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-   -   No Rear Brake Pressure After Line Replacement (https://landroverforums.com/forum/discovery-i-39/no-rear-brake-pressure-after-line-replacement-69609/)

fishEH Oct 8, 2014 10:40 AM


Originally Posted by 98discoj (Post 484938)
Yes he's a very experienced mechanic. I didn't even think the thing had ABS, I get no light when the key is on and I haven't ever noticed it engaging. Wouldn't removing it cause issues or would it just turn it into a regular braking system?

No issue. A lot of guys just pull the ABS fuse because the system acts up and engages when it shouldn't. Sounds like you dash light is already burned out or removed.

Jagfixer Oct 8, 2014 10:41 AM

When doing any brake line work or replacing hydraulic brake parts in a Rover. Try depressing pedal an inch or two and holding with a rod or board or something. It locks the system and you can replace lines, calipers, etc., without massive bleeding or loss of fluid.

Mark G Oct 8, 2014 10:51 AM

Most likely brake guy got sloppy and didn't fully bleed out the lines. It can take a while with ABS. So, I would put it up on jackstands, remove the wheels.

The first thing I would do is get a large bottle of brake fluid. I think yours is Dot4 but check the manual. Get some clear plastic hose too to fit over the bleeder screw nipples. Put it up on Jackstands and first thing I'd do is take a small wire brush and clean around the base of each bleeder screw, remove the cap (if there is one) and spray with penetrating fluid and let it soak while proceeding with the next steps. Maybe give them another shot of fluid. I would first inspect the work they did. Any shop that would deliver a vehicle with air in the system should have the work tripple-checked. Make sure they replaced the WHOLE line with fittings all the way back to the box you indicated and there aren't any brass compression fittings. Compression fittings work but should be considered temporary, not a permanant fix. Check that none of their other fittings leak because that could have been what caused air back into the system. Inspect the rubber brake hoses for cracks and brittleness. Replace now if needed.

Go around with a box end wrench or socket to each caliper and gently crack each bleeder loose to make sure it opens and isn't seized up, then snug it up before going onto the next one. Be careful, if you break one off, you'll have to replace the caliper. Also, make sure the bleeder screws are on the TOP of each caliper. Some sloppy shops put calipers on the wrong side and if the bleeder is on the bottom you'll NEVER get all the air out.

Once all that has checked out, have your helper (wife/girlfriend/neighbor, etc) sit in the drivers seat with the windows down so they can clearly hear your instructions. Put the clear hose over the bleeder nipple down to a container of some sort to catch the fluid. Don't reuse the fluid. Make sure the resivour stays full enough so you don't run out.

Have your helper "pump up" the pedal several times to get some pressure, then HOLD pressure on the pedal while you crack open the bleeder screw. They will feel the pedal fall to the floor, but that's ok. Just make sure they DON'T LET UP on the pedal BEFORE you close the bleeder screw or they will suck air back into the line which is what you don't want. You might not get a whole lot of fluid at first if there is a lot of air in the line. Start at the rear passengers side (furthest from the master cylinder). Repeat the procedure until you start seeing fluid. In the clear line you may see air bubbles come out.

Then do the other rear wheel cylinder a few times and go back and fourth till the fluid is clear and you don't get anymore air. Again, make sure to keep fluid in the master cylinder. Then go do the front calipers. The bleeder screws don't need to be supper gawd-awful tight when your're complete.

Brake fluid is Hygroscopic meaning it 'Attracts' moisture. That's good because you don't want water in your brake system (from condensation, etc). So, the fluid gets dark over time and really should be flushed out every few years even though nobody does it until it's too late. But if they did there would be less work for the brake shops. So, given that, once you are finished bleeding your brakes, insert the straw from a can of WD40 in the bleeder nipple and give each one a squirt to blow out the bake fluid so it doesn't rust up the inside of the bleeder nipple (or next time you might end up having to replace the caliper if the bleeder siezed in). Then put a cap on top of the bleeder nipple to keep the elements out. If you don't have a cap, cut a short piece of vacuum hose and put that on top, then put a dab of silicone sealer over the top of the hose and that'll keep out the rain/salt/dirt etc.

fishEH Oct 8, 2014 11:00 AM


Originally Posted by Jagfixer (Post 484942)
When doing any brake line work or replacing hydraulic brake parts in a Rover. Try depressing pedal an inch or two and holding with a rod or board or something. It locks the system and you can replace lines, calipers, etc., without massive bleeding or loss of fluid.

No crap!? That's gold right there!

MM3846 Oct 8, 2014 11:16 AM


Originally Posted by Jagfixer (Post 484942)
When doing any brake line work or replacing hydraulic brake parts in a Rover. Try depressing pedal an inch or two and holding with a rod or board or something. It locks the system and you can replace lines, calipers, etc., without massive bleeding or loss of fluid.


Originally Posted by fishEH (Post 484948)
No crap!? That's gold right there!

i'm gonna have to try this out.

98discoj Oct 8, 2014 09:21 PM

Thanks for all the input everyone! I actually had the calipers all replace recently, so the bleeders open fine. And the reason I'm posting this is actually because when I'm bleeding the rears I'm not getting good pressure. The brake pedal doesn't go to the floor like it does when I bleed the fronts, and the pedal never firms up after multiple bleeds. Also the stream coming out just trickles, where as in the front is really comes out good. I have bled them and bled them and it never goes to the floor and never gets any firmer.

MM3846 Oct 9, 2014 05:45 AM

on my 95 and my buddy's 96 the passenger rear trickles. every other caliper is fine, brakes work fine. i also have new brake lines and rear calipers... idk, these trucks are weird.

drowssap Oct 9, 2014 07:31 AM

why did you do all the brake work to begin with was their an issue?
Have you checked the master to see if it is pushing enough fluid out to the modulator?
is the modulator pushing enough fluid out to the lines?

WaltNYC Oct 9, 2014 08:59 AM


Originally Posted by 98discoj (Post 484825)
.... I then had the lines leak further up, so he replaced the rear brake lines almost all the way up to where they connect to the little box where all the lines go in.....

Was a new connection/splice put into the system? I'd check that for air leaks first.

98discoj Oct 9, 2014 10:25 AM

The rear rotors were shot (rusted through causing a pulsating pedal), so I was originally just replacing those, but the calipers were bad as well, and the lines were so rusty that when he moved the caliper they broke. So then he just did those, but when I took it home my pedal didn't feel good so I rebled them and then i broke the line up by the drivers front door, so he replaced both rear lines all the way up.




Originally Posted by WaltNYC (Post 485114)
Was a new connection/splice put into the system? I'd check that for air leaks first.

Yes, he did all new lines, so I believe he had to connect them. If there was air leaking in them wouldn't they be leaking fluid?


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