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I think i messed up!

Tommo&Claire

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
959
Garage
So, feeling brave this evening i decided to investigate the squealing noise emanating from my front starboard side brake. Turns out there was very little left on the pad so i thought as i already had the spares in the garage 'how hard can it be?'

The removal of the old ones and fitting of the new ones turned out not to be rocket salad as Chris would say, even for me. However, once all was back together i turned it on and pumped the brake pedal a few times expecting there to be a little bit of play in there as the pistons grip the new pads, but it's like a bloody sponge. If you pump the brake pedal then it firms up but then if you remove you foot for a few second it goes soft again.

Now i am certain that this is me being a monkey but i can only assume i got air in the system when i loosened off the bleed nipple to allow me to push the pistons back in to make room for new pads. When i did this, brake fluid came out as i expected but there was no point where air could have got sucked back in was there?? i thought i wouldn't have to bleed the brakes for a simple change of pads.

Anyway, truck is now stuck on drive because i'm a pillock. :doh:

Suggestions..... helpful ones!

Oh and i called my breakdown people Green Flag who sent round a guy who said he knew nothing about bleeding brakes and wouldn't touch it. :o
 
Needs bleeding Tommo. I understand what you are saying about being careful, but when you shove the pistons back in, there is water that has collected in the chambers from various means, old fluid, new fluid etc etc. Best to bleed them through. Bleeding is easy - are you saying that you don't know how to bleed? I surmise this as you say that the truck is now dead in the water?

I don't buy this 'Open the nipples and let the fluid run out' method. Maybe in an emergency. But open 'down' lock 'up' with a length of tube in a jar of fluid and an assistant on the pedal is the best way that I know.

Chris
 
Chris said:
NBleeding is easy - are you saying that you don't know how to bleed?

Not really have always been man on brakes for this job.

So i sit Claire in car have her depress pedal then open nipple, air should issue forth.

Repeat till no air comes out?
 
OK, start at furtherst nip from the reservoir. There shouldn't be air in any of the other points, but it's worth doing all round. Fit a piece of clear plastic tube over the nipple with the spanner on first. Crack the nip and shout 'DOWN. Nice slow steady stroke. Pedal at the bottom, lock off an shout 'up'. Nice steady release. About 3 seconds top to bottom. You'll see air because there is some in the nipple and some in the tube of course. Look at the fluid. Probably quite dirty too. When fluid is clear move on. That's really it. Have the end of the tube in a jar or something that can't get knocked over. Have some fluid in there with the tube below the level of the fluid so it can't suck air back in. I'd go to B&Q Warehouse and get some tube there, they sell it on a roll by the meter. Needs to be a snug fit on the nip.

That's really all there is to it. I sometimes get the assistant to rapidly pump the pedal a few times, hold it and then open the nip to force an hidden bubble out. DO NOT re use the fluid. Do something like six ups and downs then go and check the reservoir. Keep it topped right up. See how much fluid is needed to top it back up. That way you know how many times you can upon and close without the fluid dropping too low. Remember that the chamber in the reservoir has two sides for the split braking system. Do not rely on looking through the side of the plastic. Have a look INSIDE through the top. Many people have come a cropper that way before. Keep the fluid off the paintwork.

Use a ring spanner on the nipple and treat it like and old bolt. Quick wire brush to clean it. Get the spanner on properly and steadily apply a force to break the seal. Do this before you get the tube on and have the spanner in a position that allows you to open and close the nip without having to take it off each time, so it's like a tap, yes?

Get fella, crack on. The 'down / up' shouting gets a bit laborious, but it's necessary.

Chris
 
Who's a bloody pillock then??????? Sounds like you almost got it right though :clap:

Chris, you're a top dude fella, leading him through in words of one syllable.

Son, If you get proper stuck, give me a shout but don't leave it too late. Might be worth going down to Collingwood if the workshop is open. There will be someone there who will assist if you need it.
 
If you need a hand Tommo just shout, i can be round with the tools if needed.
 
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My thanks to Chris for the very clear instructions and Paul for the practical help, all now sorted!!
 
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