[Ed]

Picked up the discs from Dave at V-tuning yesterday morning, (also bumped into Tom Williams while I was up there) and after a few hours all was fitted.

I only had to time to quickly bleed the front brakes. After a quick test drive I found the pedal very spongey, or at least a lot of travel on the pedal. I think it needs a proper go at bleeding including the rear brakes.

Anyone got any tips for getting a firm feel to the pedal, or is this a sympton of bedding in brakes?

I'll get some pics up when I can be bothered.

 

[LEE69]

You wont have as much "bite" so you may feel like its taking more force.

 

[spanishfly]

tyr bleeding them out again! spongy = air in the system
although pedal travel will be further due to larger pistons!

 

[Ed]

Well maybe spongey is not the right word, a lot of pedal travel would be more accurate.

That's what I suspected Lee.

My bleeding technique is to have the engine running and tightening the nipple while my assistant keeps the pedal depressed.

 

[Jamie_F]

Ed go and get one of those eazibleed things, they are so easy to use and it will be done right, you know you not suposed to push the pedal all the way to the floor as it can upset the mc seals, i found this out the expensive way

 

[ChrisB]

The V6 calipers have larger cylinders in them aparantly. So more fluid needs to flow to do the same piston travel.

You can adjust the pedal to account for this so that there is less 'slack' to take up in the system.

 

[Topbuzz]

What about the servo, is that bigger?
I had ATE 16v calipers on my Nova GTE, they felt fine.
On my old Nova SR, they were crap, becaseu the GTE has a bigger brake servo than the Nova SR.

But yes, bleed the whole system.
I bought one of theose pressue kits from Halfords for about £17, very easy to use. Get spare tyre, plug it into the hose/bottle and then plug into the top of the brake resvour. Then you run round to each caliper and turn on/off like a tap and watch all that old brake fluid with air bubbles come whooshing out.

 

[Ed]

you know you not suposed to push the pedal all the way to the floor as it can upset the mc seals, i found this out the expensive way

No I didn't know that That device you mentioned Topbuzz sounds good.

Is it posible to adjust the actual brake pedal and take out the slack?

 

[LEE69]

You can adjust the pedal to account for this so that there is less 'slack' to take up in the system.

 

[Ed]

How did I not see that So how is this done?

 

[Jamie_F]

usally theres a threaded rod under the brake pedal, just turn that to take up the slack

 

[Ed]

Ok. Well tomorrow I'll give the whole system a proper bleed (hopefully I haven't done the seals in already), and try to take up the slack in the pedal. A mechanic mate of mine told me I should have the engine running while I bleed the brakes, but on Topbuzz site it says to make sure it's off. What should I do?

Jamie, is that you and Lee in this months Fast Car?

 

[Jamie_F]

if your car has abs it best to do it with the engine running, i was told this by and ex vx mechanic.

and yes thats me a nd lee in FC

 

[Ed]

I'm gonna have another crack at the bleeding today; can I just verify that I should have the engine running, and have the pedal depressed as I do up the nipples?

 

[Cemesis]

How did you change the Calipers? Is there a clip on the brake hose that you just undo?

 

[Ed]

The brake hose just screws into the back of the Calliper, very simple. Straight swap.

 

[WeeKenny]

The hose bolts on to the caliper, its a funny bolt with a hole in the middle.

 

[Cemesis]

Interesting, so how do you get it off the caliper? Small 8mm spanner or something on the end of the hose?

I always wondered if all the fluid ran out when you took of a caliper.

 

[Ed]

Clamp the pipe off with a, er clamp, and unscrew the 11mm bolt. It couldn't be easier. You lose a little bit of fluid but hardly any. Bleeding is hardest part, hence my original question:

I'm gonna have another crack at the bleeding today; can I just verify that I should have the engine running, and have the pedal depressed as I do up the nipples?

 

[Ed]

I would have thought changing a calliper should be child's play to someone who has changed an engine