bad disc brakes on vl

[guidos]

Hey All

Firstly I am aware that the brakes on an n/a VL are pretty crap to start with, so please no suggestions of upgrades, would just like to get them working "normally".

While checking my brothers front brakes a couple of days ago, i noticed that the drivers side pads were worn down to almost nothing, while the passanger side had at least 50% left. Upon talking to a few people we concluded that there must be a stuck piston in a caliper, and that i should overhaul them.

I took the calipers off, pulled them apart and rebuilt them (new seals, and I used PBR rubber grease). One of the pistons was stuck and wouldnt come out with the compressor but after a light tap from a hammer it came apart. All went together well and after assembly if i blew the pistons out a bit with the compressor i could just push the pistons back in by hand.

Put the rebuilt calipers back on the car with new pads (just bendix standard, brother didnt have much money after chrissy and the shop was all out of anything better!). Bled the brakes on all 4 wheels until new fluid came out.

Now after doing around 100km the brakes still feel absolutely shocking - if i jam the brake pedal to the floor at 50-60 they dont even get close to locking up. The brakes smell a fair bit even after a relatively normal drive.

Just took my VL for a spin, which is the same except it uses Bendix ultimates - pedal feels much better, only have to give the pedal a slight push to do what my brothers does at almost all the way down.

Have I done something majorly wrong.. or is it just the crappy pads?? Going to ultimates on my car from whatever was on there when i bought it (said bendix but they faded all the time so i guess standard) made a huge difference.

I will bleed his brakes again tomorrow just to be sure, as its the first time i have ever done it and i have a feeling thats what it could be.. i just would have thought they wouldnt smell (which means heating up too much, right?) so much on a normal drive..

BTW there are no leaks from the rebuilt calipers, fluid level stays the same, and the brake light doesnt come on..

Thanks, and sorry for the long post! :)

[guidos]

oh btw both cars are standard vl exec's with the 15/16 master cyl and rear drums

[Rinx]

Get your master cylinder checked out, could be ****ed, also did you bed the brakes in properly when you first drove it again??? Check out the disc warping thread for a description. But still check the master...

[Shonky]

When you pumped the brake pedal while bleeding the brakes, did you let it go all the way to the floor? I've heard this is not a good thing (tm) to do since that part of the bore in the master cylinder which doesn't normally get used ends up all crappy and rough. By pushing the pedal to the floor you may have moved the piston into the crappy rough area and buggered the seal.

My terminology mightn't be spot on, but I've heard this a few times and not just on VLs either.

[guidos]

i wasnt the one pumping but dad said he did push it as far as it would go.. thats what i've done in the past when i've been the one pumping too.

i bled it a couple more times to be sure, if its still not too good by the end of the week then i'll get a pro to take a quick look.

its much better now than before anyway. personally i think once the brakes have fully bedded in the only thing limiting it will be the pads themselves.