Team Green Tiger - BX19TGD - Back on the road

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:22 pm

Several years ago the guy at Pleiades told me that they pressure test the old parts and if 'ok' are then cleaned and new rubber bits fitted.

Dunno if it's all parts this refers to but we were talking about CX steering units and height correctors at the time.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:13 pm

This chap did mention new pistons, which'd make sense as Plaeidies (or whatever) did say avoid recons as the piston is usually rusted.

It's all a bit over my head though!

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:43 pm

Crap. Brake fail. Tried driving to Cambridge last night, opened the window. 'Hmmm, what's that burning smell?' Yup, front left brake was very hot. Limped back home and hurried out in my Renault.

The BX has always 'felt' like the brakes are binding slightly and once, they locked on so hard that I was flat out at 50mph - until I managed to find somewhere to pull over! That time, brutal application/take off of the handbrake sorted it out and we were able to continue our journey.

I think the handbrake cables are knackered. How hard is it to uncouple the handbrake just so I can get safely to a garage? If that's the problem of course. Hope the caliper isn't knackered...

Mike E (uk) · Post by **Mike E (uk)** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:38 pm

You could un-hitch the cable where it fits on the lever for the caliper.
You still need to free the brake if it has stuck on.

But if the brakes are sticking after the handbrake has been applied, once it is free simply don't use the handbrake again till it is fixed.

Mike

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:45 pm

This is odd. I jacked her up this evening. The wheel's turning fairly freely. Yanked the handbrake off and on, didn't seem to make things worse. Stamped on the throttle a few times and that didn't seem to make it worse either. I guess it's binding slightly, so gets warm and then binds more.

At least that means I can drive her to a garage without too much fear. We'd driven about 7 miles before things got really bad last night.

Stinkwheel · Post by **Stinkwheel** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:33 pm

Is it the handbreak Ian?

Not just the caliper or possibly the flexi hoses closed up and causing brake lock (ive had this, NOT fun)

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 12:55 pm

Hmm, it might actually be the service (main) brake - My first BX suffered a brake valve failure that saw the brakes slowly binding until you couldn't drive any longer.

It was like the pedal was being pressed slowly over 10 mins.

Checked the pedal (on the hard shoulder of the M9) and there was clearance.

The brakes were on solid - handbrake free.

The only way to proceed was to release the hydraulic pressure at the 12mm PRV bolt and the brakes released. I proceeded home with no hydraulics but stopped occasionally to top up the suspension. Still had back brakes and handbrake.

Turned out the brake doseur valve had some failure of the front circuit in that it was allowing pressure to the calipers but not returning it - possibly a jammed slide valve.

New brake valve cured it as it was nothing to do with the calipers or the hand brake.

Just a thought! when it's binding again, stop and release the pressure to see if it's that. If still binding then obviously it is the calipers or handbrake.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:06 pm

Thanks chaps. As I have access to a four-post lift now (not that I've yet had chance to take advantage of it!) I'll do some experiments with her up in the air.

Stinkwheel · Post by **Stinkwheel** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:45 pm

FOUR POST LIFT!!!!!

You swine, i used to have regular use of one, then he moved. Most unhelpful.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:04 pm

Sadly, I've got no time at all right now, so I've farmed the job out. Brake binding is fine one minute, quite bad the next. I'll report back - should be getting worked on (and having a cambelt change) tomorrow.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:57 am

Well, she's back. New cambelt, though the old one looked fine which is nice. I'd hate to remove one and see that it was on the brink of failing!

Chap has wound the pistons back on the front brakes, and copper greased everything that should be and for the moment, she feels fine. I haven't tried the handbrake again yet though...

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:05 am

Front brakes are still binding slightly, so work still to be done. Currently no worse than it was when I got the car though.

New alternator belt fitted today, to save the neighbours' concern at early morning shrieking. Anti-roll bar drop links now a bit noisy but she's going nicely.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:09 pm

I'd just bite the bullet & find a new one on e-bay (caliper that is), they can be found for less than the cost of the recon kit, so that's what i did, no more binding brake, hurrah.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:14 pm

Not convinced its the caliper though. LH front has stuck on a couple of times but when the brakes were checked over recently, the mechanic reckoned the RH one was a bit iffy. Certainly, with the car in the are, neither wheel rotates as freely as the rears, yet apart from two occasions, it never binds sufficiently to generate heat. I mean, it's done 11,000 miles like this so if it was binding badly, you'd think I'd've destroyed a set of pads by now!

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:41 pm

When you say the fronts don't rotate as freely as the rears, have you actually seen/felt/heard the pads touching the discs when you've rotated them? If you arent getting any heat generated into the wheel, then they may be just sticking very gently, but that i assume is quite rare, when they stick the car should struggle to accelerate & when at speed if you lift off the throttle quickly the car should slow down quite quickly as though you are braking (without touching the brake pedal). Perhaps its the front wheel bearings that are shot, hence they are harder to spin round than the rears?