After converting my car to 256mm brakes with girling 54's and what i belive to be a matching larger master cylinder. i bleed the brake system through using a pressure bleeder which was suprising easy! now when i depress the brake pedal not alot happens untill i get right to the bottom.
Is this normal for the 256mm setup because when i had my standard brakes the biting point for the brakes was very high im not sure if the car had preivously had a larger master cylinder fitted though with the standard calipers as the biting point was very high and the pedal felt very solid.
Just wondered what the norm was. If there is any way to check what master cylinder i have or weather i should just try re bleeding the brakes again.
22mm master?
They should bite roughly were the VWIIs/19mm master did. I'd say if it's right at the bottom then it's the old culprits of air in the system or rear drums need adjusting.
how do you adjust rear drums ? is it with that wedge shaped key thing ?? (sorry for my un techincal terminology !) it says in haynes they re adjust themselves after pumping the braking system for a while.
Ill try bleeding again tommorw afternoon and see how i get on.
I've never found the wedge adjuster worked at all; I reckon it needs a stronger spring. You need a strong pointed lever ( a buffed down screwdriver's the weapon of choice). Wheel off, handbrake off and rotate the drum till you can see the wedge through one of the wheel bolt holes. Now stick the point of the screwdriver in the hole in the wedge and force it downward as far as you can, hopefully you'll get a result.
Would you say long pedal travel is Likley to be drums need adjusting or trapped air in the system ?
It's often the drums needing adjustment that causes the long pedal. Follow Scotsjohn's method, it's how I've done it before.
Whip the handbrake up a few notches, will tell you if its drum adjustment or more bleeding that's required ;)
Cheers Yoof :)
Had this a while ago, when I fitted my 256's ended up being air trapped in the rear brake compensator. Depending how you have the car when bleeding the brakes. I.e sat on the ground, or up on axle stands. The compensator may not be in the right position when you start bleeding from the back of the car forward. It needs to allow the fluid to freely flow to the rear drums.
i had tied the pressure regulator to the fully open postition and forgot to untie it so that was causing the long pedal travel, i have reset it and it has made things better, i also re-bled the brakes and found a small leak from the union on one of the flexis and have now rectifed this pedals still not as solid as in my daily (skoda fabia diesel) not sure if this is down to the design of the braking systems differing or the fact ive still got air trapped in there even after bleeding it twice with a pressure bleeder and turning the prssure used up to 20psi the second time.
With the engine off and the handbrake relesed when i pump the pedal it does get firmer but nowhere near as firm as it does with my daily car is this down to polo brakes or is trapped air still ??
Tying the regulator up makes the car think that it's boot is in the air (heavy braking) and stops the pressure arriving (blocks even) to the back brakes, so makes the pedal firmer my 'disabling' the back brakes (the regulator is there so the back doesn't lock under *heavy* load)... With brake travel, It's the drums/shoes, they're famous for it.... A new set of drums and shoes will cure everything almost garanteed to get the car perfect, but playing with the adjuster will get it somewhat better I am sure...
NEAL
Sortedhis a while ago although thanks for the reply, as preivously suggested I adjusted the rear brakes and released the pressure regulator and pedal feels is ok now
Sorry, yeah, dint look at the date some reason. Was in the "new posts since last visit" bit! Been while
So do the 256's fit under stock 13" wheels? Which car had Girling 54's?
Cheers Dunx
No, and mk2 golf 16v is where I got mine from