Front brake balance

[timshap]

I had noticed before that when under braking the car would pull to the right initially and suspected a sticky front nearside caliper. Having had all calipers off, cleaned and greased all seemed fine. I have just bled the system and the front nearside doesnt flow well. I have used a gunsen pressure kit which works well but needed to pump the brake pedal to get any flow from that nipple. Taken the nipple out and nothing flows out and wonder if this is the problem with the lack of pressure on the left side creating the brake imbalance.
It seems as if there is some form of restriction and wonder how I can trace this back.
Comments welcome please.....

[PRTVR]

Hi Tim,
have read about the brake hoses failing internally, they look OK
from the outside but fail on the inside, they have been known to act as a none return valve keeping the brakes locked on, but may give the problem you have, may be worth splitting the joint at the end of the hose, with the eezibleed kit in use and see what the flow is like.

Phil

[timshap]

Thanks

Its certainly worth checking the flow before it enters the caliper...

Tim

[phillpot]

Is it possible some "heavy handed" person in the past has twisted the flexi pipe while tightening things? As already suggested I would crack nut onto flexi and check for good flow there first.

[spend]

On a 94 car I'd fit new flexible hoses as a matter of course anyway if they have not been renewed Visually & finger check the brake lines to make sure they have not been crimped - its not to hard to see + feel the front ones.

It's no problem to check the front brakes on an MOT brake tester to see if braking effort is equal across the axle (they only occasionally barf at the rear because of the diff). I still wouldn't discount odd geometry effects with the dampers, thrust angle incorrect...

[timshap]

Good point spend....seen some lovely new braided ones on the internet and could as you say check on a brake tester.

Thanks

[peaktorque]

timshap said:

Good point spend....seen some lovely new braided ones on the internet and could as you say check on a brake tester.

Thanks

IIWY I would change all four hoses to braided at the same time, not just the fronts.

It doesn't cost that much more and if you only change the fronts at first and want to upgrade the rears at a later date it is mission impossible to obtain the rears on their own (well it was for me, but I needed them ASAP for an MOT retest, I ended up buying a whole set despite already having 'em up front ).