Improving the Brakes

evilally · Post by **evilally** » 23 Dec 2009, 10:57

Hi guys,

I've done a lot of work recently on my Pug's brakes, and they've improved a lot. However the pedal still feels a little soggy, and I was wondering how to improve it. Recently it's had:

New shoes/drums/adjusters on the rear.
New discs and Greenstuff pads
New brake hoses at the front
New fluid, fully blead all round
New caliper sliders and boots

Everything is spanking clean and copper slipped.

The car stops well but I'd like the pedal to be a bit firmer and have more bite. Are braided hoses worth while? Any other old tired bits worth replacing?

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 23 Dec 2009, 11:19

Have you adjusted the rear shoes up at the rear? You can get some idea if they are out of adjustment by gently pulling up the handbrake to just below the biting point then applying the brakes, if there's a noticeable difference to the feel of the pedal then the rear shoes need adjusting manually.

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 23 Dec 2009, 13:18

Hi

Braided hoses do make a noticable difference, get someone to pump the brakes while you hold the rubber brake lines in the wheel arch, they will tend to balloon, especialy as they get older and this will give a slight spongey feel to the brakes.

D

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 23 Dec 2009, 13:29

Richard wrote
"pulling up the handbrake to just below the biting point then applying the brakes,"

or just pump the brake pedel an see if it firms up as the shoes /rear cylinders are pushed out as far as they will go,

after dismantling the rear brakes then re/assemling them, it pays to manualy asdjust the shoes up till you can just get the drums back on, smoothly but snug, as long as you can still turn the drum onec in place,

regards malcolm

evilally · Post by **evilally** » 23 Dec 2009, 22:16

Thanks guys, did the handbrake test and pumped the brake peddle etc, no difference. I made sure the drums were nice and snug going on. I will investigate the hoses when the weather improves.