Front brakes - puzzle

M

Mike.M

A2OC Donor
Pulled away the other day when, approaching a T junction, I realised I had no brakes!
Fortunately the junction was only a 50 meters away so I was able to stop safely by pumping the brake pedal.
Since then the breaks have been perfectly OK and there is no noticeable loss of break fluid.

Any ideas???


Regards
Mike
 
Mike.M said:
Pulled away the other day when, approaching a T junction, I realised I had no brakes!
Fortunately the junction was only a 50 meters away so I was able to stop safely by pumping the brake pedal.
Since then the breaks have been perfectly OK and there is no noticeable loss of break fluid.

Any ideas???


Regards
Mike
Click to expand...

Whatever caused that could do it again so you should use extreme caution and get it professionally checked.

The only thing I can think of that would cause this would be one of the seals in the master cylinder temporarily out of shape and allowing the fluid to go past rather than to compress.

If this was to happen then you should find SOME trace of fluid on the brake pedal rod as it enters the master cylinder.
You wouldn't have lost much fluid, just one piston throw full.

But whatever you do you must treat the brakes as U.S. and not drive it again until you have had them properly tested.

Next emergency stop and the pressure you will apply could make it do the same again.

Whatever theory is proposed by us on here is just that, a theory, so nobody should be stating that it is safe to continue driving the car, quite simply it isn't.

Notice that I didn't even suggest that you might have pressed the clutch pedal by accident !!!!

Steve B
 
What actually happened was that the outer friction pad came away from it's backing plate!!! See the pics.

Judging by the state of the plate (badly rusted) I can only assume that the pad had broken off sometime ago. The only explanation I can think of is that friction pad was gradually slipping off the mounting plate so when I parked the car, it was just hanging on it's plate by whisker and dropped off when I next started the car.

In over 50 years of driving I have never heard of this happening and think myself very lucky it happened when it did.


Regards
Mike
 

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Mike.M said:
What actually happened was that the outer friction pad came away from it's backing plate!!! See the pics.

Judging by the state of the plate (badly rusted) I can only assume that the pad had broken off sometime ago. The only explanation I can think of is that friction pad was gradually slipping off the mounting plate so when I parked the car, it was just hanging on it's plate by whisker and dropped off when I next started the car.

In over 50 years of driving I have never heard of this happening and think myself very lucky it happened when it did.


Regards
Mike
Click to expand...

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the update.

Yes it is rare for that to happen, but not unheard of, especially with non OEM pads.

What make were yours?

Steve B
 
Happened to a friends motorbike last year, he nearly pooped himself once he eventually stopped the bike.

J
 
Birchall said:
Hi Mike,

Thanks for the update.

Yes it is rare for that to happen, but not unheard of, especially with non OEM pads.

What make were yours?

Steve B
Click to expand...

Brakes came with the car and I can find no markings on the pads so can't tell who's they are.

Regards
Mike
 
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