Reasons why brakes won't work?

[samlmort]

Hi,

Today I fitted some brakes on a mates car. I'm no mechanic, and I really should not have volunteered for the role. I changed the pads and the discs. Firstly I had to drill out the securing screws which hold the discs in place. Then I realised the discs and pads were the wrong ones for the car!

Basically he brought them several months ago from EuroCarParts. And used his vehicle registation to get the right parts. But the discs were smaller, and the pads were a slightly different shape. I did however fit them, and managed to bodge it.

But I now have a very very magor problem. When you press the brake peddel it almost hits the floor! Much pumping will get some braking, but it clearly isn't right. You can buil up some pressure and resistance by pumping hard and repeatedly.

So does anyone know what is wrong? And how I can fix it? As he needs to drive for work tomorrow at 8am.

Thanks

Edit to add.

- Brake cables are not broken.
- There is enough brake fluid.

[andy-xr]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/mainte...

[littlebasher]

samlmort said:

I did however fit them, and managed to bodge it.

I know you're looking for advice, but seriously?

[mrmr96]

samlmort said:

Hi,

Today I fitted some brakes on a mates car. I'm no mechanic, and I really should not have volunteered for the role. I changed the pads and the discs. Firstly I had to drill out the securing screws which hold the discs in place. Then I realised the discs and pads were the wrong ones for the car!

Basically he brought them several months ago from EuroCarParts. And used his vehicle registation to get the right parts. But the discs were smaller, and the pads were a slightly different shape. I did however fit them, and managed to bodge it.

But I now have a very very magor problem. When you press the brake peddel it almost hits the floor! Much pumping will get some braking, but it clearly isn't right. You can buil up some pressure and resistance by pumping hard and repeatedly.

So does anyone know what is wrong? And how I can fix it? As he needs to drive for work tomorrow at 8am.

Thanks

Edit to add.

- Brake cables are not broken.
- There is enough brake fluid.

Just checking... is this a joke?

[samlmort]

mrmr96 said:

Just checking... is this a joke?

No I am looking for advice.

I test drove it after fitting them, and had was petrified. The brakes really dont work, although you can stop the car with them with repeated pumping in first gear if just crawling.

[samlmort]

andy-xr said:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/mainte...

I did not bleed the brakes. Do you really think not bleeding them would cause almost no braking, and make the peddel hit the floor?

[surveyor]

Gosh what a first post. Wrong on so many levels.

I suggest you refit the originals, and look for signs of brake fluid on the drive. Then ask the nearest garage to check your work over.

[surveyor]

samlmort said:

I did not bleed the brakes. Do you really think not bleeding them would cause almost no braking, and make the peddel hit the floor?

If you have not disconnected the callipers they should not need bleeding. It might take a couple of pumps to reseat the pads initially. Have you had the cap off the fluid reservoir and replaced it?

[Marf]

1. Step away from the tools.
2. Get the right parts.
3. Recover the car to a garage and have them fit the right parts.

[TooLateForAName]

You need to sort out public transport/hire car or taxi for tomorrow.

Once you've done that, tell us what the car is and lets have pictures (custard optional).

I realise that I'm feeding the troll - Mort as in dead, yes?

Is anything leaking? just how different were the parts?
tell us exactly what you did. Did you disconnect any pipes?

Edited by TooLateForAName on Sunday 14th October 21:40

[noell35]

samlmort said:

andy-xr said:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/mainte...

I did not bleed the brakes. Do you really think not bleeding them would cause almost no braking, and make the peddel hit the floor?

yes, air is compressible. Brake fluid isn't. Therefore if you didn't bleed the air out, when you press the pedal you are compressing the air rather than the pads against the disks.

[samlmort]

surveyor said:

Gosh what a first post. Wrong on so many levels.

I suggest you refit the originals, and look for signs of brake fluid on the drive. Then ask the nearest garage to check your work over.

OK - I am going to be 100% completely honest.

I tried to fit these brakes maybe 2 months ago. I managed to change one side over, pad and disk. But the other side had rounded off screws holding the discs in. So I had to leave this side.

Last night I was looking on google and saw that you can drill the screws as they do not matter. They are not needed. For this reason I cannot change them back, as I only have one of the old discs and one set of pads.

Like I said I have NOT broken the brake cables. But I did have to use a hammer to smash in the back pad into the calliper, so think this may be jammed.

Writing all this down, makes me fell a bit silly. But I am genuinely looking for some help.

[samlmort]

surveyor said:

If you have not disconnected the callipers they should not need bleeding. It might take a couple of pumps to reseat the pads initially. Have you had the cap off the fluid reservoir and replaced it?

I did have to take the calliper off to push it back in to fit the new pad. I did also take the lid of the reservoir, but did replace it.

[NorthernBoy]

samlmort said:

I did not bleed the brakes. Do you really think not bleeding them would cause almost no braking, and make the peddel hit the floor?

Yes, absolutely.

Now call a truck, have it recovered to a garage, and have someone professional look at it.

What you have posted beggars belief. It is idiotic. You could kill your mate, as you clearly have no idea how these things work.

[samlmort]

TooLateForAName said:

You need to sort out public transport/hire car or taxi for tomorrow.

Once you've done that, tell us what the car is and lets have pictures (custard optional).

I realise that I'm feeding the troll - Mort as in dead, yes?

Is anything leaking? just how different were the parts?
tell us exactly what you did. Did you disconnect any pipes?

Edited by TooLateForAName on Sunday 14th October 21:40

That is my name. And you french is better than my mechanicals.

Nothing is leaking as far as I can tell. The discs are maybe 2 inches smaller than the other, and the pads are a completely different shape, in how they fit onto the callipers. I am certain they are the wrong part now.

1) Removed wheel.
2) Drilled screws.
3) Removed calliper, 13/14 mm spanner on pipe going into the cappiper. Then spinning the calliper.
4) Removed disk.
5) Compressed calliper back in, using a hammer on old pad.
6) Put new pads in the calliper, they didnt sit right and had to use force to seat them properly.
7) put new dick on.
8) Slid calliper over the disk. Was very tight and had to hmmer it down.
9) Put everything else back together.

[samlmort]

NorthernBoy said:

Yes, absolutely.

Now call a truck, have it recovered to a garage, and have someone professional look at it.

What you have posted beggars belief. It is idiotic. You could kill your mate, as you clearly have no idea how these things work.

In fairness. I do know a bit about cars. Before doing this, I managed to strip out his ecu, battery and housing, the whole air system to clean his TDC sensor. I am just trying to get an idea what is wrong do I can fix it. Before when I havn't bleeded brakes they have been spongy. They havnt been this bad!!!

[Bitofbully]

I'm speechless.

[skene]

Not really helping. But the one place you can't afford to bodge a car is with the brakes.

[Hammer67]

samlmort said:

OK - I am going to be 100% completely honest.

I tried to fit these brakes maybe 2 months ago. I managed to change one side over, pad and disk. But the other side had rounded off screws holding the discs in. So I had to leave this side.

Last night I was looking on google and saw that you can drill the screws as they do not matter. They are not needed. For this reason I cannot change them back, as I only have one of the old discs and one set of pads.

Like I said I have NOT broken the brake cables. But I did have to use a hammer to smash in the back pad into the calliper, so think this may be jammed.

Writing all this down, makes me fell a bit silly. But I am genuinely looking for some help.

Genuinely looking for some help? If half of what you`ve done is true then don`t go anywhere near the car again and get it recovered to a garage. Once you`ve done that dispose of any tools you have as clearly you don`t know st from butter. fkwittery of Olympic standard.

[TooLateForAName]

You cant fix it *safely* before tomorrow.
You've hammered at the caliper pistons? Needs checking over by someone who knows what they're doing and has the correct parts.

Garage/mechanic.