brake bias!?

1. dolby20 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 Esholt - West Yorkshire Posts: 3113 Citroen Saxo VTR 2002

   #1 8th May 2012, 19:29

   Hi
   Basically I managed to fit some Mintex pads all round on my saxo
   I'll say it was around september last year
   anyway, the rear pads are completely worn out but the fronts are fine....
   any explanation for this?
   i would expect the fronts to go first!
   
   please help
   
   thanks
2. marcusd Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jan 2009 warrington Posts: 7551 posi blue mk2 2003 vtr

   #2 8th May 2012, 19:45

   dont think so cos i always thought fronts were used more than rears. my rears were replaced with new discs n pads bout year and half ago maybe longer and feb time i had them replaced again and pads where real low but discs were ok
3. dolby20 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 Esholt - West Yorkshire Posts: 3113 Citroen Saxo VTR 2002

   #3 8th May 2012, 19:47

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by marcusd dont think so cos i always thought fronts were used more than rears. my rears were replaced with new discs n pads bout year and half ago maybe longer and feb time i had them replaced again and pads where real low but discs were ok

   i thought weight over the front meant fronts would wear first + fastest :/
   obviously not, but those pads just didnt seem to have lasted at all!
4. user_29491 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2008 Lancs Posts: 4124 JP4S'd R.

   #4 8th May 2012, 20:10

   Is your car lowered?
   
   On heavy braking does the back end lock up first?
   
   I didn't know about the brake bias valve at the back.. Went a few years with a scary back end lol.
   
   In the end, i took the spring off and prised open the valve (was rusty) now the back end doesn't lock up..
   
   So if you haven't touched the bias valve and your car's lowered - then more braking force will go to the rear end - and wear your pad's faster as said..
   
   

   1 user thanked this post: dolby20
5. dolby20 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 Esholt - West Yorkshire Posts: 3113 Citroen Saxo VTR 2002

   #5 8th May 2012, 20:13

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by saxova Is your car lowered? - Yes! On heavy braking does the back end lock up first? - Never actually been in heavy braking, but one time it did! I didn't know about the brake bias valve at the back.. Went a few years with a scary back end lol. - sounds the same then! In the end, i took the spring off and prised open the valve (was rusty) now the back end doesn't lock up.. - might have to do this! So if you haven't touched the bias valve and your car's lowered - then more braking force will go to the rear end - and wear your pad's faster as said..

   Sound advice - thanks
6. Ben_SaxoForte Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Stoke-on-trent Posts: 2640 Mk5 Golf GTTDI Mk2 VTR Project

   #6 8th May 2012, 21:54

   +1 on what saxova said, need to do my brake bias valve too my rear pads wear twice as quick as the front at the moment
7. dolby20 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 Esholt - West Yorkshire Posts: 3113 Citroen Saxo VTR 2002

   #7 8th May 2012, 21:55

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by Ben_SaxoForte +1 on what saxova said, need to do my brake bias valve too my rear pads wear twice as quick as the front at the moment

   just take the spring off, spray some WD and loosen it off?
   then put the spring back on and you're done.... right?
8. user_29491 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2008 Lancs Posts: 4124 JP4S'd R.

   #8 8th May 2012, 22:20

   Think it would just be the same as before, It's a brake LOAD valve - So is intended to apply more pressure to the rear's when there is weight over the back.
   
   When you lower them, the valve is compressed like it has weight in the back.
   
   I think they have a bolt type adjuster - mine was rusted so not sure haha.
   
   The proper way would to be adjust this, I simply took the spring off completely - and opened the valve/bracket so it didn't think there was weight
   
   Probably a pikey way to do it, but it took 2 mins and it's been fine for months.
   
   
9. dolby20 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 Esholt - West Yorkshire Posts: 3113 Citroen Saxo VTR 2002

   #9 8th May 2012, 22:21

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by saxova Think it would just be the same as before, It's a brake LOAD valve - So is intended to apply more pressure to the rear's when there is weight over the back. When you lower them, the valve is compressed like it has weight in the back. I think they have a bolt type adjuster - mine was rusted so not sure haha. The proper way would to be adjust this, I simply took the spring off completely - and opened the valve/bracket so it didn't think there was weight Probably a pikey way to do it, but it took 2 mins and it's been fine for months.

   if mine is free to adjust, i shall adjust it
   if not, pikey time!
   how can you tell that it is 'adjusted'
   am i just looking to slacken this bolt?
10. user_29491 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2008 Lancs Posts: 4124 JP4S'd R.

    #10 8th May 2012, 22:27

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dolby20 if mine is free to adjust, i shall adjust it if not, pikey time! how can you tell that it is 'adjusted' am i just looking to slacken this bolt?

    Will be obvious once you see it, it's a bracket with a valve on it - just turn it which ever way opens the valve up more
    
    I'll add that i've seen a few people who have failed a mot because the bias valve is rusty / seized - so might want to put the spring back incase they spot it.
11. dolby20 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 Esholt - West Yorkshire Posts: 3113 Citroen Saxo VTR 2002

    #11 8th May 2012, 22:29

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by saxova Will be obvious once you see it, it's a bracket with a valve on it - just turn it which ever way opens the valve up more I'll add that i've seen a few people who have failed a mot because the bias valve is rusty / seized - so might want to put the spring back incase they spot it.

    Nice one
    I'll have a look!
    And oh really!? Haha I will make sure it's intact and working then!
12. blacksaxodevil Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2011 surrey Posts: 397 saxo vtr mk1 mitsi evo 4 project

    #12 9th May 2012, 11:11

    brake load sensing valve on the rear beam i can supply new at £80 just done my own one and god its so much better than an unseized one. they are like £140 new from motor factors so i can save people on here £60

    1 user thanked this post: dolby20
13. dolby20 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 Esholt - West Yorkshire Posts: 3113 Citroen Saxo VTR 2002

    #13 9th May 2012, 12:49

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by blacksaxodevil brake load sensing valve on the rear beam i can supply new at £80 just done my own one and god its so much better than an unseized one. they are like £140 new from motor factors so i can save people on here £60

    post some pictures of it?
14. blacksaxodevil Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2011 surrey Posts: 397 saxo vtr mk1 mitsi evo 4 project

    #14 9th May 2012, 16:53

    will do fella, when i am next out at my car as am down workshop at mo. i did mine and it took less than 1/2 hour to do. i believe they are italian but trust me it works much better than a freed up one.
15. dolby20 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 Esholt - West Yorkshire Posts: 3113 Citroen Saxo VTR 2002

    #15 9th May 2012, 16:54

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by blacksaxodevil will do fella, when i am next out at my car as am down workshop at mo. i did mine and it took less than 1/2 hour to do. i believe they are italian but trust me it works much better than a freed up one.

    Nice one
    Thanks
16. blacksaxodevil Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2011 surrey Posts: 397 saxo vtr mk1 mitsi evo 4 project

    #16 9th May 2012, 20:26

    right without taking the wheel off in the pissing rain here goes for pic
    
    
    
    will take some better pics for you tomoz hopefully it will be dry

    1 user thanked this post: dolby20
17. dolby20 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 Esholt - West Yorkshire Posts: 3113 Citroen Saxo VTR 2002

    #17 9th May 2012, 20:31

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by blacksaxodevil right without taking the wheel off in the pissing rain here goes for pic will take some better pics for you tomoz hopefully it will be dry

    far too close to understand what's going on
    
    thanks though
18. blacksaxodevil Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2011 surrey Posts: 397 saxo vtr mk1 mitsi evo 4 project

    #18 9th May 2012, 20:48

    i did say it was hard to get to without taking wheel off etc. basically the long metal arm at top of pic is attatched to a piston that sits inside the housing and gets pushed in and out by the brake fluid that goes through it from the front of the car and then out into the rear brake pipes. basically its like a big piston thing that is controlled by the brake fluid pressure and then compensates with the valve piston internally. making the rear brakes work and not lock up
19. blacksaxodevil Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2011 surrey Posts: 397 saxo vtr mk1 mitsi evo 4 project

    #19 9th May 2012, 20:49

    it was fiddly replacing it but worth it in the end.
20. dolby20 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 Esholt - West Yorkshire Posts: 3113 Citroen Saxo VTR 2002

    #20 9th May 2012, 20:50

    Nice one
    Thanks