Saxo brakes prob, advice needed

chewy · Post by **chewy** » 25 Mar 2005, 16:11

Hi there, I am a new member and would appreciate some advice. You'll have to excuse my lack of knowledge when it comes to cars. Jet engines I can do, cars on the other hand are a completely different matter.[:I]
The brakes on my Saxo are causing me a headache. I think the front brakes are sticking on. The discs have been worn down, leaving a 1-2mm lip round the edge. The rear brakes don't seem to be mating successfully, I noticed marks on them the other day; after a drive they were still there, you'd have expected the marks to have been worn off. Are these two problems linked in any way? What could be the prob? Over to the experts, all advice gladly received. Cheers, Chewy

tonespeed1999 · Post by **tonespeed1999** » 25 Mar 2005, 16:48

does your car have a rear brake compensator valve?
if so the brakes are weight sensitive,when you dont have anyone in the rear they hardly work, but work great when you have weight/people in the back.
if you go to your local MOT TESTING station,and ask for a FULL brake test it will confirm if the brakes are working correctly.
the SAXO was always heavy on discs and pads,check that the caliper sliders and pistons are free.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 25 Mar 2005, 17:12

I agree with Tonespeed about the rear brakes. Try loading the back and see if the brakes then work - the idea is that locking brakes are extremely dangerous and so they are prevented from operating excessively or at all sometimes by compensator valves which can take several forms. Indeed I think Vauxhall recommended that some cars with disc brakes were driven 100 yards per week with the handbrake on to clean the discs.
Why do you think the fronts are sticking on? If they are they will generate heat which may be felt on the hubs etc. I don't know what calipers are used on the front - if they are the single piston type they can stick on the sliders - sometimes wear - sometimes bad luck and a bash with a hammer may free them off - may not last long though.
Lips on discs can cause loads of problems - either on the edge or centre. Basically they cause the pad not to bed properly especially if a replacement pad is a different make which may actually be a slightly different shape. I replaced the pads on our Zx when we acquired it and thought the discs were marginal and would see off another set of pads. The brakes were only adequate but not having driven another Zx I didn't know what to expect. They would smell on har application and never really improved so I decided to change the discs, got the bits and took the wheels off. I looked at the discs (10,000 since pads were done) and thought 'Why am I doing this - they look ok! Did the job and found that the pads in there were slightly bigger on the inside and were running on a previously unworn by now rusty section of the disc. Great improvement with new discs and pads and interestingly no bedding in smells.
if you have this you may temporarily be able to improve things by shaving off a small section of the pad which contacts the unworn section of the disc. If things now improve then you know what the problem is!
jeremy

madasafish · Post by **madasafish** » 25 Mar 2005, 18:23

If your Saxo is lederly, the front brake hoses may have perished. If so, they could stop fluid returning from the calipers and give sticking front brakes.