Volkswagen Transporter

Discussion in 'Car and Van Talk' started by Ryluer, Apr 3, 2015.

  1. Ryluer

    Ryluer Well-Known Member

    Just passed the test.
    The front right hand brake was showing a lower graph reading.

    It was meant to be above 30%. Anything below is meant to be a fail.
    Mine was 29% but he let me through. I guess I was lucky.

    Does anyone know whats sticking?
    Braking on the road is even and no pull to the right.
     
  2. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    T5 has rear discs so calipers binding, handbrake arm on the caliper might be sticking,& not moving it's full distance,so handbrake doesn't adjust automatically, a squirt of WD40 may sort it, otherwise strip it all down clean & lubricate,not forgetting some copperslip or rear of discpads.
    Also check handbrake cable for condition, replace if it's seen better days.
    Been years since I dabble with T4,T5's, & I don't have a manual to hand, & it's hard to remember now.
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2015
  3. Ryluer

    Ryluer Well-Known Member

    There's brake shoes on the rear of my T5. 2008 model.
    But the rear was fine.
    I'm guessing the piston in the caliper is sticking.
     
  4. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

  5. I've only just twigged - it's the front right-hand brake, not the front, right hand brake...

    Provided the pad is in good order, then the only things that can actually stick are the piston(s) or the calliper itself on its slide mountings (if it's a single-piston type).

    If it's a twin piston calliper, the calliper body is usually fixed and doesn't slide, so it's likely to be one sticky piston that's at fault.

    If it's a single-piston calliper, then it could be the piston that's sticky or the sliding rods for the actual calliper. But still more likely to be a sticky piston.

    You might find that reconditioned callipers on an exchange basis are very reasonable.
     
  6. wiggy

    wiggy Screwfix Select


    Vw t5 have discs and pads all round, not shoes and drums.

    Had a similar problem with mine a few years back, uneven braking.

    Took it down the A3 early one morning and stamped on the brakes from a 100mph a couple of times, sorted.

    Although vw callipers start to seize after 100k on the clock, just had a rear one replaced.....
     
  7. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    I'm bit more sober this morning, that's what I thought last night, T4 had rear drums, T5 was discs all round.
     

  8. Stamp on the brakes at 100mph?!!!

    That's REALLY dangerous.

    I couldn't possibly suggest Ry does that... :rolleyes:
     
    wiggy likes this.
  9. wiggy

    wiggy Screwfix Select


    Possibly suggest to ry that he doesn't use the brakes for a better outcome
     
    Deleted member 33931 likes this.
  10. Ryluer

    Ryluer Well-Known Member

    OK I've just stripped it down and viced it on the bench.
    Slide ways were seized. A few squirts of lube and some knocks with a hammer and its running smooth again.
    Ran it on the road and light rust on the disc is gone.

    Model is T28 130 TDI SWB/2.5liter.
    If nothing else I've learned a bit about the models and it does indeed have disc brakes all round.:D

    Lesson I've learned from this is check all faces on the discs to make sure they are shining before entering the test center.
    Anyways thanks again.
    For nothing.
     
  11. Ryluer

    Ryluer Well-Known Member

    All it needed was some lube and force to un seize it. Still.. your mechanic probably made a packet. LoL.
    Also "miles" on the clock don't cause seizure on the slide ways. Lack of lubricant and passing of time causes that.

    Also here's a tip if you ever try lifting a few spanners.
    When bleeding the caliper after re-fitting just loosen the bleeder and gravity does the rest after a few minutes.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2015
  12. wiggy

    wiggy Screwfix Select

    Yes your right ruler my mechanic did make a packet, but I am well passed the stage of messing about with motors to save a few quid.

    But he didn't make as much as me that day, which i wouldn't have earned if i was under my van lol
     
  13. Ryluer

    Ryluer Well-Known Member

    A joiner earns more than a mechanic?
    You can tell your self that but can't see it tbh.
    It's a 45 minute job tops and I'm not a mechanic.

    The mechanic probably charged you £200 quid. For an hours work say.
    So does your line of work pay £200 quid an hour?
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2015
  14. wiggy

    wiggy Screwfix Select

    Like I said buddy, I am well past messing about with motors to save a few quid...

    Get the pros in if you can afford too

    or like you said give it a squirt with some lube and hit it with a hammer, from a chump who didn't even know what brakes he had on his motor.

    I know which motor I would rather buy.

    So you removed the front wheel, clamped off the brake line, removed the calliper and brakes, stripped the calliper down, hit it with a hammer, lubed it, refitted the calliper and brakes, bled the brakes, re fitted the wheel in 45mins, er porkies

    Mechanics are about £70 an hour by the way, I think I can afford to loose that in the business to save getting my hands dirty.
     
  15. Ryluer

    Ryluer Well-Known Member

    Keep your hair on wiggy and Yes porkies.
    It was probably less than 45 minutes.
     
  16. Lost myself a fiver there, Ry; that's a good outcome that it was only the sliders at fault.

    Not quite sure the brakes will 'self-bleed' as you say, tho' - won't any air bubbles simply keep floating up the pipes as the fluid drains out, and not be expelled?
     
  17. Ryluer

    Ryluer Well-Known Member

    You might be right I must concede. Though the brakes seem good.
     
  18. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

    You don't need to disconnect the brake pipe to free up a sticking caliper, so no need to bleed the brakes, but I can tell you that no braking system will self bleed through an open bleed nipple, it's just not possible.
     
  19. Ryluer

    Ryluer Well-Known Member

    Mine bled through the open bleed nipple so that proves you wrong. And whether air enters the pipe or not depends on how its elevated when disconnected and connected.
    And hammering a caliper whilst connected to a fragile pipe is risky. And I'm not in the risk business. Know what I mean?


    :D
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2015
  20. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

    It proves nothing.
    Air raises, your so called gravity bleed is asking it to do the exact opposite, that is not possible unless you force the air out of the system, either by a vacuum pump or depressing the brake pedal.

    In that video the stupid yank things he's doing something clever, but the problem with that video is, he is only changing the brake fluid by draining out the old while topping up with new, at no point did he have any air in the system to disperse, which he wouldn't have done by just opening the bleed nipple.

    You really have to understand the basics before you undertake what is in real terms a potentially life threatening job, if not yours but some innocent bystander.
     

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