Here's the scoop... 2003 Disco 2 purchased with 3 amigos on. Was told (and have confirmed) bad wheel speed sensor. Spent the last year fighting a cooling issue and at least the dang thing would stop... until now. Brake pedal recently started getting stiffer and stiffer, ultimately ending up like stomping on a cinder block (with about the same outcome)

I was headed out of the country for work and trying to get this back on the road before I left, so I replaced the master cylinder and brake booster and bled the brakes a couple of times... still hard as a rock.

So now I'm back from out of the country and ready to get it running again...

I have a new wheel speed sensor and will install first. Also read about option B fix for abs unit (if that will help at all) Any other suggestions about what I might be missing. Have done brakes on lots of different cars/trucks, but never a Rover.

 

Check the brake servo line, especially near the intake where it attaches. The line is very brittle and breaks at the intake manifold.

The master should be ok, you'll know it's toast if you stop at a light and the pedal drops to the floor.

No need for option b unless you're getting the associated abs valve codes.

 

okay, so my memory was a bit fuzzy... been 3 months since it happened and I've been out of the country... needed a new battery and now I've got it started...

pedal seems to be going to the floor, but with resistance. almost no stopping power (it'll roll at idle with the brakes fully depressed)

hearing a sound that I can only describe as something like a relay and can feel it "clicking" near the parking brake handle when the brakes are pushed. brake servo line appears to be good with no obvious cracks or vacuum sound.

also hear a very faint "digital" sound coming from the abs unit (best way I can describe it)

gonna do the wheel speed sensor and will have the brakes exposed in a few minutes, so I can see what the status of the pads is also.

 

okay... so had a bad brake booster check valve. swapped that and no more "hissing" when pedal depressed, will keep vehicle stopped in gear but still no stopping power. removed master cylinder and booster to measure booster rod distance and it's spot on. manually bled brakes. still going almost to the floor and even after pumping doesn't get stiffer...

oh, and those 12 point bolts on the caliper carrier... yeah. so the speed sensor is still not swapped... gonna need to rent a gorilla