brake problems

[squizzel]

I recently fitted a new rear axle, along with this i fitted new copper brake pipes, new drums, wheel cylinders, brake shoes, handbrake cables and flexy hose. Everything has been ok up to last week when i had to do an emergency stop. Some idiot decided to pull ou on me, anyway shortly after i had a noise from the nearside front. One of the cylinders had failed, so 4 new cylinders were fitted, new shoes and flexy hoses. Today the brakes stuck on, we managed to get it home, and found that the only way to get the cylinders to release was to open the bleed nipples. I found that then even at full adjustment the off side rear still wouldn't touch the drum. I finally got the rears adjusted and the offside front jammed back on, and even with the adjustment right off is still tight. The brake fluid just will not return, although all the pipes are new. The pedal goes solid too, so the only thing left is the master cylinder, unless one of you guys can think of anything else. It really is a simple system, it shouldn't be this hard to sort.

[kennatt]

have you tried pulling the pedal up by hand,may be sticking on shaft

[Murrayminor]

Check if your clutch pedal moves when you depress the brake as mentioned it could be the shaft is worn causing the brakes to stick on.
That is assuming you have the brake shoes and springs fitted correctly.

[squizzel]

100% the shoes and springs are fitted correctly, going to fit a new M/C tomorrow. Hopefully it will cure it.

[shoebone]

Does the brake peddle have enough free play (before you depress it)? Free play is needed to allow the brake fluid to return to the cylinder.

[squizzel]

It does, or shall i say did. It is now solid at 1/2 way down, but the pedal goes down to the floor when a bleed nipple is loosened off. I got them working fine yesterday, took it around the block, got it back on the drive and bang the front drivers side jammed on. I got the adjusters all the way off and still the drum was tight. The only way to get the brakes off was to open the bleed nipple. So i thought that flexy had failed, i had another new spare and replaced it, but no better. I have just checked the pedals the bushes are ok, minor movement but not enough to jam the pedal. I can only think that something has gone wrong in the M/C. At leat the whole braking system will be new.

[don58van]

the front drivers side jammed on

It could be the 'top hat' valve is not installed correctly in the master cylinder. Its job is to retain some pressure in the brake lines. You might have too much pressure retained.

Don

[squizzel]

I can strip it and have a look once its out. I fitted this M/C about 10 years ago and all has been fine until now. Something is stopping the fluid returning

[squizzel]

Well i thought i would update you all as i found quite a bit wrong today.
I said earlier that there was no play in the pedals, this was correct when i tried moving them. Then i removed the floor panel, the yoke for the brake pedal to M/C was bent, just shy of 90 degrees. When i removed the pin and spring there was a lot of movement in the pedals and shaft, so i removed them, The clutch pedal shaft has 2 big grooves worn into it where the brake pedal is and where the shaft goes through the chassis accelerator side. The bushes in the chassis are practically none existent, ( they are out now), and the ones in the brake pedal are shot.
I removed the M/C and its solid, so i went ahead and replaced it.
I have a new clutch pedal and shaft on its way, a set of bushes, push rod and yoke. I have now converted the old cap so the pressure bleeder i have fits it, and while the cylinder was out i repaired the captive nuts for the cross member that had broken free.