As I've fitted brake pads on numerous cars over the years I decided to replace the front pads on daughters Fabia 1.4mpi.

Removed the old pads, slackened nipple to push in piston for new pads, closed nipple.(on both sides).

Checked brakes whilst car was stationary and pedal was good.

Took car for a test drive and although pedal was hard it hardly stopped the car....scary.....

Do you think a full bleed would be the answer?

regards

Auldbuff

yes definatly,i've never had to slacken off the nipple to change the pads,the piston should just push in with a little brute force and ignorance:thumbup:

Pads will need a few miles to bed in. If pedal is hard and car has a servo, you might have a faulty manifold to servo vacuum hose.

Easy to test. Engine off pump brake pedal till it goes solid, keep pedal pressed, start engine, pedal should 'give' about 1 inch then stop.

Agreed with both of the above.

A hard pedal is not symptomatic of brakes that need bled (this gives a very long, soft pedal), but of a servo or manifold to servo hose fault.

You'll also get this problem if the discs are quite worn as you've got a nice flat surface on the pad and an old worn out wonky surface on the disc - the result it not much contact area between the face of the pad and the face of the disc which leads to poor braking.

As others have said, no need to loosen the nipple, just removing the lid off the fluid reservoir should allow the piston to be pushed back in. I usually use a pair of adjustable pliers on the face of the old pad before removing it. You may have introduced a little air into the system by loosening the nipple and this would give a spongy pedal and poor braking. Try a full bleed, then investigate further if it doesn't cure it.

Thanks to all replies.

Bought a self bleeder kit, bled system, brakes now working fine.

Possibly got some air in to the system although I don't know how pedal was hard as air would make it spongy (as some of you guys said!).

Cheers again

I've got mine to do next week. I've got a slightly soft pedal and an awful screeching. I thing the sliders on the Girlings are seized allowing the pad to move and make the noise, and thus the piston side is pushing the disc out instead of against the other pad. Discs could do with replacing anyway, but the pads have little wear so I may skim them flat and reuse them.

Thanks to all replies.

Bought a self bleeder kit, bled system, brakes now working fine.

Possibly got some air in to the system although I don't know how pedal was hard as air would make it spongy (as some of you guys said!).

Cheers again

Air in the ABS unit can apparently lead to the hard pedal syndrome (don't know how though)