Help needed for MOT

[oakgreengolf]

Been today for the mot and didn't see there being any problems, i was wrong   

could do with a bit of help with a few things that i'm unsure about:

Brake load sensing valve linkage seized ( can see a spring where rear brake pipes go however unsure if this is the valve linkage )

Front wheel brakes imbalanced ( discs and pads are ok so not sure what thoos could be )

Any help greatly appreciated

[tobz.]

The load sensing valve is just behind the rear axle, yeah the bit with the spring. If it's just a case of the linkage seized get under there with a wire brush and some oil.

Inbalanced brakes can usually be sorted just by removing the calipers and cleaning everything up a bit. Remove the calipers and use a file to make sure all the sliding faces are free from rust and nice and flat (it's amazing how uneven they become after all the years of rust). Give all the moving parts a good coating of copper grease while you're there. This will hopefully solve the problem.
On the other hand you might have a partially seized caliper piston, see how easily they push back in and check the rubber gaiters on them for splits.

Good luck

[monkeyalan]

Front wheel brakes imbalanced ( discs and pads are ok so not sure what thoos could be )

mine failed on that too.
i cleaned the caliper but it still failed, replaced the caliper (£44)- still imbalanced.
turned out to be the pads on one side had glazed badly due to the sticky caliper and after i replaced them (£19) it was spot on.
I also get a hell of a lot more mpg now i'm not driving with the brakes on!

[oakgreengolf]

Have been up the garage and had a look at that spring by the axle, there is a  leaver on the piston which seems to be moving freely so am unsure why it would of failed on this??.

My mpg has dropped recently 21-22mpg ish so will check pads and calipers tomorrow

Thanks for you help guys

[oakgreengolf]

Quick update

Just been and checked the pads and discs on the front also the calipers. Can't see any obvious problems. Pads slide in and out of carriers fine, discs look new. The calipers arn't seized, the pistons go in and out when i remove the pads. So i'm stumped to why there is uneven braking. Has any one any ideas got the re-test friday and am running out of time to get it sorted.

[monkeyalan]

my pads looked ok too but the 50kg difference disapeared when i changed them.

[oakgreengolf]

Had bought some pads anyway so ill change them and see what happens hopefully they will make a difference.

[oakgreengolf]

changing the pads seems to have done the trick. Car has passed mot today so am well happy He did say however that the brake compensator would probably need changing next time around??

[monkeyalan]