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long brake pedal
smart51 - 28/4/08 at 07:41 PM

I've just been bleeding the brakes on my 3 wheel project. I've bled them and bled them and bled them...

The pedal is very long. It takes a third or more of the travel to start to work and the pedal only firms up about half way down, which seems like a long way. Even then the pedal doesn't feel "hard" like the seven although it doesn't move beyond half way (unless the bleed screws are open, of course). I've adjusted the drums so that they're just shy of rubbing with the pedal off, so it isn;t that in excess.

The pedal has a moderately high ratio for a road car at 5.5:1. This was so that a 1 g stop takes about 300 - 320 N at the pedal. Normal - heavy for a servoed road car but lighter than an unassisted seven.

Is this going to be a problem? Will Mr. SVA object?


BenB - 28/4/08 at 09:15 PM

As long as you can lock the wheels he can't really do much!!!

Have you bled them whilst tapping the calipers / MCs etc with a spanner to dislodge the air bubbles. How about leaving the pedal pressed down overnight.....


les g - 28/4/08 at 09:35 PM

sorry if this is obvious butis the handbrake totally backed off /unadjusted you could be pumping against the cable
les g


smart51 - 28/4/08 at 09:45 PM

Tapping the brakes sounds like a good idea. Thanks.

The handbrake isn't tightened yet but another good suggestion.