Oversensitive foot brake

[Clunkclick]

What would cause a Fabia footbrake to be ovesensitive ?

Recently, when ever my Fabia saloon comes back from service, it is adjusted so that there's is virtually no slack in the footbake. Just touch -it and you go through the windscreen.

In the past, I used to do my own servicing, and was never able to get achieve this level of taughtness on a Mk 1 Golf/

They also, on occasion, over tighten the hand brake, so there's minimum movement in this.

Is the handrake causing the footbrake the problem and can the nuts underneath the handbarke be slackened-off , as I used to do with my old VW Golf ?

Or is there some adustment that can be ad at the master cyclinder or servo ?

The Conti tyres on the fronts, which are quire a hard compound, are down to minimum depth and in this state do lose grip at the slightest provocation, with the consequence that the ABS cuts in. I'm concerned that I do not want to engender a slider in the current weather conditions before I get the front tyres replaced.

Can someone advise how I could back-off the severity of the footbrake.

Nick

Edited 10 February, 2010 by Clunkclick

[vRSLen]

You could let some air into the system, that might help.

But there again, perhaps they are working how they should

[LexVRS]

im not sure of the mechanical side of this but i can however bring a physcological side to it!!

As you get used to a car you get used to exactly how it feels how much braking presure you need to aply without throwing yourself out the window, and where the bitepoint of clutch and brakes are ectect, when this is adjusted it may only change the charecteristics of the cars controlls only slightly but you brain is so used to the origional habit of previous(2nd nature) you drive like you would anyway and as you go to brake you think you know the force needed and it turns out this force is too great so your brain has to relearn! :yes: Its the same story if you change cars. Hope that gives a slight explanation, it may be a mechanical one though so if there is one then info you know i supose haha

Edited 10 February, 2010 by lex2311

[MoggyTech]

I take it your car drum brakes on the rear? Discs are self adjusting, but the drum auto adjusters still keep the shoes slightly off the drum. If the handbrake has been over adjusted, you will have a higher pedal, and nothing more. The brakes aren't more viscous, yuo just need to get used to the new feel of the pedal.

[anewman]

I'm with lex. I used to drive a Favorit (my first car), and the brakes needed quite a bit of pushing to get any worthwhile braking effort. This was even with a newish master cylinder, brake servo, discs and pads. Was such an old and basic car that it didn't have ABS, but always passed the MOT on the brakes no issues. The first time I tried out a Fabia I was nearly hitting the windscreen, lol, then when I got a bit used to the Fabia and went back to the Favorit I was wondering where the brakes were

[grr666]

The concept you are all talking about is muscle memory.

Its a bit like learning to plaster. After a while your trowel just seems to know what to do.

To start with you just make a bloody mess.

[DriveMeBananas]

Other thing to check, you probably never move your seat about, but the mechanic may have moved it.

I find that my learners have trouble braking sympathetically if they are slightly too close to the pedals. Just one click too far forward and I am getting whiplash at every junction.

[Clunkclick]

So, I slacken-off the handbrake nuts then ?

Nick

[Babs]

You're not left foot braking are you?

[KenONeill]

Personally, I'd buy new tyres Nick! An interesting point about Contis is that, because German law requires new tyres at 3mm tread depth, they are dual-compounded, with a harder rubber in the "bottom" 3mm of the tread depth.

Also, exactly what is the adjustment on the handbrake set to? http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_310.htm point (6) requires that the lever does not reach the end of its travel even with the handbrake fully applied (and this generally can only happen when you press the footbrake on firmly whilst trying to uproot the HB.

[martinch]

They also, on occasion, over tighten the hand brake, so there's minimum movement in this.

How many clicks until it's fully applied? The Fabia handbrake doesn't have much travel (it's supposed to be fully applied at 4 clicks, 5 clicks tops, according to the Haynes manual). Don't know if that's of any use or not ...

Edited 11 February, 2010 by martinch

[Clunkclick]

How many clicks until it's fully applied? The Fabia handbrake doesn't have much travel (it's supposed to be fully applied at 4 clicks, 5 clicks tops, according to the Haynes manual). Don't know if that's of any use or not ...

2 clicks max - I know from past experience that's too little.

Nick

[martinch]

Err, yeah, just a little!

[Gti Fly]

Intresting.

Maybe the handbrake adjustment does have something to do with brake pedal travel?

[rum4mo]

Intresting.

Maybe the handbrake adjustment does have something to do with brake pedal travel?

I thought that Moggy tech had confirmed that already - it does make sense when you think about it, if the rear shoes - or even rear disc handbrake system has been made to sort itself out (either by cleaning things up or by a good few firm applications), and at service, the mechanic, who knows what the brakes should feel like will have used his judgement and sorted this if it needed it, you on the other hand, will have adapted yourself to the slowly changing situation - so have not noticed this change - until at service it was sorted out. The very "short" handbrake travel will improve as the rear shoes or pads wear - if you have rear discs, just make sure that the handbrake levers, when the handbrake "handle" is fully down, are on or very nearly on their stops, for rear drum brakes maybe jack up both rear sides together if possible and check that the wheels are free to turn - or maybe even check the rear wheels for a heat build up after a run that does not involve much braking!

[kwacka]

What would cause a Fabia footbrake to be ovesensitive ?

Recently, when ever my Fabia saloon comes back from service, it is adjusted so that there's is virtually no slack in the footbake. Just touch -it and you go through the windscreen./

There is no way of reducing the slack in a footbake (or footbrake!!) without re engineering it. However if the brake is applied hard (much harder than you normally would) as mechanics do for servicing and MoT's, then the fluid seems to get compressed and gives a harder feel for a while. I can't really explain why but I know this happens on my 2 cars and 2 motorbikes - always notice after the MoT. Call it hydrodynamic phenomena - I can't even say it cos I've had a few bacardis!!

Handbrake sensitivity will increase with the footbrake, so that explains that. QED.