Opinions on MOT - LR garage or not?

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 23:24:05 +0100, "Andrew Carr"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I remember I once had a 4wd drive Subaru took it a local fit and forget type
>place and had the tester report that the had brake was non functional. I
>explained that the hand brake worked on the front wheels. Watched then put
>back on the ramp lift it and every 'fitter' came and had a look at the front
>callipers, then back onto the rolling road and I was told that the hand
>brake was now fine.

'Tis the same with the Citroen BX.

--
QrizB

"On second thought, let's not go to Z'Ha'Dum. It is a silly place."

On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 15:02:48 +0100 (BST), [email protected]
("David G. Bell") made me spill my meths when he wrote:

>They gave up on the switch that said 'Infra
>> Red', must have thought it was one of those quick tan sun beds in the
>> back.
>
>That one doesn't seem to be connected on my Lightweight.

It wasn't on the Carawagon either but still had to shout "bang" when
they flicked it.
--
Wayne Davies - Mobile 07989 556213 - Harrogate, N.Yorks, UK

Judith vaguely muttered something like ...

> I was well used to stripping down my Series III's brakes and unseizing
> the cylinders (or burning oil off the shoes!) but how easy would this
> be to fix myself? I presume that the calipers/pads are not moving
> completely freely (?). Could I press the calipers/pads in/out
> repeatedly to free them up?

If the pads are very worn the pistons may have pushed further out of their
calipers than normal, so after removing the pads, [1] I generally use a
g-cramp (more often a bit of wood) to press them back in again, but watch
the master cylinder fluid level. If you have another bit of wood that's a
tad wider than the pads you can use this for the calipers/pistons to press
against, and work the brake pedal so that the piston leaves a mark on the
wood, and can give an indication if the pistons are sticking on one side or
another .. but it is only an approximation ..

Clean all the accumulated crap from the calipers and 'slidey' bits where the
pads reside, I use a handmade scraper and a wire brush. Then use Copaslip
(I think that's what it's called, the labels worn off years ago) grease,
which is a high temperature anti-seize grease, pasting a very thin smear on
all mating / sliding surfaces of the pads and calipers. Don't get any
grease at all on the pad friction material, or even within sniffing distance
if possible ..

Brute force shouldn't really (though this _is_ a Landrover) be needed unless
there's lots of corrosion / crud to get in the way, and usually involves the
smallest item, the split pins ...

Have fun .. they're easier to do than S3 brakes ...

[1] Remove ssmall split pin behind the caliper, then pull the pad
location/retaining pins, while holding the anti-rattle springs. Pads should
now pull out easily .. Replacement, as the saying goes, is a reversal of the
removals procedure, but the springs can be fiddly to hold ... It is _much_
easier if you have all new pins/split pins/springs to work with. They come
in kits and cost bugger all ..

--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

> Aled wrote:
>
>>
>> With a Disco, what's the "correct" way of testing the brakes then,
>> and should I need to find a specialised tester?
>
My Audi Coupe Quattro brakes are MOT tested on the road using a meter
attached to a large block of steel that the tester places in the
passenger footwell. At a convenient, safe opportunity, he applies the
brakes and the meter measures the deceleration. Sorted!

Richard

Paul - xxx wrote:

> If the pads are very worn the pistons may have pushed further out of their
> calipers than normal, so after removing the pads, [1] I generally use a
> g-cramp (more often a bit of wood) to press them back in again, but watch
> the master cylinder fluid level.

Look for tears in the seals on the piston ends, and replace. Also check
that the piston hasn't corroded on the outside.

A friend of mine did his years ago, and the pistons seized in the
cylinders, locking the brakes ON (he didn't squeeze the pistons back,
fortunately, or he would have had no brakes) He realised there was a
problem, but decided the best thing to do was to come and see me - so he
drove, with binding brakes, down the M62 for 10 miles. When he got to
me, the discs were glowing,the caliper fluid was boiling off, and we had
to hose the car !


Steve

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 01:24:07 +0100, Aled <[email protected]> wrote:

>With a Disco, what's the "correct" way of testing the brakes then, and
>should I need to find a specialised tester?

At the MOT garage I used today, they only have a single axle rolling
road so they can't test the brakes of 4WD vehicles. The tester did a
very short road test of the brakes. He said he was checking that the
ABS light went out, that the vehicle stopped and that there was no
veering to the side.

I'm not sure why he mentioned ABS. Although I should think that ABS
is not MOT-able, perhaps the warning light would give indication of
"something" not being right.

Judith

On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 16:50:38 +0100, "Paul - xxx"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Have fun .. they're easier to do than S3 brakes ...

Thanks, Paul, for the detailed reply.

Next time it stops raining, unless I can think of another excuse, I'm
going to try to get the wheels off but (as discussed in a previous
thread up there ^) I'm expecting to have to take it to a tyre fitter
and ask them to correctly torque the wheelnuts.

[Although I've had the Disco for a couple of years, I've used garages
for most of the work that the vehicle has needed. I've lost the knack
of working on Land Rovers.... although I did spend a couple of hours
last week tracking down the Disco's first oil leak! It's leaking
where the oil cooler pipe comes out of the oil filter. I was
*astounded* when I noticed a drop of oil underneath ..... I've got so
used to having a clean drive!]

Judith

Judith vaguely muttered something like ...
> On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 16:50:38 +0100, "Paul - xxx"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Have fun .. they're easier to do than S3 brakes ...
>
> Thanks, Paul, for the detailed reply.
>
> Next time it stops raining, unless I can think of another excuse, I'm
> going to try to get the wheels off but (as discussed in a previous
> thread up there ^) I'm expecting to have to take it to a tyre fitter
> and ask them to correctly torque the wheelnuts.
>
> [Although I've had the Disco for a couple of years, I've used garages
> for most of the work that the vehicle has needed. I've lost the knack
> of working on Land Rovers.... although I did spend a couple of hours
> last week tracking down the Disco's first oil leak! It's leaking
> where the oil cooler pipe comes out of the oil filter. I was
> *astounded* when I noticed a drop of oil underneath ..... I've got so
> used to having a clean drive!]
>
> Judith

Snap .. I just fixed my first Disco oil leak too .. sump bolts were a tad
loose and weeping slightly ..

Juliet (my wife) was also pretty astounded "The S3 didn't even do that ..."


--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

How old does a disco have to be before it leaks ?

You can tell where I park, as I have marked my territory.


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes

"Paul - xxx" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Judith vaguely muttered something like ...
> > On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 16:50:38 +0100, "Paul - xxx"
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> >

>
> Snap .. I just fixed my first Disco oil leak too .. sump bolts were a tad
> loose and weeping slightly ..
>
> Juliet (my wife) was also pretty astounded "The S3 didn't even do that
...."
>
>
> --
> Paul ...
>
> (8(|) ... Homer Rocks
>
> "A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."
>
>

One of the reasons I drive a series is that I don't have to worry about all
that ABS stuff. I don't feel any the less secure without it, though I
wouldn't mind a set of discs.


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes

"Judith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 09:06:21 +1200, EMB <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >
>
> Oo-eck! I forgot about ABS. It looks like I'm going to learn a lot
> from this job!
>
> Thanks for the advice everyone.
>
> Judith

EMB vaguely muttered something like ...
> Judith wrote:
>
>> Manuel passed his MOT. I went to the independent garage which does
>> all the MOTs for James Edwards in Chester. You could tell he'd seen a
>> few Land Rovers before, which was reassuring!
>>
>> Although the brakes work, I was advised that all of the discs are
>> corroded/rusty. I had already seen this myself but wasn't quite sure
>> what to do.
>>
>> It looks as if the pads are not pressing equally over the discs. ie
>> there is a part of each disc which is not getting any contact with the
>> pad and, therefore, is going rusty.
>
> Quite possibly siezed pistons and/or caliper slides. Strip &
> disassemble the calipers. Check that the pistons aren't rusty or pitted
> and reassemble with new seals (and pistons if required). Clean any rust
> of the discs with emery cloth (really clean - rust eats brake pads) or
> if the discs are badly scored get them machined or replace them. Put the
> calipers back onto the vehicle with new pads, bed them in gently and
> you're right for another umpteen thousand miles.
>
> Another post mentions pushing the pistons back into the calipers. There
> is only one "right" way to do this and it's absolutely vital on ABS
> vehicles as it stops all the collected crap in the caliper being pushed
> back through the ABS unit and knackering it. Use a brake hose clamp to
> clamp off the flexible hose, open the bleeder, then force the piston
> back (the excess fluid will exit through the bleeder). I generally use
> a large pair of polygrips to force the piston back - if they are tight
> enough to need a g-cramp then they are partially siezed and should be
> pulled apart and repaired as above. Once it's all reassembled give the
> brakes a bleed. Even on non-ABS vehicles this is a good idea as it also
> keeps the crap from being pushed back to the master cylinder where it
> does a good job of wearing out the seals.

Heh, didn't know about that .. mine doesn't have ABS .. '96 300 Tdi, manual
3 door, no electric windows or mirrors or anything 'luxurious

--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Larry vaguely muttered something like ...
> How old does a disco have to be before it leaks ?

Mine's a '96 300 Tdi ..

> You can tell where I park, as I have marked my territory.

Heheheh

--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

On or around Fri, 13 Aug 2004 07:16:17 +0100, "Andy.Smalley"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>I have tested most 4x4's on a single axle brake tester the only
>problem I have encountered is with Freelanders if you check
>for imbalance on the front so both rollers are turning it locks
>the viscous coupling and climbs out of the rollers

all mine have been too. I dunno if the viscous coupling in the middle of
the RR with the BW transfer box would lock. But in general, the only 4x4
you have a problem with is one with an LSD.

having said that, the 4x4 ford has been tested on a 2-axle rig and that has
a viscous centre diff, too.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"Nessun maggior dolore che ricordarsi del tempo felice nella miseria"
- Dante Alighieri (1265 - 1321) from Divina Commedia 'Inferno'

On Thursday, in article
<[email protected]>
[email protected] "Judith" wrote:

> On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 09:06:21 +1200, EMB <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> <snip useful info>
>
> > There
> >is only one "right" way to do this and it's absolutely vital on ABS
> >vehicles as it stops all the collected crap in the caliper being pushed
> >back through the ABS unit and knackering it.
>
>
> Oo-eck! I forgot about ABS. It looks like I'm going to learn a lot
> from this job!
>
> Thanks for the advice everyone.

What brake fluid costs, and how much the vehicle needs, it can be
worthwhile doing a near-total change. It does gradually 'age'. This
can be a tedious job, and sometimes needs a non-obvious procedure, but
is worthwhile if you're changing pads or doing other work.

--
David G. Bell -- SF Fan, Filker, and Punslinger.

"History shows that the Singularity started when Sir Tim Berners-Lee
was bitten by a radioactive spider."