Need help with front brakes on C5 mk1

[waynedance]

I have fitted some new brake calipers but I have a little travel on the pedal.

Before fitting the hand brake levers were pushed yes I now know this should not have done.

Fitted the calipers and bled or 4 brakes before pulling on the hand brake. Brakes work but as said there is play in the pedal before braking starts. If I push the pedal and then release again the second press is better.

Is there another way to set up the calipers and hand brake?

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[ekjdm14]

Is this long pedal on the first push/better pedal second push happening while driving? Also, if you pump the pedal a few times while stationary does it stay "good" or go long again without the car having moved?

I ask because if the old calipers had caused the brakes to drag at all, the discs may be warped which gives a similar symptom or (if the discs have been off), a bit of crud between it & the hub can also knock the pads back slightly on the move causing a longer pedal on first application of the brakes.

[waynedance]

New pads and discs fitted recently. Yes second push is better, was better pedal before fitting new calipers.

Will have to have a look and check all fitted ok, would winding the pistons back reset the hand brake? Read that you press the pedal 5 time, then with pedal pressed put hand brake on 5 times and finish with another 5 times on hand brake with pedal not pressed.

[Gibbo2286]

I think you still have air in the system and need to bleed them again.

Alternatively you may need to be sure that the front pads are properly adjusted, disconnect the handbrake cables and make sure the handbrake levers are right back to the stops then see if they will adjust by pumping the pedal.

[waynedance]

I used a power bleeder and done all wheels yesterday and all looked good.

Will do another manual bleed tomorrow, could I have done any damage to the calipers by moving the hand brake levers before fitting? How do you or can you reset the hand brake adjusters.

[lexi]

Seemingly, if you move the levers on new calipers towards the cable, rather than the other way around, you can goose them.
Not done it myself but that is the story from a few good sources.

[waynedance]

Great seems there no good then..did not know that would happen.


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[Gibbo2286]

I'm not sure what they're talking about when they come up with the 'don't move the lever' bit, I can't see what damage would be done, I wonder if it's not someone's mis-reading of the instructions to adjust the pads before connecting the cables.
If your cables are maladjusted i.e. adjusted too short and you move the levers to match then the self adjusting mechanism on the callipers cannot work, the levers need to go right back to the stops when the handbrake is off.

[waynedance]

Going to have a look later and wind pistons back in later on with hand brake disconnected. Pump pedal before fitting handbrake.

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[411514]

I had a vaguely similar problem with the brakes on my Mk1 C5 after changing discs/pads. It did seem to me that operating the handbrake prior to pumping the brake pedal caused problems.

I seem to remember that after winding back pistons and fitting new/discs pads, I then absent mindedly pulled the handbrake up before having pumped the pedal. This must be the wrong thing to do, as over the next few days I then had a multitude of problems with the brakes, culminating with one of the calipers seizing on.

On the plus side, the problem seems to have been solved just by taken everything apart again, winding pistons back into calipers, assembling, and remembering to pump the pedal before using the handbrake.

[waynedance]

Fingers crossed that is what i am going to do after work and all will be well, feel better after the last 2 replies.

Cheers guys.

[Stewart(oily)]

I would bleed them again, it sounds like air, moving the handbrake arm will make the adjuster in the caliper move up a notch, if you got the pads in then ,it did not move too far! ensure that the handbrake cables are not pulling on the levers with the handbrake off, the levers must return to their fully off position for it all to work.