Soft Pedal

**one_iota** · 9th July 2006, 04:47 PM

Just had two fantastic nights (-5 C) and days exploring some rough roads NW of Sydney. (About 1000 m above sea level)

To make a short story long:

Noticed on the way there on Friday night that the brake pedal went to halfway depressed and not much in response so a repeat press and the braking was back to normal. Then a little while later same routine. This was pretty much par for the course for the weekend....fortunately on some tricky downhills the engine did most of the work....but I was beginning to feel like a V8 Supercar driver giving the brakes a tap before approaching the breaking zone to make sure something was there when I needed it

Now with my foot pressed hard there was a very gradual lowering of the pedal.

Strangely though by the time I got back to "sea level" everything was back to normal.

Is this a brake master cylinder issue?

(Fluid levels are fine. Rear pads were changed a couple of weeks ago.)

**incisor** · 9th July 2006, 05:35 PM

is the fluid over 12 months old?

maybe moisture level in fluid ?

**one_iota** · 9th July 2006, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by incisor

is the fluid over 12 months old?

maybe moisture level in fluid ?

Interesting

Yes...

two years old.

Maybe another fluid to change

That and the fluid belonging to the clutch

**shakes** · 9th July 2006, 06:26 PM

if you were doing some nice windy roads and were on the brakes quite often, you may of also heated the pads/discs/fluid past there max operating temps.. have a quick glance at your rotors n pads. is there any blues and purples on the rotor? are your pads shiny? has your fluid changed colour/gone darker?

Simon

**rick130** · 9th July 2006, 06:41 PM

pad knockback.
The slightest bit of play in the wheel bearings, or just plain rough roads can force/shake the pistons back into the bores. Happens all the time to me, particularly on hard cornering, although the slow sinking sounds more like a booster or m/c issue.

**dhumphri** · 9th July 2006, 07:00 PM

I just had exactly the same problem in my Defender, thought it was a booster issue but turned out to be pad knock back as Rick said.
Had some play in the wheel bearings which to me was undetectable which was forcing pistons in calipers back giving the pedal variable feel.

Graeme Coopers readjusted the bearings when he did the diff work in my car last week and it solved the problem.

Daz

PS - has anyone fitted stainless brake lines to their Defender and did it make much difference?

**DEFENDERZOOK** · 9th July 2006, 08:50 PM

just change your brake fluid....it will involve bleeding the brakes.....which will
eliminate any air in the system.......

but it wont make any difference to your breaking distance......

tombraider · 9th July 2006, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by dhumphri

Daz

PS - has anyone fitted stainless brake lines to their Defender and did it make much difference?

Yes, and yes

And with the 315s braking is still as good if not better than standard.

Tombraider

**meteor** · 9th July 2006, 11:03 PM

I'm not sure 1000m would be enough elevation to cause this, but driving at altitude has the habit of cooking brakes much quicker than sea level, the lower pressures decrease the boiling point of the fluid so they aren't going to cop much before giving up the ghost. Same goes for auto transmission fluid. Wiper fluid should be safe though

**cameron** · 9th July 2006, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by tombraider

Yes, and yes

And with the 315s braking is still as good if not better than standard.

Tombraider

Hi Tombraider,
Any advice on where to get some of these stainless lines and any idea of what level on 'investment' it involves?

Thanks,
Cameron

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