Rear brakes

[alfadave]

My Elan plus 2 passed its Mot recently.

3000 miles on new pads all round.

But the tester noted that both outer rear brake pads were worn low. Inners were ok.

I suppose the obvious answer is sticking inner pistons......but the rear brake effort was fine,

Any thoughts?

[rgh0]

Maybe the outers are not retracting and dragging on the disks and thus wearing quicker ?

cheers
Rohan

[RobertMaulden]

Fit a small spring on the operating arm to help keep the pads away from the disc?

This is a very common mod, & I think that suitable springs are available from the usual suppliers.

My mistake - this refers to the handbrake pads of course

[john.p.clegg]

Are we talking handbrake or footbrake?

John

[alfadave]

My original post refers to the rear footbrake.

[alfadave]

Apologies!

Both rear pads are ok.

I think the MoT guy must have been looking at the handbrake pads.

He has a good excuse....

He is ex Ford Main Dealer trained!

[john.p.clegg]

So , it's back to Roberts suggestion of the spring , not forgetting to " set " the centralising strips...

John

[Elanman99]

So , it's back to Roberts suggestion of the spring , not forgetting to " set " the centralising strips...

John

I concur absolutely.

No need to buy new centralising strips, just re-form the one you have. (and no need to add any other springs)

Ian

[phil1800]

That‘s a classic. MOT/ TÜV specialists at work. My experience from my 7 year Elan ownership here in Germany: ‚central lock wheels have never been homologated here’ (not true); ‚ Sir, the body has been replaced by a GFK replica, that‘s a major derivation from original, we have to cancel your historic vehicle status and you have to apply for a special approval to new car standards‘

[alfadave]

My MoT guy is a child of approx 40 years old.

He can be summed up by his recent cars:-

Renaultsport Megane
Hyundai i 30 N
BMW 135i

And sorry.....nothing in the Lotus manual about re forming the centralising strips? Not sure how to check them.

[john.p.clegg]

I'm sure it's in the Manual , it's a case of trial and error, taking them off and on again , .....while holding the flat screw fixing part in the vice and " bending, setting, whacking" the other end till they hold the pads off the discs by the prescribed amount...

John

[Andy8421]

I concur absolutely.

No need to buy new centralising strips, just re-form the one you have. (and no need to add any other springs)

Ian

Fitting the extra compression spring is a very common improvement, I have a had a pair of calipers rebuilt by classicar automotive who did an excellent job, and the calipers came back with the extra spring already fitted. I had thought it was a Lotus recommended service improvement. At the very least, it helps with the 'bag of old spanners' rattle from the calipers when you go over a bump.

Kelveden sell a spring specifically for the purpose:

https://kelvedonlotus.co.uk/product/handbrake-spring/

[Elanman99]

To expand on what John has just said.

The centralising strips are there to perform as a semi rigid abutment to hold the brake pad away from the disk surface. They are only slightly springy (being ordinary steel) and they dont act as any sort of adjustment.

When the driver operates the parking brake and the pads are pressed into contact with the disk the centralisings strips deform slightly but even though they are not true spring steel they still have enough springiness to return the pads through the small clearance distance (pad to disk).

In use they gradually bend a bit each time the handbrake is applied eventually needing reforming whan new pads are fitted.

Ideally bend/reform the pair of strips at the same time so when opposed to each other on the caliper they will exert an equal amount of force. I generally stand them up side by side in the vice jaws so can check they are identical. They need to be bent far enough so that they exert enough pressure with thick unworn pads.

Ian

[billwill]

And sorry.....nothing in the Lotus manual about re forming the centralising strips? Not sure how to check them.

The centralising strips are soft steel (?). they can be bent easily with two pairs of pliers.

It's not critical, basically bend the thin tongue (that lifts the hand brake pad) outwards until it is about 5 degrees off-parallel to the bolt hole. Do this every time that you fit new handbrake pads. When you fit it all together this will lift the pads well clear of the disks. (but do also fit the spring to push the pads apart).

When you then first apply the handbrake the pads will bend the centralising strips back to their correct working angle. As the pads wear down, the strips will be bent further in until they end up about 3 to 5 degrees inwards relative to the bolt hole plate. This 'permanent' bending is why (I think) they are made of soft metal. You would get through many changes of pads before the strips eventually break from metal fatigue.

The centralising strips are Item 17 in the diagram below.
The spring is not shown, it is a compression coil spring that fits on the rod (item 9 below) and pushes the pad carriers (6,7) apart.

[englishmaninwales]

Does fitting the extra spring remove the irritating rattle from the handbrake mechanism on an uneven road surface?