Wooden brakes

[ButtonIt]

My Chim has been laid up for a few months while I found time to replace the fuel hose (been working weekends )

On ym first run out my brakes were AWFUL!! Absolutely ste. After a while they got a little better, but they are still not great. The discs had a bit of light corrosion, but I mean really light, the sort that comes just after you've given the car a hose down.

The problem is, the initial bite is quite strong, but then the pedal goes hard and no matter how hard I stamp I get nothing more. It still slows down, but there's absolutley no way that I could even lock the wheels, and god knows I tried (in a car park, obviously).

Is it as simple as a fluid change?

[Prizam]

Fluid change and service is the next logical step but it sounds like a servo problem to me.

Maby the vacuum hose?

[V8 GRF]

Could the pistons have seized/corroded with being sat? Maybe the pads themselves need changing, I'd definitely get the system bled though

[phillpot]

If pedal is still "hard" I don't really see how bleeding/changing fluid will help?

I'd start with either pads out and clean up friction face by rubbing on a flat sheet of coarse emery or new pads and done with.

Could test servo by clamping off the vacuum hose (back at your test ground/carpark) and cautiously try brakes to see if any different?

[Prizam]

phillpot said:

If pedal is still "hard" I don't really see how bleeding/changing fluid will help?

I'd start with either pads out and clean up friction face by rubbing on a flat sheet of coarse emery or new pads and done with.

Could test servo by clamping off the vacuum hose (back at your test ground/carpark) and cautiously try brakes to see if any different?

Occam's razor

I don't see how sanding the disks and pads would do any better than stamping on the breaks.

Flush the fluid because...

Its easiest and cheapest
Might sort out any servo / valve problem just by running fluid through it with full peddle swing.

[ButtonIt]

Thanks guys, well it's got a bit better so I've just stuck it in for it's MOT today.

[anonymous-user]

Sounds like seized pistons had similar myself after a winter lay up, soon know if its gone for MOT brake tester will show it up

[domV8]

I had a totally redundant servo (massive split in hose), and could lock the wheels no problem - you just had to apply quite a bit more force to the brake pedal than usual.

Sounds more like a seizure, from my experience..?

Dom