Brake Failure...

[Spinal]

So on Saturday night, my cousin and I (he's visiting from Italy) were trying to find a way to avoid going to Portobello road in London the day after... We found the perfect opportunity, a Pay&Play day about 10 minutes from the house!

So we took the rally car, drove down and started playing. Other than a Suzuki SJ41x we were the only non-landrover car there... and even the Suzuki had a land-rover badge...

After doing a few laps in the forest, we went down to the bombhole... the marshal says (after my mentioning weve never gotten stuck with the car) "it's tricky down there... if you really want a challenge, follow that car" <pointing to a yellow modified 90-defender going up a VERY steep incline>

I shrugged, put the car into low gear and engaged the 4-wheel drive... got some speed (well, momentum given the size of the car) and went up the hill... no problem! As we were going up, my passengers courteously pointed out that the land-rover before us had a roll cage, 5-point harness seatbelts and didn't have a "moron" at the steering wheel... We even got down the hill without any problems (other than tilting dangerously to one side)

As we were about to try another incline (slightly less steep), my brake pedal goes soft and we lose all braking ability... the wheels were starting to skid and we roll back down the hill without much control... as we get to the bottom, I use the handbrake and we manage to stop...

Getting out of the car, the problem was apparent... the front-nearside brake line was blown, and brake fluid was squirting out every time the brakes were used. This in turn stops the brakes from getting the pressure they need, and effectively, we had no brakes.

A bit of tape and some wire-ties later, we we on the road home when the DIY fix failed us... Time to call the AA! An hour and a half later, (and a further 15 minutes on hold on the phone) a friendly AA guy puts a screw in our brake line isolating that brake and we get home safely...

I'll replace that brake line this weekend probably... but I'm a bit worried as the brake warning light is still on... I thought it was just a pressure/brake fluid level sort of thing, and both should be fine now...

Hmmm... will need further investigation!

M.

 

[Druk]

I find Blutac is a much better repair for busted brake lines. Use it to stick the post-it note over the hole.

 

[219]

I remember having a total brake failure back in the early 1980's , not long after I had bought my Ponton and got it MOT'd and on the road .

Coming down to a set of traffic lights in Edinburgh , the pedal went right to the floor ( turned out a seal in one of the wheel cylinders had failed , thus taking out the single-circuit system ) as I was slowing for a red light , I had to quickly drop into first and a manly haul on the handbrake was called for , thankfully Pontons have GOOD handbrakes as they used the main rear drum brakes , not puny little ones in the centre . Still wasn't quite good enough , and I ended up 'nudging' the bumper of the car in front .......... which just had to be a Rolls-Royce !!!!!! I gotr out and nervously crept towards the front of the car , dreading to see what damage I had done ; military-looking gent in camel-haired coat ( retired general type , complete with moustache ) also got out : thankfully my bumper had connected perfectly with his and there was NO damage at all !!!!! The other chap looked at me and said 'nice car you've got' , got back into his and drove off !

It was fun driving the 20 miles home from the centre of Edinburgh with NO BRAKES , only gears and handbrake to rely on , but I made it with no great drama .

Edit - of course I fully rebuilt the braking system after that , all cylinders bored & sleeved , all new seals , all pipes and flexible hoses replaced - been paranoid about brakes ever since .

 

[Spinal]

I was quite surprised actually... I'd have thought that brakes would fail "closed"; so if any pipe ever leaked the car would stop rather than NOT stop!!

Also, I found it odd that all 4 wheels were sharing the same circuit... It is a '91 car, but still, I would have expected better!

M.

 

[74merc]

I was quite surprised actually... I'd have thought that brakes would fail "closed"; so if any pipe ever leaked the car would stop rather than NOT stop!!

Also, I found it odd that all 4 wheels were sharing the same circuit... It is a '91 car, but still, I would have expected better!

M.

Air brakes on commercial vehicles work like that, which is reassuring to know.

 

[219]

I was just about to add the same comment .

 

[GordonTarling]

Let me get this right - your nearside front brake failed, so the AA man isolated that brake to get you home?!!

 

[glojo]

Spinal,
Please, please, please do not drive that vehicle on a public highway if the brakes are defective. You know they are not right, I know they are not right and it would be crazy to take ANY type of risk.

What would happen if some silly child run out in front of you?

If you have a bad accident and your vehicle gets examined, then you will be in VERY serious trouble if it is found that you have bodged a repair on your brakes and then recklessly taken it onto the public highway!

Please get it fixed straight away

 

[Spinal]

Let me get this right - your nearside front brake failed, so the AA man isolated that brake to get you home?!!

Precisely... very interesting trip (albeit short as I was only 4 miles from home)... every time I used the brakes I had to steer to the right as the car pulled left heavily!

Spinal,
Please, please, please do not drive that vehicle on a public highway if the brakes are defective. You know they are not right, I know they are not right and it would be crazy to take ANY type of risk.

What would happen if some silly child run out in front of you?

If you have a bad accident and your vehicle gets examined, then you will be in VERY serious trouble if it is found that you have bodged a repair on your brakes and then recklessly taken it onto the public highway!

Please get it fixed straight away

Don't worry; I just drove the car home; 3.67 miles to be precise. It's already on axle stands and I'm trying to order braided hoses to replace all 6 hoses... but it seems like they weren't made for my generation, so I'll need to use rubber again...

M.

 

[Peter DLM]

You can make your own steel braided lines, they come as DIY kits.

 

[Druk]

TBH I thought the original post was a wind-up hence my reply post#2.

 

[Spinal]

TBH I thought the original post was a wind-up hence my reply post#2.

Not at all... I have pictures of... well... my friends torturing me while I'm under the car trying to seal the brake lines (apparently it's funny to run stinging nettles on my stomach while I'm trying to stop brake fluid from spraying into my face)

and I can take pictures of the split line as well... as soon as I get the tyre off as there is no way I'm scrabling under the car again!

Peter: really? I can't find any online - they are all custom made for a car... got a link?
m.

 

[proser]

Have you tried speaking to goodridge as they have made up custom brake hoses for me in the past after I have sent it pictures of the fitting and lengths required etc.

 

[proser]

check out here for DIY kits and fittings

 

[GordonTarling]

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it totally amazing that an AA man would carry out such work to allow the vehicle to be driven on public roads with only the one front brake working? Frankly, I'm dumbfounded!

 

[proser]

He should be reported