Series III Land Rover brakes

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Sat 8 Mar 2003 19:27
Series III Land Rover brakes - Rob C
Hello all, I wonder if I could gather some advice.
My III series brake pedal "goes down more than usual", and now the brakes are not particularly effective.
This happened quite suddenly a few weeks ago, but with a bit of pumping comes back up again, but doesn't last more than one application of the brakes.

I have not checked the brake shoes or linings yet, as the pumping thing makes me think it might be servo related.

I should explain that it is a non-servo system, but a previous owner has added a servo, (off to one side). There appear to be two master cylinders now, the original under the fluid reservoir and another on the servo drum, and I can't tell yet which one is connected to the pedal.

Any thoughts anyone?
All help appreciated.
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Sun 9 Mar 2003 08:30
Series III Land Rover brakes - Agent K
Hello Rob
One way to check where the problem lies is to clamp all the flexible brake hoses using brake clamps.
Once all four hoses are clamped, test the brake pedal. If it still sinks then it is likely to be the servo.
Check the pipe that leads from the inlet manifold to the servo unit. Any leaks, holes will cause problems AND can cause engine running problems. If still no luck suspect the master cylinder, as fluid can leak past the seals, into the vacuum pipe and into the engine where it is burnt. You may get smoke and a change in idle speed when you press the brake pedal.
Sometimes, if the master cylinder is old, the seals can reverse causing poor pedal pressure/braking ability. This can happen if the pistons are pushed back too quickly when fitting new pads.
Does the pedal sink slightly when you switch on the engine?
Andrew Pullen
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