MK2.5 Brake Nightmare, ideas?
MK2.5 Brake Nightmare, ideas?
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mattius

Original Poster:

457 posts

239 months

Saturday 3rd September 2011
quotequote all
Been having a nightmare with the brakes on my 2003 MK2.5. It has the big brake kit.

It developed a nasty vibration from the front wheels, especially at speed. So i took the calipers off and found the sliders were seized and the pads were shot. So i replaced the pads and freed up the sliders making sure they were back how they should be. Put it all back together and drove it again. All was fine for a bit and then it came back.

So apart again and checking the discs found the passenger side is slightly warped, took the hub off and found the bearing wasn't pretty.

So new disks and then a new hub. Rebuilt it again today and took it out for another test drive, its still not right, the passenger side wheel (side that had the new hub) is much hotter than the drivers side, the disk was smoking slightly but not red hot.

The pistons both slid in fine replacing the pads, both sides the same so i have no reason to suspect them.

Any ideas? could this be the new hub and disks bedding in??? i really don't want to destroy the new hub as they are bloody expensive. The alloy is almost too hot to touch which has me worried, the car freewheels fine.

Oldandslow

2,405 posts

230 months

Saturday 3rd September 2011
quotequote all
Sounds like the brake is sticking on. If the sliders and pads move freely then it could be a sticky piston or I've heard of but not seen flexible brake pipes that collapse internally and hold the brake on. Try a bleed to remove any air and see how easily the piston moves back in. See if it looks corroded.


bazking69

8,620 posts

214 months

Saturday 3rd September 2011
quotequote all
Have you checked the flexi hoses? If the piston is moving fine on the caliper I'd start there.

mattius

Original Poster:

457 posts

239 months

Saturday 3rd September 2011
quotequote all
The hoses aren't kinked in any way, they look ok, nothing visible wrong with them.

Think im gonna pop the caliper apart tomorrow and inspect the piston then when i put it back together will bleed and check. It doesn't seem like a normal problem, i reacon the piston is slow to go back in, whether that is corrosion on the piston or something else im not sure.

Oldandslow

2,405 posts

230 months

Sunday 4th September 2011
quotequote all
The flexi hoses I heard about had no externals signs of damage or kinks but had collapsed internally acting like a one way valve. If you eliminate everything else a new hose is cheaper than a new caliper. Good excuse to upgrade to braided smile

mattius

Original Poster:

457 posts

239 months

Sunday 4th September 2011
quotequote all
Can't seem to find just front braided for the big brake 2.5, any suggestions where to look? both autolink and mx5parts don't list them for big brake.

trackerjack

649 posts

208 months

Sunday 4th September 2011
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Hi Mattius hope you are still getting better since your horrendous crash.
Who would have thought that after all my knocking of MX5's I would have bought one for myself and one for the Boss! and now building a Lotus sevenesque special using a turbo'd MX5 that has these large brakes fitted.
I had the problem you describe years ago on a TR4 and I used Araldite to stick emery cloth to the surface of an old set of pads and took the car for a gentle drive braking lightly.
When I put the new pads in all the judder was gone.

Good luck
Jon

mattius

Original Poster:

457 posts

239 months

Sunday 4th September 2011
quotequote all
i love the look of that special jon its beautifully made.

the problem isnt the disks or the pads anymore its either a caliper or hose i think as the piston is dragging.

mattius

Original Poster:

457 posts

239 months

Sunday 4th September 2011
quotequote all
Well it appears to be back to normal.

took the caliper off and blew it to bits, then cleaned everything up and rebuilt it, only thing i can put it down to is a slight bit of corrosion round the top of the piston, but it was nowhere near as bad as i have seen before.

whapped the piston into the lathe and cleaned the corrosion off with some finishing pads before the sealing point and built it back up.

will do until i find a new piston somewhere, no where seems to do them, big brakes are very good parts are a nightmare though.

anyone know the size of the bleed nipple? one siezed on when the brakes overheated despite being done up just over pinch tight, so i need another new one and im buggered if im paying mazda's £8 each again! even audi are only £4 for them.