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Ford Escort brakes and brake pads
Alez - 29/7/04 at 10:09 AM

Guys,

A friend of mine has an Escort TD, I think it's the mk5 or maybe mk4, I've attached a couple of pics of cars that look like it. Yesterday she told me she's had situations where the car brakes' wouldn't perform. That's in sections of the road where there is high slope downhill (a pass for instance) so I got the impression that she's not using the brakes nor the gears properly resulting in overheating. Apart from the obvious training to correct this, would you recommend fitting different pads, like the Green Stuff ones I have in the Locost? (Also do they fit?) I'm scared that she may bend her discs due to overheating.

Image deleted by owner

Image deleted by owner

BTW, is that car FWD or RWD? She also mentioned something about handling so I'm curious.

Cheers,

Alex

theconrodkid - 29/7/04 at 10:37 AM

if the brakes are in reasonable condition they should work ok unless they are being overheated as you state,other thing to look at is the vacume pump on them,they are known to give up or not work too well

mookaloid - 29/7/04 at 11:05 AM

I had a guy ask me about his brakes not working a while ago - mainly in the wet or in icy conditions on his farm track.

Turned out it was his ABS cutting in as his front wheels tried to lock up! DOH!

phelpsa - 29/7/04 at 11:13 AM

Thats a Mk6. FWD.

Adam

[Edited on 29/7/04 by phelpsa]

Peteff - 29/7/04 at 12:15 PM

The brakes were brilliant and never faded. I fitted new Brembo discs and ferodo road pads and never had any trouble in the 2 years before I got rid. I'd go with Conrod on the vacuum pump theory if all the other bits are o.k. and the fluids fresh.

Alez - 29/7/04 at 12:54 PM

Thanks everyone!

I'll see if the car has ABS first, then I'll test the brakes to see how they feel and will have that vacuum pump checked if need be.

Pete BTW, did you fit Brembos as an UPGRADE or was it just a replacement due to wear out of the original ones? Did you fit bigger discs?

Cheers,

Alex

Peteff - 29/7/04 at 02:31 PM

Standard vented discs, just that they are made by Brembo. Some cheapo ones are not as vented or well machined I've noticed

stephen_gusterson - 29/7/04 at 03:22 PM

if its anything like the roads on your spanish islands, riding the brakes on a long downhill section isnt gonna make em work well..... is she using engine braking on long downhill bits?

My wife had a fiesta once that had crap brakes - it was the disks. They were literally 'chunking off' the brake surface, reducing the amount of braked area.

Is the brake fluid ok? needs flushing / bleeding?

atb

steve

Dick Axtell - 29/7/04 at 04:54 PM

quote:
Originally posted by theconrodkid
...other thing to look at is the vacume pump on them...

Vacuum pump is only on diesel versions (there being very little manifold depression).
Is the booster faulty/leaking? Do the usual checks.
1: With engine off, make several brake pedal applications, to dispel any vacuum remaining in the booster.
2: Then start the engine, with foot on the brake pedal. Pedal should move with increasing vac.
3: Hold pedal down with foot, then switch off engine. If pedal creeps back against foot, you've got a leaky booster.

ATB

Peteff - 29/7/04 at 05:04 PM

It's an abbreviation for turbo diesel Dick.

Dick Axtell - 29/7/04 at 05:26 PM

Thanks Pete - I missed that!! (Short-sighted old git).