The danger of reading the archives...

[Robbie693]

... is that it make me paranoid.

I noticed a discussion about brake pads and anti-squeal shims which brought up a question.

I recently fitted EBC Greenstuff pads which came with sticky pads to put on the back, supposedly to grip the piston and prevent movement/squeal.

So I discarded the shims thinking they wouldn't be needed anymore. Now apparently this wasn't a good idea, is this true?

[rgh0]

If they dont squeal then continue to leave out the shims. If they start squealing put the shims back in.

Rohan

[Robbie693]

Ok, thanks Rohan.

I was worried because there was some mention of the shims equalising the piston pressure across the surface of the pad and leaving them out can cause bevelling of the friction material thus creating a sideways force on the piston and damaging it. Does this sound a bit exteme?

[nebogipfel]

Robbie,

Might be an idea to chill out a bit

[Robbie693]

Think your right mate

[Jason1]

Robbie

I have never heard that the shims equalise the pressure

I would question that advice, if you look at the thickness of the pad backing, now look at the thickness of the anti squeal shims? If the pressure is not equallised by the thick metal backing another very thin piece of metal is not going to do anything.

Most modern pads come with the rubber pads on the reverse of them. The idea is that when you brake the pads will vibrate rapidly, if the metal back of the pads is vibrating onto the metal caliper you get a squealing noise. The rubber pads seperate the two metal surfaces therefore no squeal. The old shims do the same but we used to put copper grease inbetween the caliper/shim/pad so the metal surface vibrate but not squeal.

You can put the shims in with the rubber backed pads but they would not do anything. You can relax even with no shims or rubber pad you could copper grease the rear on the pads and prevent squeal, it just means that the pad backs will dry out quicker and you will get the squeal.

It's all good.

Jason

[Robbie693]

Thanks Jason.

Now must...stop...reading..old..posts..and...looking...for...problems...that...aren't...there...!

[Jason1]

No worries Robbie

If you want worries take a 1968 +2 for a MOT, mine is booked in for this Friday

I am expecting a massive list to do ontop of the list I already have to make the car as perfect as I can.


Keep your fingers crossed

[Hamish Coutts]

Jason,

Mine goes for MOT next week. Eyes, fingers, legs, arms and anything else I can think of, are crossed!

Best of luck.

Hamish.

[Robbie693]

Hamish, Jason,

I had my MOT on Friday (thankfully it passed) and one of my concerns was the handbrake, which I had adjusted but they always seem to be marginal.

Anyway, on arriving at the test station the guy asked for my old certificate so he could look it up on the computer. He found it but also stated that he didn't have any information about any car prior to 1989!

So they did the brake test and I asked what weight figures they put in the machine. They said they used figures for a later model (M100?) which was 1100kg. The car passed at these figures but was a bit marginal, so I got the handbook out and checked the weight, which is 946kg, told him and he said "oh, well in that case it walked through". He also said he'd put it on the computer for future reference.

So, check what weight your tester puts in for the brake test!

Cheers

Robbie

[Jason1]

Thanks for the tip Robbie

I am expecting it to fail on handbrake, headlights (have dynamo so they work when they feel like it) and front suspension has a little play.

All of them are marginal so we will see what moan the tester is in.

Jason

[Hamish Coutts]

Thanks Robbie,

My MOT has been delayed. Got a new handbrake cable some time ago and have just fitted it. The damned thing is miles too long and I have to adjust the handbrake up fully to get any action at all. When the handbrake lever is fully pulled out it just barely holds the car on a wee bit of a hill.
Trouble is I cut the ends off the old cable to use it as a snake to pull through the new one so I'm stuck with it. Come to think on it the old cable was kinda long as well .

Anybody got any ideas for shortening a handbrake cable by at least 3 ins?
Also, the thread on the adjuster is wrong and jams when it is screwed into it's location on the chassis by about ?ins. What is it about new cables and Lotus - they are crap. (speaking from handbrake and throttle cable experience!!)
Anybody feel like making some 'proper' ones? Cliveboy?

I'll have a handbrake cable with the correct adjusters and two throttle cables please.

Hamish.

PS - Steve. You advised trying to make a new throttle cable from bicycle brake cables. That worked nicely - lovely and smooth and miles better than Matty's effort. Only problem was that the bolt on olive on the end kept slipping off for some reason. (bit embarasing in traffic ) Any ideas?

[steveww]

The teflon coated bike cable serving as the throttle cable on my S4 is still in place. Just make sure the bolt on nipple is done up real tight.

You should be able to trim the end off the handbrake cable and fit a new end. The handbrake cable on mine looks like this has been done. Not sure where to get a new cable end (nipple) from though.

[patrics]

Hi Robbie,
Don't worry about shims, you where right to leave original ones off and to try the sticky type but doesn't mean it's going to work! It has nothing to do with equalising piston pressure.

Hamish
Out of interest how long is the cable? I could check it against mine which does adjust up properly. Shouldn't be to hard to find a cable manufacture to put a new end on - there is a couple of places in the Birmingham area.
Regards
Steve

[Hamish Coutts]

Steve,

No idea how long the cable is. It was a new one (for a +2) that I got from Susan Miller, which was to replace the cable on the car that I thought had stretched (was about 2" too long). Turns out the new cable is even longer! Will try cutting off the end nipple, shortening the cable then soldering the nipple back on.

When the new cable arrived I also had to grind the nipple at the handbrake end as it was too big to fit the recess in the handbrake lever.

These new cables really are not designed very well - and they are damned expensive for what you get.
e.g. New throttle cable (with a very rough, stiff action and adjusters that don't fit properly) ?24.00+.
Best quality, teflon coated, bicycle brake cable and outer sheathing (Shimano Deore) + bolt on nipple - ?5.00. Works smooth as silk.

One hell of a difference huh!

Hamish.