14 replies to this topic

[simonh]

Certainly getting into minis! Had the thing two weeks and hit my second problem! Is this par for the course or have I bought a lemon!?!?!?

Since I got the car I’ve noticed that it wants to pull left, more so at speed. Over the last few days I’ve noticed a vibration when braking, if braking heavily it feels more like a juddering from the front left. Looking at it today, the left tie bar looks a little bent but not massively. Can a tie bar cause this or should I be looking to something more serious????

[mini-mad-dan]

i would say have the tie bar replaced, (they are not expensive) and see what happens!

[Pavel]

Juddering while braking is almost always due to a warped disc, or an out-of round drum depending on what you have.
Most cars will pull a little bit, first thing to do is change the bent tie rod as that's not helping in any case. Then check all your tyre pressures and set them accordingly. Finally take it to have your tracking set up and it should be fine. Definitely replace the tie bar though.

[simonh]

Ok new tie bar it is! Can I just replace the left or should I do them both? Also as long as I don’t use adjustable ones, it shouldn't affect the rest of my steering/suspension set up should it? Oh, and does any one know anywhere in yorkshire that sells them that will be open on a sunday? typically huddersfield spares are closed!

[nomininolife]

Sundays are a bit of a duff day for mini parts unless its service parts. Where abouts in Yorkshire are you? I would also check the wheel bearings.

[simonh]

Featherstone, just out of Pontefract.

[nomininolife]

I have at least one kicking about but Sheffield is a bit of a journey

[simonh]

Thanks for the offer, but the mini is my only transport. I dont want to take her too far till this is sorted, had to brake HARD on the m62 this afternoon when a lorry decided to pull out on me, thought me wheel was coming off!!!!!

[Sprocket]

IMHO, do not drive the car untill you have carried out a full service and repair of the breaking system.

The pulling to one side while breaking is most commonly, but not limited to, one of the rear wheel cylinders being either seized or leaking resulting in contaminated shoes. Juddering of the brakes will usualy be warped discs.

you may well find that the whole system needs an overhaul - new rear wheel cylinders, new disks, pads and shoes.

Brakes are the only thing that stop you, especialy at speed and if the do not work correctly you are putting yourself and others in danger. Fix it before you drive it any more.

But then you may be describing two different symptoms and i read it as being the same 'braking' problem????????? Doh

[Pavel]

Mini sprocket I think there are 2 problems: Pulling left at speed, and juddery brakes. Don't think the two are related to be honest.

[simonh]

Neither do I, it pulls left all the time, just more so at speed, it doesn't snatch or anything just drifts left. The brake vibration however is at the front left, not the rear so i would have thought this would rule out the rear cylinders. Slow speed soft braking its hardle noticable, high sped hard braking and you know about it. Am thinking warped discs and the bent tie bar. Am just charging the camera batts and am gonna stick a photo on, wouldn't mind an opinion or two as to if its bent enough to cause the brake problem or not!

[simonh]

 DSCF0319.JPG   1016.04K   8 downloadsBit bent! enough to cause the vibration?

[pikey7]

it shouldn't cause the vibration, but it will put the tracking out enough so that it pulls to the left.

[The Matt]

Brake judder can be caused by a few things. But I would say that as MS has already suggested, there could be a problem with a cylinder seizing up a little.

It may be that the front caliper is seized a little, it may be a rear cylinder, it may be a warped disc. It deffo needs a good looking at as you simply cannot skimp on the brakes.

Pulling to the left may (more than likely) have been caused by the tie bar issue, but if you do have a seized front brake (or a little tighter than it should be at least) this could also be the cause or a contribution to it!

[simonh]

Well, £160 later and its sorted! Take your pick of the faults, rear brake cylinder was seized! front disc was warped, both sets of pads looked well past it and needed doing as well! Two new heavy duty adjustable tie rods and front end set up my my local garage and she is running like she should! Fingers crossed these are just teething troubles! had her nearly a month now and she's been off the road for about 2 weeks of that!