Brake problems

[qert6]

Hi The brakes on my van have almost completely failed.

The travel on the pedal had increased drastically the other morning. By Home time only the last few mm of pedal travel did anything and only seem to be working on 1 half of the system.(pulls to the side a bit)
There is plenty fluid in there.
The brakes had been binding a bit, think this is the servo issue that seems to be quite common where the pedal has no travel and the brakes are on straight away.
There is a slight weep on the lines on the back axle which I thought had ruptured completely but thats not peeing out like I'd expect. only slightly wet. This obviously needs sorting anyway but I also have a couple of other questions as I dont think this is the main cause - feel free to correct me though.
1.Would this be the final stage of the servo issue?
2.could the load compensator do this?

[brodfather11]

hi
yes
the load compensator if its leaking can give these symptoms. It lets fluid out of one side of the braking system and lets air enter. The binding feeling can mean the pressure building up in the rear brakes as the compensator is not allowing the fluid back into the reservoir.
a compensator is a lot cheaper to replace but could be more difficult to change. try to bleed the rear brakes, if you cant bleed both that will be the problem , especially if only one of the front brakes bleed ok

[qert6]

Hi Thanks for the reply, I tried bleeding and couldnt get any fluid out of 1 side of the cicuit, from either wheel (NSF and OFR) but the other was ok. No fluid is being lost from the compensator unit though. I cracked a union at the master cylinder for the circuit that wasnt bleeding and still couldnt get any fluid out there so think the master cyl is dead. Dont know how its gone so fast as I belive, though i've never had 1 fail before, that they just wear and die a slow noticable death.

[ron]

Hi Thanks for the reply, I tried bleeding and couldnt get any fluid out of 1 side of the cicuit, from either wheel (NSF and OFR) but the other was ok. No fluid is being lost from the compensator unit though. I cracked a union at the master cylinder for the circuit that wasnt bleeding and still couldnt get any fluid out there so think the master cyl is dead. Dont know how its gone so fast as I belive, though i've never had 1 fail before, that they just wear and die a slow noticable death.

Binding brakes & old fluid can lead to boiling.Brake fluid is hygroscopic-it absorbs moisture,& the water boils making steam which is compressible.Hence sudden failure.
I change my fluid annually regardless of service schedules.
That also stops your nipples siezing.
Now wait for evdama's comment.

[Ol'Jeffers]

Nothing worse than seized nipples!! :whistle:

[evdama]

Nothing worse than seized nipples!! :whistle:

Regardless of what you two claim,being bitten by your own zip is in the top 3:eek:

[ron]

Nothing worse than seized nipples!! :whistle:

Regardless of what you two claim,being bitten by your own zip is in the top 3:eek:

I don't have that problem,I'm of the age where I forget to do it up.

[andy-womble]

Nothing worse than seized nipples!! :whistle:

Regardless of what you two claim,being bitten by your own zip is in the top 3:eek:

No, leaning over, dropping a bag of cement into the edge of a trailer and not noticing y'r "old fella" is resting on the frame of the trailer is a bit painfull, trust me....

[qert6]

Thanks for the help everyone, A 2nd hand servo and master cylinder has sorted it, a lot of swearing to get the servo out though!!! engine got dropped down a few inches turned out to be easier than taking the inlet off.

[ron]

Glad it's sorted.