1/3 the distance of privately owned cars. Still makes me smile when I think about an admin lady using my Vectra one day and coming back pronouncing that my Vectra was way the fastest freeest revving car in the fleet. Must be the smooth driving style I employed.....
 
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The Panda Nut said:
Thankyou for the explanation. I feel better about the low reading now,

You migh say tha about a servo, but I wouldnt stop anything much without the servo these days. Has the tester got a wooden let though?? If the servo lacks and he just aint pushing hard enough. If hes 10 ton weakling like me......
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Back in the late 1960s I and a fellow apprentice mechanic at the time both had tuned up Ford 105E Anglias with the same standard braking system with no servo, he fitted a servo and could reach down and press the foot brake with his hand to stop the car (after he had pulled his face off the windscreen):)
 
bugsymike said:
Back in the late 1960s I and a fellow apprentice mechanic at the time both had tuned up Ford 105E Anglias with the same standard braking system with no servo, he fitted a servo and could reach down and press the foot brake with his hand to stop the car (after he had pulled his face off the windscreen):)
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In the days before such niceties you had so much more feel. I often wish you could go back to those times. Who really needs a servo on a car the size of a Panda. I assume its all tied up to the mandatory ABS etc we now endure. Sorry enjoy. Ditto power steering.
 
How do you check the vacuum pump and servo? there's no DTC's recorded other than P035F which I was told to ignore

I did this and it is as is in video
 
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Thanks for the replies folks, I'm a bit under the weather at moment and will get back to the brakes over next few days and will update.
Where are you all located? Im in East London.
 
The Panda Nut said:
Take the pads out and get some fine emery paper. Place the paper on a sheet of glass or the best flat surface available and flat the pads, EVen pressure on the pad and rotate it so hte wear you inflict is even. Once the pades are flat and even it will improve the brakes. Take a drive to the MOT station but go directly there use an appropriate route to give the brakes soem use. Ill bet this will get you out of trouble. Something like 200 grade paper. Ive just dome one of my Pandas and it worked a treat. If you happen to go al bit of a varied route on your way to the teat station, within reason if you are on your way I dont suppose you will have any issues. Its what I would do.
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Did you mean 2000 and not 200 grit sand paper? 200 would be course and not fine right?
 
Code Breaker said:
Did you mean 2000 and not 200 grit sand paper? 200 would be course and not fine right?
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No c 200 to 400. 2000 is so fine fine its suitable for some paintwork ops. Brake pads are very hard so a less fine grade is OK. Youn want to be able to smooth the pads withut spending too much time. Check regularly that they are still leevl, you dont want to start uneven wear patterns by over doing one side.

Im thinking coarse is 150 or less so no that coarse.
 
Thank you, ok managed to remove both fronts today and sanded them, there was a shine on them when they came out, below is a picture left is after sanding right is as it came off.
 

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Code Breaker said:
Thank you, ok managed to remove both fronts today and sanded them, there was a shine on them when they came out, below is a picture left is after sanding right is as it came off.
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I think they will bed in quite quickly now. I hope the test is soon a thing in the past!
 
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