Poor Brakes

[dc400]

Hi.My Chimeara brakes are not good. Pedal is firm but no stopping power.Discs all round are only on about 1000 miles, no marks or grooves. Loads of pad left only done 500 miles.Callipers all cleaned up ,pistons all free and working. Can’t see any fluid leaks ,reservoir topped up. know what else to try. Any addvise please.

[pete275]

What make of pads have you got fitted? Chim brakes are normally good its a decent enough standard set up

[Hedgehopper]

Have you changed your brake hoses recently? As brake hoses age they lose their ability to withstand internal pressure and as they deform braking pressure is lost.

[roseytvr]

Have you checked the servo?

[bobfather]

roseytvr said:

Have you checked the servo?

^^This, check the vacuum hose for leaks. Failing that the servo could have a leak, they are known to rot out at the bottom. You can access the servo through the clutch reservoir cover

[nawarne]

bobfather said:

roseytvr said:

Have you checked the servo?

^^This, check the vacuum hose for leaks. Failing that the servo could have a leak, they are known to rot out at the bottom. You can access the servo through the clutch reservoir cover

^^ This (2). My only experience of a failed servo (bottom retted out on my then, V8S) was very firm pedal, had to really stamp on it to get any retardation. Get into the clutch reservoir with a torch and mirror.

Nick

[dc400]

Hi thanks for all reply’s. Brake lines were all changed about 5 years ago can’t see any problems with them . Not checked servo will do today.This started after being away for the weekend in the car ,brakes fine then coming off motorway up slip road no stopping power.Took car to local garage and had new brake fluid just in case ,pedal was a bit softer and brakes better ,then after a couple of runs back to very hard peddle and rubbish stopping. I have had the car 18 years not had a problem before.

[lancepar]

How to check if tyou are getting servo assistance..............

At anytime, sit in car, pump brake pedal, keep pressure on pedal and start the car, pedal should go down under foot, if not no servo assistance.............then look for reason as above posts.

[phillpot]

Glazed pads? .....Could try taking pads out, scuff friction faces with really coarse sandpaper and refit

[blaze_away]

Marl Swalwell on facebook is selling a set of ebc red pads,;might be worth considering

https://www.facebook.com/groups/tvrchimaera/permal...

[dc400]

Hi I have looked at all of the above suggestions and no luck.Servo looks ok clean and dry no rust ,vacume pipe is ok .Put some older pads in with good pad and still the same .IThink tomorrow I will bleed brakes again just in case.One thing I found when inspection cover was off clutch fluid reservoir was almost empty and fluid was black so clutch bleed tomorrow as well.After that if no joy it will have to wait until my local garage reopens .Not expecting to get out anytime soon anyway.If I find the fault I will let you all know .Many Thanks

[spitfire4v8]

As well as the good suggestions above it's worth giving the servo vacuum pipe a good squish and see if it feels like it has failed internally.

More and more I am seeing cars with servo pipes where the inner separates off from the outer and collapses internally. From the outside it all looks fine, but the pipe is blocked inside because of the collapsed inner lining.

Garages still aren't checking fuel pipes so there's little hope of them even thinking about the other hoses on the car and how age might be affecting them ...

[QBee]

My garage is checking fuel hoses, he is obsessed with them for our safety's sake.
But then we all know Mat Smith is a bit special....

[dc400]

At last brakes now spot on.After third time of bleeding loads of bubbles from near side calliper .Thanks for all of your advice, whole brake system checked and cleaned . Only thing not happy with is vacuume pipe to servo. I have some pipe to replace it .Is the pipe just a push fit at servo as it is tight and don’t want to damage plastic it is connected to.Thanks.

[BIG DUNC]

If air in the system was the issue, you wouldn’t have had a firm peddle, it would have been straight to the floor.

Your symptoms are all servo.

Glad it is sorted, but if it comes back, go straight to the servo.

[dc400]

Thanks for the reply hopefully will get to try out tomorrow if rain stops .

[Paulprior]

Yes the vac pipe to the servo is push on, I couldn’t release mine either so carefully ran a Stanley knife along the length

[dc400]

Thanks ,Paulprior, I didnt want to snap anything I will cut it off ..Thanks.

[dc400]

Thanks Paulprior ,I will cut it .Didnt want to snap anything.Thanks

[Zener]

That servo hose is 3/8 inside diameter vacuum spec hose shared with lots of old stuff Fords, Vauxhall,BL etc inc MGB's , many spares outlets no longer stock it (no demand) last lot I got for someones car was from a local MG restorer , he said he also struggled some time back to obtain quality suitable for his resto's