wack61 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 My 90s brakes are terrible compared to my focus It passed the MOT last year but is due again in the next couple of weeks When you start to brake they bite but don't get any better no matter how hard you press The servo is working because the pedal goes down a bit when you start it up with your foot on the brake The discs look in good condition , it has green stuff pads which again look fairly new Anything obvious I should look for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orgasmic Farmer Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 New pads... worwst hing I ever did to my old truck was fit Greenstuff pads. It wouldn't even lock the wheel on gravel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 I will second this, I have greenstuff pads on my v8 l322 and they are rubbish until the disc's warm up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yostumpy Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 have a look at the servo vacuum case, its the black saucer shaped thing on the back of the master cylinder. Where it bolts to the slave, they crack with the flexing, look carefully and you might see 2 areas where the paint is starting to flake off. The constant flexing in and out causes them to crack thro fatigue. A quick fix is to clean the cracks, and stick strips of gaffer tape over the cracks to seal. This works as the air is being sucked in to the cracks rather than being blown out. Mine now locks all four wheels on tarmac, (scarry) I Must change if before may tho. And yes even with 2 cracks, the pedal sank on start up, and was ok with litght pressure, but try to stop quick and, no way Jose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAttrill Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 I have seen one Defender with cracks around the bolts on the servo. I suggested Pratley Steel which is a 2-part epoxy which sets like steel and can even be machined. Haven't heard from the owner on that one.... There must be an equivalent epoxy sold in the UK. Steve (Bogmonster) reckoned just about all the Defenders on the Falklands had had their servos changed because of cracks. Obviously the roads are bad there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 sticking pistons? does it brake straight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrovernuts Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Agree with the Greenstuff comments - they are bloody awful especially so when cold or wet. Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 You can't compare the way a Focus brakes work compared to a Defender. You will never stop a Defender on it's front number plate like you will a Focus. Think of changing the pads and check that the calliper pistons are all working correctly when you have the wheels off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 If you really nail the brake-pedal, you should be able to lock all 4 wheels on any non-ABS vehicle. Check the discs - they should all be uniformly-shiny over their whole surface-area on all four wheels. If not, you've got a sticking caliper. You say you're using 'off-brand' pads: replace them with proper Mintex/Ferodo/Delphi-branded ones, follow the specified bed-in process [generally gentle driving for the first 50 miles then a series of repeated hard stops from high-speed] and see how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wack61 Posted December 5, 2012 Author Share Posted December 5, 2012 Thanks for all the advice, I'll have a look at the servo for cracking first and go from there The green stuff pads were on it when I bought it which makes me wonder if the previous owner put them on to try and improve the braking It does brake in a straight line, just a very long one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicks90 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 also check the hose from the servo to the inlet - as mine perished and under heavy breaking the lack of assistance was woeful! changed the pipe and all was restored! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orgasmic Farmer Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Just a thought. I had a disco whihc wouldn't stop even with all new calipers discs and pads up front. Turned out it was down to the rears not working warth a toss.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
q-rover Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Before changing pads, discs, etc I would make sure that the sstem is functioning 100%. If it isn't doens't matter what brand of disc/ pad you have, it'll still be pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yostumpy Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 have a look at the servo vacuum case, its the black saucer shaped thing on the back of the master cylinder. Where it bolts to the slave, they crack with the flexing, look carefully and you might see 2 areas where the paint is starting to flake off. The constant flexing in and out causes them to crack thro fatigue. A quick fix is to clean the cracks, and stick strips of gaffer tape over the cracks to seal. This works as the air is being sucked in to the cracks rather than being blown out. Mine now locks all four wheels on tarmac, (scarry) I Must change if before may tho. And yes even with 2 cracks, the pedal sank on start up, and was ok with litght pressure, but try to stop quick and, no way Jose another thing to check, if the egr (if fitted) has been removed make sure the thin vacuum tube is plugged (comes off a t peice near the servo).. re pads, I replaced mine last year with EBC ultimax from www.brakes4u.co.uk £39 both axles delivered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porsche Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 its the green stuffs , i had them on my last disco with sl otted discs , they were useless , i even managed to rip the pad of the backing plate , rubbish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I'd say calliper pistons. They are prone to corrosion. Remove the pads and pump the pedal to check the pistons move, then force them back in to refit the pads. The pads should also be free to move by hand when the brakes are off but solid when the pedal is pressed, so check that too to make sure all pistons are working. I have EBC discs and green stuff pads on my RRC and think they're very good. They were a big improvement over the original discs and pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wack61 Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 It's been into the garage today, they think the shuttle valve is faulty, he's tested the servo and brake pressure and its all working What he thinks is happening is the brake pressure is arriving at the shuttle valve at full pressure but its only letting some of it through because its seized up £160 for a new one so I hope that's it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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