Excessive brake pedal travel?

[Sharkojoints]

Well, another year, another triumphant MoT pass!

However, the advisories are getting a bit like War and Peace.

One of the 'issues' is quite a lot of pedal travel before the brakes bite. Normally I'd start by adjusting rear drums to sort this, but the Bongo has discs, and it doesn't seem like the handbrake system is linked in any way.

Any thoughts? Dodgy brake master cylinder, perhaps? Bongo is a '96 2.5D non ABS, with 85k ish on the clock.

[wonkanoby]

how old /warn are the pads

[jimmo62]

Replace brake fluid and bleed the system well, replace brake pads and check discs are not worn too thin.

[Simon Jones]

Brake fluid should be replaced every 2 years anyway, so now is probably a good a time as any. Not sure what sort of cars you'd want to adjust the rear drum to fix poor braking performance, but things have moved on since the days of the Ford Popular and the like .

[Sharkojoints]

Brake fluid should be replaced every 2 years anyway, so now is probably a good a time as any. Not sure what sort of cars you'd want to adjust the rear drum to fix poor braking performance, but things have moved on since the days of the Ford Popular and the like .

I'm showing my age a bit, there...

Rear pads are low, according to the MoT. Not checked the fronts yet, but they're probably not far off. No idea when brake fluid was last changed.

[Luke and Debs]

had this last year. boys at ads bleed brake fluid and checked pad. turned out to be the master cylinder was faulty/leaking. replaced for £50 on ebay and now sorted.

only thing to check is if u have abs or not as this will affect which type u need

cheers luke

[nicstrike]

Brake fluid should be replaced every 2 years anyway, so now is probably a good a time as any. Not sure what sort of cars you'd want to adjust the rear drum to fix poor braking performance, but things have moved on since the days of the Ford Popular and the like .

plenty of current cars still have rear drums.....why is beyond me!! fluid change on bongo , then discs and pads unless they are obviously knackered.

[Simon Jones]

There a still a few smaller cars knocking around with rear drum brakes which is fine for lighter vehicles. The majority of the braking affect is achieved using the front disks and a lighter car generates less heat so you can get away with drums on the rear. Last car I had drum brakes all round was a 1979 Fiat 126 which weighed very little and the majority of that was at the rear where the engine was mounted. It made for interesting handling around sharp damp corners.