5 replies to this topic

[stormintrooper]

i dont know if the front disc type brakes are ment to have a little friction but mine currently do, mainly the driver side, they don't stick as much tho if i lift the brake pedal, and they only get bad again if i use my brakes.

any ideas? i think it might be the pistons sticking? would it help if i removed the pistons and smear a little tiny amount of lets say copper grease?

this is a time critical fix as im goin to mini in the park this weekend so don't have time to order parts

[glyn]

just make sure your pedal is not sticking down. you said it helps if you lift the pedal!! when you apply the brakes then lift the pedal right up do they still stick?if not its either your pedal spring or your master cylinder. if they still stick i would look at your calipers.

[AVV IT]

Could also be the edge of the pads sticking against the inside of the caliper and stopping them retracting properly. I've not known that be a problem on a mini before but I used to have a sunbeam that had a similar single piston brake setup and that was forever doing it. If you have time it might be worth whipping the pads out cleaning & the edges with a wire brush before refitting them with a bit of copper grease. Won't do any harm so long as you keep the grease away from the pad surface, plus you will also get to see the condition of the piston and whether it is obviously sticking when you retract it to refit the pads.

[stormintrooper]

pads are new, and they both still stick a little when i lift they pedal, im about 90% sure its the pistom sticking and not fully retracting seing as regardless of the one side, the drivers side can stop me rolling on a very slight slant, i can turn them borh tho, should there be any friction when turning the wheels? and will it hurt if i take the pistons out and smear a little copper grease around them?

[MRA]

More than likely sticking pistons

[stormintrooper]

i have a feling it may be something else, smeone mentioned the pedal spring, i have a servo so the spring never went around the brake pedal anyway,

update

i have removed/cleaned/refitted my the pistons

but
an old problem that "fixed itself" has returned now i have done that, even with the brake swith fully adjusted in, i am now having to lift the brake pedal to make the lights go off