Braking Problem ?

[Stoff]

A bit of help please.

 

Took my caterham out today but it was obvious from the start there was a problem.

 

As I reversed it out of the garage it felt like the handbrake was on (it wasn't) and then the was a distinct, but not too loud, 'crack' sound and it freed up. However almost immediately on the road there was strange sound coming from the back and a very bad vibration through the pedal when I pressed the brakes.

 

Literally 1 minute later I am back at home and jacking the car up. I found on the inside of the passenger side rear brake disc a hard "lump" about 0.5 cm wide running radially across the face of the disc on the shinny part. I am guessing this came some how from the brakes pad over the last few weeks as it has been parked up - it rained on the last run but not sure if this is the cause. No signs of liquid on the floor.

 

5 minutes of scrapping & sanding and the "lump" was still there but a lot less distinct. Took it on the road and the strange sound had gone and the brake vibration was much less and gone completely by the end of the run (10 miles or so).

 

So now here is the thing.....

 

I feel as if the brakes are not as even as before. They are OK under normal braking but not under very heavy braking. If I brake deliberately hard so the car skids the rear always locks first and the car turns to the noticeably to the right at the moment it starts to skid...previously it always skidded in a straight line with the front locking.

 

Could it be the rear passenger brakes not working properly - i.e. the inboard calliper not working ? Would this explain things ? Is there away of checking ?

 

All thoughts most welcome.

 

 

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

If your garage has a level floor ..... don't put the handbrake on. If you put it away wet ..... with the amount of metal in today's asbestos-free pads, the pads corrode onto the disc. You have probably left the face of the pad attached to the disc.

 

Suggest removing all of the rear pads. You'll need a Ford wind-back tool to screw (clockwise) the piston back into the caliper to enable refitting ... especially if you fit new pads. Note the pips on the piston have to be at 12-3-6-9 o'clock so they seat home in the groove in the pad.

 

When refitted ... push brake pedal sharply a few times to operate the self adjuster, before pulling the handbrake.

 

While caliper apart to get pads out, check sliding pins are free to move, clean up and lubricate with CopaSlip. Caution if you have rigid brake pipes to calipers.

 

Did this recently. Let me know if you need more details.

[Stoff]

Brilliant.

 

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

It sounds like the sort of thing that I might be brave enough to do !

 

Thanks again,

 

Chris

[elie boone]

It could be a piece of friction material you have removed from the disc, so check your brake pads and replace them if there is a part missing.

[Jonathan Kay]

Lots of helpful advice at Alcester Racing Sevens

 

Jonathan

[Stoff]

Excellent link !

 

A picture paints a thousand words and all that.....

 

Off to get me one of those winding back tools next week.