| Author | Message | ||
     David (Dave) New Member Username: Dave Post Number: 20 Registered: 02-2003 |
On my 97 Disco I've recently noticed excessive brake pedal travel (engine on of course), even while in park. It may be just my perception since in the past few months I've been driving a 95 RRC which has little brake pedal travel and who's brakes (the RRC) always felt less "mushy" as many have reported about the RRC. It's not due to worn brake pads (discs) either since I've never noticed this issue on the Disco a few months ago and basically it's been sitting relatively un-used while I have been away on an extended trip. Could it be due to air in the lines? If so, do I have to "bleed" the brake lines or is there an easier way? Thanks in advance for any suggestions? | ||
| David (Dave) New Member Username: Dave Post Number: 21 Registered: 02-2003 |
Let me add one thing to my post above. The brake pedal while engine is on and in park travels down (when brake is applied) to about halfway between the top of the gas pedal and the floor. Brake pedal travel when braking is applied while driving goes a bit beyond halfway between top of gas pedal and floor....and almost has me "double pumping" occasionally. I wonder how far most peoples Disco I brake travel is? I can't remeber having to do that before I let the Disco sit for a time. Thanks! | ||
| Edward Mah (Emah) New Member Username: Emah Post Number: 37 Registered: 11-2002 |
If your brake pads are in good shape, then the next step would be to bleed the brake lines. Check to make sure your brake fluid is clean. If it is dirty, you might as well do a complete fluid change seeing that you are going to bleed the lines anyway. The pedal shouldn't go down that far under normal conditions and definitely not double pump. Should you still feel them a mushy, one great upgrade you can do to really improve the braking is to install the stainless steel brake lines. You will feel a major difference in the braking power and pedal stiffness due to the fact that the SS lines do not expand when the brakes are applied unlike the stock lines. Check them out on Expeditionexchange.com. They are awesome and great insurance especially if you have a lift and go off roading. Ed | ||
| David (Dave) New Member Username: Dave Post Number: 22 Registered: 02-2003 |
Ed, Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll have to look into the Stainless steel brake lines. I am somewhat of a novice to working on the Rover and although I haven't looked at my Disco Workshop manual for bleeding the brakes yet, is it something easy to do? Does it require any special tools? What I am also wondering is how aitr could get into the brake line from just letting the Disco sit for about 5 weeks (without starting?). I also recall years ago I was able to force air out of a brakeline by pumping the brake pedal (power brakes) while the vehicle was off...not sure if this is possible with the Disco? | ||
| Edward Mah (Emah) New Member Username: Emah Post Number: 40 Registered: 11-2002 |
The only special tool you need is another person to pump the brake pedal as you bleed the individual brake lines. Check out the archive on how to bleed the lines. Easy to do. Ed | ||
| David (Dave) New Member Username: Dave Post Number: 23 Registered: 02-2003 |
Thanks again Ed, I will check the archieves on how to do it. Just out of curiosity, assuming the brake pads are in good shape and it's not air in the brake lines, is there anythinng else it could be, just in case? I'm not aware of any brake pedal height adjustment? The reason I ask is I can't fathom how air can enter the brakelines while I vehicle just sits for a few weeks. Anyhow, I truly appreciate all your suggestions and I'll have a go at it. Thanks! | ||
| Tbow (Tbow) Member Username: Tbow Post Number: 82 Registered: 12-2002 |
Before you go replacing brake lines with stainless, (which are great but may not solve your problem) have someone press / pump the brakes hard and look at each flex line. If you see it bulge then replace it with OEM or stainless. But I would look at the master cylinder. Sounds like you might have an internal leak through between the primary and secondary chambers. Is the pedal firm when it stops or does it keep going to the floor? (requiring the double pumping). Another clue is when you unbolt the m/c from the vacuum booster and there's fluid on the backside. | ||
| David (Dave) New Member Username: Dave Post Number: 24 Registered: 02-2003 |
Hi Tbow, No, the pedal doesn't go to the floor although when it does reach the end of it's travel as described above it does feel a bit mushy. What is the m/c you mentioned above? Again I am a novice when it comes to some of the Disco repairs. Of all the possible things that might have led to the brake pedal symptoms I've described, I'm still trying to sort out which could be caused by the Disco sitting for 4-5 weeks where prior to this "sitting period" all was fine with the brakes? Thanks for your feedback! | ||
| Tbow (Tbow) Member Username: Tbow Post Number: 85 Registered: 12-2002 |
m/c is the master cylinder. With 4 wheel disc brakes, your travel should not be very far. Mine goes down and engages in the first 1/4 of the travel and you should NOT have to double pump it to get pedal height. Another thing have you checked the brake fluid level?? If you are a novice, then my recommendation is take it to a technician to troubleshoot the problem. Brakes are not something you should mess around with if you don't know what your doing. It's one repair if done wrong or not fixed properly CAN kill. | ||
| David (Dave) New Member Username: Dave Post Number: 25 Registered: 02-2003 |
Hi Tbow, Thanks again for the info. There are some repairs I feel capable of and some not. Bleeding the brake lines whould be straight forward enough but if that doesn't rectify the problem, then I'll leave it up to a tech regarding the m/c. I don't always have to double pump but it's got to the point where I'm close to doing that although even on the second "pump", the pedal travel is about the same as the first "press" of the pedal. Just 5 weeks ago before I let the Disco sit without being used, my pedal travel distance was the sames as yours...so something changed while it sat. Brake fluid level is fine and hasn't changed a bit. I always thought with power brakes that if the vehicle is "off" and one "pumps" the brake pedal "hard" quite a few times, that this forces brake fluid through the lines and in essence is sort of a psedo way to get air out of the system...although I'm not about to try this. Anyhow, task one is to bleed the lines and see if that helps. Again thanks! |
