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Poor brakes with no feeling - shane - 03-02-2020
HI
I have an Austin seven single seat special with hydraulic btakes ( Morris Minor). Using silicon brake fluid. The brakes have no real feeling and very poor efficency. I would describe the feeling as wooden.
Tried all the usual things like bleeding etc but still feel the same. Does anyone have any ideas?
Best Wishes
Shane
RE: Poor brakes with no feeling - Ian Williams - 03-02-2020
I do but you probably won't like it!
RE: Poor brakes with no feeling - Tony Press - 03-02-2020
Cables forever ?
RE: Poor brakes with no feeling - bob46320 - 03-02-2020
How old are the shoes? I believe they harden with age - that's if they are not soaked in oil !
Years ago we has a very old Metro (admittedly with disc brakes) the brakes of which were terrible. The pads were hardly worn. Changed the pads and it was a different story.
RE: Poor brakes with no feeling - Steve kay - 03-02-2020
I wouldn't convert my 2CV to cable brakes, neither would I convert my Seven to hydraulic. However they are operated, I wholly agree that aged shoes can be a significant problem. New soft linings offer an immediate solution.
RE: Poor brakes with no feeling - Chris KC - 03-02-2020
You're doing quite well if you have a 'hard' pedal, one of the oft-quoted downsides of silicone (n.b. with an 'e') fluid is spongey feeling due to accidental aeration.
p.s. unless your brake lines really are filled with silicon; that would explain all....
RE: Poor brakes with no feeling - AustinWood - 03-02-2020
Seized wheel cylinders?
RE: Poor brakes with no feeling - Charles P - 03-02-2020
Are you sure the front shoes are leading, not trailing?
RE: Poor brakes with no feeling - Chris KC - 03-02-2020
Further to Jim's comment above, silicone fluid differs from conventional ethylene glycol based fluids in that it is not hygroscopic. At first sight this might appear to be an advantage, however if any water does get into the system, rather than being 'absorbed' into the fluid where corrosion inhibitors can do their stuff, it forms separate globules in the brake lines which may cause localised corrosion spots (not to mention vapour locks, should you succeed in generating enough heat). Either way inspection of your wheel cylinder pistons sounds like a good idea.
RE: Poor brakes with no feeling - David Stepney - 03-02-2020
(03-02-2020, 10:02 AM)AustinWood Wrote: Seized wheel cylinders?
I would second that. They often stick if the car has not been used for a little time.