What causes spongy brakes?
Air in the brake lines is one of the most common causes of spongy brakes. Braking systems rely on evenly distributed hydraulic pressure to bring vehicles to a halt. Air in any of these lines can throw off this balance of pressure. Air in the brake lines could be due to a leak or low brake fluid.
Why are the hold down Springs on my rear brake so weak?
Hold down springs are designed to keep the brake shoe firmly against the backing plate. If the hold down springs are weak then the shoe could cock causing a binding condition. The replacement of rear shoe hardware should be suggested each time the rear brake shoes are replaced to prevent this from happening.
When do you adjust the rear brake on a car?
Most FWD vehicles self adjust when braking while the vehicle is moving forward (See Figure 61.4). Once the rears are quick set test drive the vehicle to finish the adjustment process.
What causes rear drum brakes to engage too soon?
If the parking brake system is not de-adjusted properly before the brake shoes are adjusted it will cause the rear brakes to engage too soon. This is especially true of vehicles equipped with duo-servo rear drum brakes (see Figure 61.1).
What causes rear wheel to lock up when braking?
Problem: One or both rear wheels lockup during braking or the rear end of the car squats when braking. Cause: Rear Wheel lockup or squatting has many causes. Here is the list of possible causes: Service and parking brake adjustment. Rear brake hardware. Shoe lands or bosses. GM clip in wheel cylinders. Brake drum condition.
Why are my disc brakes not working in my car?
If you have rear disc brakes, this procedure may not work because some makes and models have a separate emergency brake, which is connected not to the rear rotor and caliper, but to a special drum inside the rear rotors with a separate braking system. If you have this type of rear braking system, it is almost impossible to isolate the rear brakes.
Hold down springs are designed to keep the brake shoe firmly against the backing plate. If the hold down springs are weak then the shoe could cock causing a binding condition. The replacement of rear shoe hardware should be suggested each time the rear brake shoes are replaced to prevent this from happening.
Problem: One or both rear wheels lockup during braking or the rear end of the car squats when braking. Cause: Rear Wheel lockup or squatting has many causes. Here is the list of possible causes: Service and parking brake adjustment. Rear brake hardware. Shoe lands or bosses. GM clip in wheel cylinders. Brake drum condition.
If the parking brake system is not de-adjusted properly before the brake shoes are adjusted it will cause the rear brakes to engage too soon. This is especially true of vehicles equipped with duo-servo rear drum brakes (see Figure 61.1).