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Front brake job - any advice?

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Trev and Gerard - thanks for the additional info on the valve.

OK, me and the wife tried bleeding - all wheels, 3 times around! No joy. Then I tried another pressure bleed (Ezi-Bleed), trying different pressures (20 and then 10 psi) and pumping the pedal while its bleeding. Still no luck.

I'm planning on building a home-made bleeder similar to the one Gerard linked. (so I can maintain an even pressure. Trouble with the Ezi-Bleed is you are relying on the air pressure from a tire, which will obviously decrease during the bleeding session.

Don't know what else to do really. When I bench bled the new(?) Cardone MC, it seemed to be doing it's job OK but since I'm not getting any obvious fluid leaks anywhere I suppose I should consider getting the TRW MC from Moss Motors.

Cheers
 
It is always possible that the rebuilt MC could be bad. However, you should be sure you are not missing something else. By any chance are you calipers on upside down (bleeder at the bottom)?

If you've bled it three times around, then can I assume you are seeing a healthy stream of clear fluid at each bleeder?
 
Ha! No the calipers are on correctly. Good thinking, though.
Yeah, a good steady stream with zero air bubbles from all 4 wheels.
What psi do you use on the Ezi-Bleed, Trev?

Jones getting annoyed:
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Kinda wondered why they used something as obscure as 9/32". Then it struck me - are the back bleeders Whitworth? I have one somewhere that I'll have to dig out.
 
Hang on!!!!!!

I've just had a brain wave!
I'll just put the "old" MC back in and see how that does!
I'm pretty sure the original problem was caused by bad calipers - the pistons were severely corroded.

Why I didn't think of this earlier I don't know. (no comments, please, ha!)

PS
Found my Whitworth - too big, but for the name alone, I'll give it two snaps up.

60531e67-64ec-44f4-86b8-e6aaf1fb64a3_zpse1f286e8.jpg
 
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I use about 12 PSI.
I helped another guy with a clutch problem. The solution was to install an OE clutch master cylinder. The reproduction unit didn't displace enough fluid despite being the correct bore.
Reverting to the old MC may pinpoint your problem or at least narrow your focus.
 
Yeah, Trev. That's what I was thinking. If the old MC works then that obviously points to the new Cardone MC as faulty. If so, I'll send away for the TRW MC from Moss Motors.

Can any kind soul take a look at a back bleeder and confirm it is either a Whitworth or a 9/32" ? Don't want to order a wrench and find it is the wrong size.
 
I use a 1/4" on mine (not a thin ignition wrench, but an honest 1/4").
 
Thanks for that info, Trev.

Boy, that is strange. On mine 1/4" is too small, in fact I've just filed a crappy 1/4" wrench to fit (I don't think it will stand up to the job because I had to file off quite a bit, thus weakening the jaws, but I'll give it a shot.) Maybe the DPO* used vice grips and chewed 'em up. I'll just order up some new bleeders, along with the brake shoes, etc.

(*DPO Did I ever tell you about the time I decided to hand paint this car (Rustoleum Green), after several years of cruising the freeways, etc. As I go to unbolt them rubber bumpers (they're heavier than you think, btw) I discover that they are held on by gravity! The DPO didn't put the nuts back on!)

Cheers!
 
I had 10mm bleeders on one car once -- obviously a replacement by the PO at some point. If the 9/32" works, use it.
 
Yeah, but I bust it tightening the bleeder (see the photo). And it's the only one I've got. (I checked the metric possibility but 7mm is too small and 8mm is too big.)
I've sent Moss Motors an email asking what size wrench their replacement bleeders take. Will report back.
 
Are the front brakes on the Sprite adjustable? I took the front wheels off tonight and found that my left front brake caliper is rubbing on the rotor slightly. The wheel will still spin, but not nearly as freely as the one on the right side. While I had the wheels off, I did a "poor man's repack" by pulling the grease caps and shooting some new grease into the hub, which the left one, in particular, definitely needed. That helped make the wheel spin a bit more freely, but the caliper still rubs. I figured that if I'm going to end up having to do a full brake job, I would end up having to do a genuine repack of the wheel bearings at that time, too.

Coming over from the bicycle world, I know I can adjust the caliper assembly so it will clear the disc. Is that applicable to Spridgets, too?
 
Nope. Disc brakes are not adjustable.
 
JPSmit said:
Nope. Disc brakes are not adjustable.
Click to expand...

:(

Does this mean the caliper is bad? The rub is consistent all the way around the rotor, so I pretty sure that I'm not dealing with a warped rotor issue.
 
AN5Sprite said:
Picture required...
Click to expand...

Yes, do you mean the old brake pad steel backing is rubbing or the actual caliper. Could mean serious wheel bearing wear or stuck caliper piston or.........

Kurt
 
I had a similar experience getting the brakes on my BE to work. It has disk brakes up front and standard drums in the rear. The MC is resleeved. After bleeding quarts of fluid with no joy, I decided to see if I could narrow down the problem to front, rear, or MC. I unhooked the brake line from the MC and sealed it with an extra bleeder valve. Hard petal. So MC is OK. Hooked line back up. Undid line going to rear and sealed junction box with a bleeder. Hard petal. Disk brakes OK. Problem was with the rear brake system. Rear brake cylinders were full of bubbles that took forever to get out.
 
:encouragement: What he said, gets to the point where you are beating your head against the wall, try a different approach to isolate the problem.
 
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