can anyone help me? ive just brouht a 1986 mini it is a 998cc with a stage 1 tuning kit. IM having major trouble with my brakes and could do with some help. when i first brought the car the brakes bearly worked, but a local mechanic told me that my front passenger side brake was siezed, which is was. i had this problem fixed and now my brakes are alittle better but they are still pretty lame. my car has had drilled and grooved discs installed onto it so it should be pretty good right?
please could anyone help me out, how can i improve my brakes? and do i need to add a servo..if so could you please tell me how much it will cost me and what parts il need.
thanx!
MINI BRAKES! HELP!!!
Started by
mini_cru786
, May 17 2004 12:19 AM
5 replies to this topic
#2
Pickup76
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- Traders
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- 1,191 posts
Ring Runner 2005
- Location: Peterborough
Posted 17 May 2004 - 01:49 PM
I only have limited experience with disk break minis but that experiance was with a standard setup and it really worked well (stopped very repidly!). Have you cheaked all the obvious things like leaks, air in the system, pads etc? :cool:
#3
dklawson
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Moved Into The Garage
- Name: Doug
- Location: Durham, NC - USA
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Posted 17 May 2004 - 05:12 PM
As Pickup76 said, make sure there is no air in the lines. Whoever did your brake work should have done this but they may have gotten it wrong.
Start by adjusting the rear drums carefully and correctly. Then make sure your new and existing front caliper(s) are working freely. Finally, carefully bleed all the brakes starting with the corner furthest from the master cylinder, moving through all the wheels until you get to the one closest to the MC. Do you have a brake servo? If so, you need to make sure this is in order as well. The car will stop without it but will require more pedal effort.
Start by adjusting the rear drums carefully and correctly. Then make sure your new and existing front caliper(s) are working freely. Finally, carefully bleed all the brakes starting with the corner furthest from the master cylinder, moving through all the wheels until you get to the one closest to the MC. Do you have a brake servo? If so, you need to make sure this is in order as well. The car will stop without it but will require more pedal effort.
#4
Bluemini
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Mini Doctor
- Location: Canada
- Local Club: Blacktop Bombers
Posted 17 May 2004 - 05:14 PM
Check that they are all bled propperly first, it wint do any harm to put a fresh load of fluid thru the system. Start at the corner furthest away from the master cylinder and work towards it.
Make sure all the unions are tight, dont over tighten them tho! Air is thinner than fluid, so you may not have fluid leaking out, but air could be getting in.
Check that all the calliper pistons are moving ok too and that there isnt a build up of C**p around them. If the pads dont release properly when you take your foot off the pedal then you will get brake fade and they will feel very none existant. It only takes one pad to get too hot for the brakes to go rubbish.
Change the pads, the ones on there might be worn out or contaminated with oil.
Fit braided hoses to reduce pipe expansion under presure.
Make sure the rear brakes are adjusted properly. With the back of the car jacked up and the handbrake off, you should be able to just feel the brakes binding as you turn the road wheel by hand, just enough to stop it spinning more than about 1 1/2 - 2 rotations on its own. Once you you've adjusted them pull the handbrake on and off a few times, then check the wheels again and adjust as nesesary.
If none of this works, then it could be down to your master cylinder or bias valve.
Fitting a servo is a myth. They dont make your brakes any better, they just reduce the amount of effort needed to apply them, kinda like power steering makes it easier to turn the wheels.
Make sure all the unions are tight, dont over tighten them tho! Air is thinner than fluid, so you may not have fluid leaking out, but air could be getting in.
Check that all the calliper pistons are moving ok too and that there isnt a build up of C**p around them. If the pads dont release properly when you take your foot off the pedal then you will get brake fade and they will feel very none existant. It only takes one pad to get too hot for the brakes to go rubbish.
Change the pads, the ones on there might be worn out or contaminated with oil.
Fit braided hoses to reduce pipe expansion under presure.
Make sure the rear brakes are adjusted properly. With the back of the car jacked up and the handbrake off, you should be able to just feel the brakes binding as you turn the road wheel by hand, just enough to stop it spinning more than about 1 1/2 - 2 rotations on its own. Once you you've adjusted them pull the handbrake on and off a few times, then check the wheels again and adjust as nesesary.
If none of this works, then it could be down to your master cylinder or bias valve.
Fitting a servo is a myth. They dont make your brakes any better, they just reduce the amount of effort needed to apply them, kinda like power steering makes it easier to turn the wheels.
#5
Bluemini
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Mini Doctor
- Location: Canada
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Posted 17 May 2004 - 05:15 PM
dklawson, you beat me to it... 
#6
mini_cru786
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Learner Driver
Posted 17 May 2004 - 08:32 PM
CHEERS! It was a air lock in the brake system all the time! the brakes are so much better and now im not so scared to put my foot down anymore.
thanx for all your help.
waj
thanx for all your help.
waj
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