Brake advice please..

Posts: 46

Hey guys

My PGO Bugxter has been 'stored' for a while (I couldn't afford the insurance!) and now I'd like to get it back on the road, but I can't seem to get the front brakes to work.

I replaced the fluid and then bled the system several times, but I can only get the back one working.

Any suggestions as to what I could try next?

Many thanks
Grahame

Posts: 1156

Are you getting fluid out of the front calipers when you bleed them? Does it come out with about the same pressure as the rear? If yes to both questions the pistons may be frozen.
I assume they were working fine before you stored it?

Posts: 3727

if the piston is stuck in the caliper you might can take a small hammer and tap lightly on the caliper to get it free. or just remove the caliper and the piston, give it all a good cleaning

Posts: 164

dont take the calipers apart unless you have new seals to put back in. You have about an 70% chance of them leaking if you dont use new seals. I would remove the calipers from the rotor and try to press them back gently. you might get lucky and they free up. if they do not rebuild them and use a fresh bottel of good break fluid and flush out all the old fluid. Break fluid will absorb water and cause rust and corosion issues in the break system

Posts: 46

Hiya

Thanks for the replies guys, I decided 'better safe than sorry' and just fitted new front calipers and a new master cylinder today.

The problem is, I STILL can't get the front brakes to work.. at all!! I've replaced the brake fluid completely, bled the system and the rear brake (the original caliper!) works perfectly - but the fronts won't move.

What am I doing wrong?

I tried bleeding the front brakes 2 ways - with a tube from the bleed valve into a jar of fluid, then with a tube from the bleed valve back into the master cylinder reservoir (which is how I do it on my motorcycle) but neither method seems to get the calipers moving. Plenty of air came out at first of course, but now it just seems to be fluid.

Any advice would be fantastic, at the moment I'm €145 lighter in my pocket and still can't drive.

Thanks
Grahame

Posts: 164

I'm not sure what system is in your buggy but I would go to the lines and pressure compensation valve if you have one. Make sure the lines have no kinks in them also I've seen rubber lines close up internally where they plug up. I'll think on this some more and post again If i can think of any other things you can check. If you can post a picture of the master cyl. in the buggy. It might help with diagnosis from afar.

Posts: 1007

Grahame, from what info i could find here on about your buggy i think its made like carter and twister.
then the master cylinder should have 2 piston plungers to work brakes one for the back and one for the front.have you checked the rods going into master cylinder from brake pedal
maybe when you push the brake down the rod that controls the front brake is not pushing the piston in far enough for it to let caliper piston work brake pads. also if your brake pads are worn a little it takes more fluid to push out caliper piston farther.
like oZ.wolf check those brake lines to after changing calipers and master cylinder.its coming down to a couple of things,brake lines and adjustments,i would think.
that just my thoughts
here is a picture of mine sunl put a master cylinder on like carter and twister used,probably got it from them Laughing

good luck with your problem
pud

Posts: 1101

i had that problem with my gk-13 i try'd every thing then i just gave up and drove it and after the first long ride they started to work sure you got to be a little carful but hey they worked after now i under stand this is a 150 correct? if so y do you need front breaks some 150s dont even have them

Posts: 46

Hey guys

They work at last!!

And how did I do it? Well, I used a different brand of brake fluid - don't ask me why that should make any difference, they're both DOT4, but using BP's fluid has the brakes working beautifully, so I'm not complaining!

So just a bit more paint, refit a few bits and my PGO will be back on the road - and in about 2 weeks I'll be getting my Suzuki Samurai too.. ahhhh, new toys!!!

G Cool

Posts: 3727

wow that is strange but glad theu are woring now