How sharp should the brakes be?

[fermergiles]

Ever since I have had the vehicle the brakes have been spongy. Checked for leaks in the system, None. Took it a garage and put it on the machine, they said that the front brakes are fine But the back brakes need adjusted.

Did that and it did help a bit. Brake pedal only goes quarter of the way down without the engine running. As soon as the engine is running the sponginess comes back. Brakes have been bleed 3 times with no air in the system.

If your on the road and stamp down hard on the brake pedal. I would expect the wheels to lock up as it does not have abs but they don't. I have cooper discoverer stt mud terrain tyres all round 235/75 15"

Could the master cylinder be at fault?


Nissan Terrano II 2.7td
1996 swb

 

[Banshee]

Ever since I have had the vehicle the brakes have been spongy. Checked for leaks in the system, None. Took it a garage and put it on the machine, they said that the front brakes are fine But the back brakes need adjusted.

Did that and it did help a bit. Brake pedal only goes quarter of the way down without the engine running. As soon as the engine is running the sponginess comes back. Brakes have been bleed 3 times with no air in the system.

If your on the road and stamp down hard on the brake pedal. I would expect the wheels to lock up as it does not have abs but they don't. I have cooper discoverer stt mud terrain tyres all round 235/75 15"

Could the master cylinder be at fault?


Nissan Terrano II 2.7td
1996 swb

Sounds like it!!! I have a 96' master cylinder in the shed if you need one from my Maverick

Are you 100% competent at bleeding the brakes

 

[kitchenman]

I have a 94 Mav, had to do an emergency recently, dry road, no lock up no screeches from tyres, it stopped pretty quick. I have never had brakes lock on the Mav, in any other car I would have expected lots of smoke with a deceleration like that.
Went to the garage who did my MOT he said not to worry big tyres lots of grip and the MOT test only looks for a certain % and all four made that easy.

 

[rustic]

Mines a 1995 td, no Abs, locking the front brakes is likely on damp or wet roads on mine, the rears only ever locked up once.
On dry roads I tend to know when the brakes are likely to pick up, and reduce the pressure anyway. After nearly 20 years, I have got used to it, and the brakes have never been as sharp as our Picasso, so I change my driving style to compensate, ie anticipate more, and after all, a locked up wheel takes longer to stop than one on the edge...:thumb2
Rustic

 

[fermergiles]

Should of said it was on damp wet road.

 

[kitchenman]

Mine would lock on wet or damp roads, they don't because I learned to drive before ABS was invented it was all DIY then:lol

 

[Bedhead1157]

Mine lock on wet roads, they'll lock in the dry if you give it a good stamp, saying that, when I drive the OH's Citigo, the first few times I touch the brakes I nearly go through the windscreen. They're like a light switch in comparison to the T2.

 

[AlexD333]

I end up buzzing my abs quite easily if a give it a little stomp, then again I am on MUDs, not the best traction on Tarmac. She does stop well if applied sensibly though, only ever locked abs when testing :augie