Breaks

Is there a straight forward way of checking my brakes on my 200TDI. When I brake it pulls one way, I think it may be one of the brakes not working properly. I have had a good look at them, they dont look like they have an issue.

Please help.

Thanks

check your front and rear brake cailper pistons, make sure they've got free movement and are not seized. this is most often the case.
different pad linings on either side can sometimes also cause this and any contamination on the discs or pads.

Thanks for that, the front pistions are both free, I have not considered the rears. Do you think it is worth changing the pads as a matter of corse to be sure there is no problem there?

not unless they are worn or contaminated, tyres can also cause it to pull as can uneven pressures. also check yer wheel bearings

Hi,

imo the most likely cause is air in the system, top up levels and bleed all the brakes, longest pipes 1st to shortest last.

L3on..

nah its not air...unless you have a seperate system for each wheel

The wheel bearings are good as I have rebuilt both sides on the front to do all the Swivel ball seals. The tyres are worn slightly differently but I dont believe that this would make such a dramatic effect on breaking.

slob said:

nah its not air...unless you have a seperate system for each wheel

Click to expand...

Why on earth could it not be air? provided all pipes only ever went up i would agree with u, but they never do and air will reach the top of an inverted u in the pipe and stay there until bled, ergo less braking pressure to any 1 wheel!

l3on said:

Why on earth could it not be air? provided all pipes only ever went up i would agree with u, but they never do and air will reach the top of an inverted u in the pipe and stay there until bled, ergo less braking pressure to any 1 wheel!

Click to expand...

The pressure in the system wil remain the same when you depress the brake pedal regardless of air, the air will compress, resulting in more pedal travel, but you can't have a sealed system with more pressure in one bit than the other.

All 4 front brake pistons should move freely otherwise that will cause an imbalance, are any of the brake pads worn down more than the others, that will suggest a sticking piston.

Other than that, tyre pressures can cause a similar problem.

Have you been doing any offroading? .... damage to steering linkage or brake pipes.

hth

Dave

l3on said:

Why on earth could it not be air? provided all pipes only ever went up i would agree with u, but they never do and air will reach the top of an inverted u in the pipe and stay there until bled, ergo less braking pressure to any 1 wheel!

Click to expand...

someoneelse has already answered this but just incase you missed it. pressure in a hydraulic system will be constant in every part of the system. which is why it can't be air. the air will compress which is why when you have air in the systelm if you pump yer pedal it will get harder. this is due to the air being compress as much as possible. because fluid don't compress when you push the pedal what you are doing is pushing the fluid away from the master cylinder to the wheel cylinders/calipers. if you have a perfect system all brakes will work as one. if you have a sticky caliper then that one will not work until you have produced enough pressure to overcome the stickyness of it, if at all. having said all that it is possible to have both at the same time ...air and a sticky cylinder also different tread patterns will affect brakes as much as anything.

why is it i can type with paragraphs but when i post it all comes out in one big splurge??

Dunno

Mate

Must

Be

Something

You're

Not

Doing

Right

now

see

i

wouldn't

have

thought

of

that

He he he

Well, you didn't expect a Disco owner to reply, did you? They're all busy stocking up on ice cream

oooo! yule go straight to hell for that one!! the forum police will have you bang to rights