Land Rover Defender TD5 110 - No Brake Pedal

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.

SG1

Member
Posts
12
Location
Scotland
Evening all, I am hoping someone on here can help me out!

The defender is a W-Reg TD5 110 (Year '00) Country Station Wagon. It failed its MOT a few weeks ago on a rusted brake line. I decided as the brakes looked original to replace the entire set thus I replaced

- Calipers Front and Rear
- Disks Front and Rear
- Pads and Assembly Hardware Front and Rear

Along the way, I replaced all of the brake lines leading from the Flexi-hoses that lead to the calipers with new copper ones as they were all corroded. As well as a section leading into the read T-Piece on the read axle.

Using an Eezi-Bleeder I initially bled the entire system until there were no bubbles following the Land Rover recommended order. This resulted in no pedal, I could pump and pump and I wouldn't get any pressure at all. Checked for leaks and can find nothing at all. Usually, with the Eezi-Bleed a leak is pretty obvious.

Rebled going from the furthermost wheel to the nearest wheel (the standard way of bleeding) and again no pedal. Thinking I had maybe damaged the Master cylinder using too high a tire pressure, and looking at where the reservoir meets the cylinder body, I order a new one and fitted that.

Rebled, and again no pedal. I originally followed the "five pumps with 10-second intervals" to bleed the master cylinder following land rovers' advice. Thinking that perhaps that was the issue I then removed the MC and bench-bled it ensuring I had oil in both sides of the cylinder with no air by looping each outward port back into the bottle. Fitted, rebled, and again pedal would go straight to the floor. You can pump like mad and you get a small bit of resistance but not much and it's right at the bottom of travel.

I have tried bleeding with a friend the old-fashioned way and getting clear brake fluid at every corner and have tried it with the EEzi bleed both ways still resulting in no pedal.

Other things to note, I have measured the distance on the back of the Master Cylinder and confirmed its the same depth and length as the old one, so I am pretty convinced that the Servo actuator rod is correctly adjusted.

I have clamped off all flexible lines leading from the caliper and I can pump and get a little bit of resistance.

I have read about the brake biasing valve causing issues but nothing like this. but its the only component I haven't swapped out

currently used about 10l of DOT4 chasing this down.

If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know as I am at my wit's end!
 
Hi Lightning,

Yes at all four corners, however, I am not sure if its proportional to the pedal travel. I suppose it shouldn't be much to engage the brakes!

Also to note, I did not prime the calipers before fitting them. Never had to do this on previous vehicles.
 
I might be the biggest dumping in the soup pot. Both bleed nipples are at the bottom on the front calipers, when I was bleeding I thought it was a bit strange as it was nigh on impossible to get a spanner on them.

Well, this might turn into a bit of a late night as I get the calipers swapped. and the MC back on again...
 
I might be the biggest dumping in the soup pot. Both bleed nipples are at the bottom on the front calipers, when I was bleeding I thought it was a bit strange as it was nigh on impossible to get a spanner on them.

Well, this might turn into a bit of a late night as I get the calipers swapped. and the MC back on again...
When you have got the nipples at the top, try using gravity bleed.
Just fill up the reservoir, and open the nipple furthest from the master cylinder, with a clear tube attached, end of the clear tube in a jar of brake fluid.
Wait until fluid without bubbles emerges from the nipple, then repeat in order on the other calipers.
Make sure you keep up the reservoir level all the time while this is going on.

I have never been able to get hard pedal on a Landrover using the pumping method, or Eezi bleeds.
 
Is there any way I can get Def90Man a case of cold beer? They are the MVP. Got the calipers and MC back on, rebled with EEzi bleed, and the pedal has about an inch of travel, the best I have ever had!

I think the only way you would ever spot this is to have it seared into your brain by dismantling the braking system 15 times.

MOT getting booked tomorrow,

Thank you all!
 
Is there any way I can get Def90Man a case of cold beer? They are the MVP. Got the calipers and MC back on, rebled with EEzi bleed, and the pedal has about an inch of travel, the best I have ever had!

I think the only way you would ever spot this is to have it seared into your brain by dismantling the braking system 15 times.

MOT getting booked tomorrow,

Thank you all!


Did someone mention Stella? ;)
 
Just as a bit of a note on eezi bleed - they're OK and certainly a step up from doing it all manually. But these days I use the laser 4832 or sealey VS820 brake bleeders.
Yes, they're more expensive than an eezi bleed - but on a time & aggro basis to get brakes bled perfectly the first time, they're a massive leap forwards.
 
Second the above, l've got the Sealey and it's a revelation after faffing around with eezibleed on the spare tyre and getting the right pressure
 
Back
Top