PUMA brakes fail rego check ........

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Originally Posted by MLD

Not as simple as driving away and going down the road to another mechanic. The mechanic is required to log the rego check and any defects found into the RTA portal and you can't get it passed until that defect is cleared. What i'm not sure about is if the second mechanic can clear the defect or only the first mechanic. It was to stop devious minds shopping around for a mechanic to pass rego if it failed elsewhere. If the logic was to stop devious minds i suspect that the defect needs to be cleared by the first mechanic. When i had problems in the past with rego check (usually the wheel spacers that i didn't remove for the check) the mechanic and I had a chat about how i hypothetically went home to remove the spacers and came back to be approved.

Interesting you failed the brake test, mum's partner had a 1923 Hudson that had shocking brakes and that passed rego (not historic rego) year in year out. The mechanic did say he wouldn't pass it next year. He might had done a bench test on the last rego check. The old girl was sold on the fear of the investment required for the needed makeover.

MLD

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It is that simple. But, You are partially correct, It also polices the mechanic Because if the first mechanic fails it legitimately and the customer goes somewhere else and the second mechanic is a little casual and passes it , then the first one has failed it into he system and this can generate an inspection from the Gestapo who may check the vehicle but if the necessary repairs have been carried out then there is no problem however if someone hasn't done their job properly then stuff might hit the fan.
There is no law to say that you have to go back to the original inspection station for the second inspection. If you are not happy with the mechanic (because you may be smarter than he or because you may think he is ripping you off and trying to generate work ) you can always go somewhere else, your choice . Obviously the mechanic in this situation is not doing this because he suggested going to a brake specialist.
It is very unusual for a vehicle to fail a brake test, I have had two fail in my workshop in 20 years one being a 1940 something Willys Jeep ( if that gives an idea of how bad they have to be ).A pass on a 4wd is 39% average deceleration.
The OP said he hadn't noticed any issues with his 5 year old car
and that is why I suggested a second opinion.
I can say that some brakes are a bit lazy when cold after the car has been sitting in the parking lot all day and you just drive up the road with your foot on the brake and warm them up a bit and then do the test.
Also pad wear has nothing to do with performance (they just fade quicker when the pads are low). A brake test is performed at 30 kmh even pads that are metal on metal will pull up a pass. The Brake tester is the biggest waste of money in the workshop, up to 2 grand for a box with a printer in it that does not tell any worthy mechanic anything that he didn't already know. It doesn't even make you test "that "car as we have all heard of the bloke doing the test in the workshop or in some other car when then hotrod in question is stuck on blocks !.
Why wouldn't you get a second opinion , the first mechanic doesn't want to fix it. The cheapest way to do this is get another inspection and who knows it might even pass.
Also it is no skin off the vehicle owners nose if the car has been passed and then you get a spot inspection as it is the inspection station that is being audited not you. If there are defects still to be found then whoever passed the vehicle has to rectify the problems at their expense and most likely also cop a fine.
At the end of the day no one takes free advice so cough up another $36.40
and I'll call it quits.

If it won't lock up and trigger the abs, then I'd say there is something wrong. After the brake rebuild my td5 went from not being able to lock up, to easily triggerring the abs on the road. Was an amazing difference.

There is also a textbook procedure to bleed and flush the abs pump.

Do you get a better pedal if you brake, then release and brake again?

I'd say something is wrong if the ABS doesn't come on,mine does it every time when hard braking from 60. Pat

Are you suggesting Lock up as skid a tyre ?

If the ABS locks up it is not ABS is it ? That would indicate a problem.
A good lock up on a brake test will trigger a fail.

BB the pedal on a second pump is better, but if feels good on the first depression.

Chopper I cannot make it skid....period. I may be wrong but the ABS won't kick if the wheel don't lock.

The only prob it has ever had was when the near side metal brake line to the rear calliper snapped on the way to Innaminka. Either caused by a stray rock or fatigue from the corrugations.

I replaced it, bleed the air out of the system the traditional way (not touching the ABS unit) seemed fine.

ABS sensors sense differences in wheel speeds long before lock up
and release and increase pressure to the appropriate wheels many times per second to maintain equal speeds ( decelerating ) to all wheels.

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Originally Posted by Drover

BB the pedal on a second pump is better, but if feels good on the first depression.

Chopper I cannot make it skid....period. I may be wrong but the ABS won't kick if the wheel don't lock.

The only prob it has ever had was when the near side metal brake line to the rear calliper snapped on the way to Innaminka. Either caused by a stray rock or fatigue from the corrugations.

I replaced it, bleed the air out of the system the traditional way (not touching the ABS unit) seemed fine.

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My money's on the booster.
Start and run the car, then switch it off, wait 5 mins, and see if the pedal has gone soft, or pull out the vacuum tube and see if there is any vacuum left.....if not then have a really close look at the steel of the booster right next to the alloy master cylinder where the bolts come through and see if you can see tiny cracks, have someone push the brake pedal hard while you look.

Cheers,

Fraser

You need to find somewhere with a proper brake dyno or another inspector

second pump gives a better pedal , indicates air in the system somewhere.
clamp the hose/hoses to each wheel one wheel at a time and apply the brake each time .If it gets better then the problem is at that calliper.

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Originally Posted by fraser130

My money's on the booster.
Start and run the car, then switch it off, wait 5 mins, and see if the pedal has gone soft, or pull out the vacuum tube and see if there is any vacuum left.....if not then have a really close look at the steel of the booster right next to the alloy master cylinder where the bolts come through and see if you can see tiny cracks, have someone push the brake pedal hard while you look.

Cheers,

Fraser

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Booster looks like new, got the SWMBO to stand on the pedal, no cracks small or large to be seen.

Ran motor, disconnected vacuum line after 5 minutes, got a nice sound of air rushing in.

It's not making it easy.

460 - I think a Brake Specialist is inevitable, but the local guy is booked out till 2/5/14.

Chopper - my money is on air in the system, where .... Not sure, how to get it ......totally not sure.