LC brakes - how sharp are your brakes and bleeding

[AndyCook]

I have never really been happy with the sharpness of my collies brakes
running EBC discs and greenstuff pads
the pistons are free, I can activate the ABS on a dry road if i really mash the brake pedal hard
but they dont have the sharpness i have with my other cars - subaru foresters and yaris

Yesterday I put brake pipe clamps on the 2 front brake flexy pipes
then (engine off) pressed brake pedal - it was rock solid straight away
so i think master cylinder is OK,

but unclamp either of the flexy hoses leading to the front calipers and there is mushyness when you press the brake pedal initially

i clamped them and opened bleed valve and pushed the pistons in, but not all the way home and some dirtier brake fluid came out and possibly some air.
but i am sure i did this before, and still didnt get the brakes sharp.

i wonder is air gets trapped in the bottom of the caliper, where internal chambers link the calipers

i will try again pushing the pistons completely home (again with hose clamped and bleed valve open to try and expell air

i have been bleeding using both gravity and 2-person method, and also tried a vacuume system (but that often just sucks airs in via bleed nipped threads - even with grease used to try and seal them)

how is the brake performance in your collies?

anything else i can try?

 

[froggy Steve]

Mmmm, brakes are a little spongy, but work OK. I have a new Fiat Scudo Van and the breaks are awsome, seriously excellent. Its a bit scary once I jump in the Collie for the first couple of km! I wonder if stainless braided hoses would help? I havent tried bleeding any brakes yet though.

Steve

 

[chadr]

Not great TBH - I had stainless (Goodrich) braided hoses put it, brake fluid changed and bleed at a garage last year and it made absolutely no different at all.....also remember to bleed the LSPV at the rear as I'm sure the garage forgot to do that!

I really need to give the calipers an overhaul just to be sure....

Just to add - it always stops OK. However it needs far more pedal pressure than other cars I have driven. The worse in that way was a Citroen Xantia - the brakes in that were binary, either off or on!

 

[Bob]

I've always found the brakes ok. You do need to hammer them down to stop in any hurry though. I always remind myself it's a 2 and a half ton truck I'm trying to stop when it's loaded, not a Golf or Astra

 

[AndyCook]

not just my truck then!

i bled the LSPV at weekend and all 4 callipers

and master cylinder last night

 

[Euan McGilp]

Have stainless hoses fitted to mine (swapped at about 120k miles) and they make a serious difference. Would certainly recommend this mod.

 

[Doodle]

Mine aren't fantastic either but they do the job. Rather exciting before I adjusted the LSPV

 

[tim falce]

Mine work OK but they do tend to over servo and the pedal goes to the floor if you push hard enough although this is a problem I've found when MOTing a lot of different types of Toyota. It's not a MC or fluid problem as the pedals on all occasions are rock solid without the engine running and any boost pressure dispelled. Has anyone had any problems with over zealous MOT testers?

 

[Beau]

I find the brakes are very good on the collie for a 2 ton truck, and I only ever hear the abs kick in when it's snowing, theres no real need to slam on the breaks on these things....

I have had to make some quick stops and I think she's been pretty impressive, but I do feel the abs kicks in a little too early and there is more grip to be found before hand. I've also read on the forum a member has disabled his abs system to fully utilise his breaks... maybe he uses his on a race track?

 

[silvercruiser]

the colorado brakes are definitely not the sharpest, but like Bob said you are trying to stop a 2 1/2 ton beast. I have installed new calipers, grooved and dimpled discs, braided hoses, flushed the brake fluid, thoroughly bled the system and toyota genuine pads. and i can say it has made an improvement and they always stop me and do throw in the abs when needed but i do think toyota could of done better.

 

[AndyCook]

well - worked on both front brakes this evening,
pushed the front calliper pistons fully home, with the flexy hose clamped and bleed nipple open - stacks of bubbles came out when pistons were pushed right in, and even more after hitting the calliper with a rubber mallet - that seemed to shift quite a bit of air.

then gravity bled for a while with the pistons held back, then got wife to operate the brake pedal, whilst i open/closed the bleed valve.
got no more air out after a while

brakes less mushy and stopping better - but not staggeringly better
think i will leave them be now!

 

[Chris Green90]

What is this ABS thing you speak of. Mine are pretty good all things considered and the amount I have mucked around with them. It stops me well and if I stamp on the pedal it will throw you forward. Oh and yeah the handbrake is excellent.