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Tjærand
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Oct 2006
Location: Nøtterøy, Norway
Vehicle(s): 1996 G320
Posts: 403
| Brakes that brake too much
As my G now see some mileage again new and interesting problems show up.
Before the ahem... pause... my GD had quite slack brakes mostly due to old fluid but also a minor vacuum leak causing the pedal to be really hard after a few pumps. But now, I have no problems whatsoever locking my front wheels on dry road. It wont even take much effort. I run 33" wheels so if anything, I should have a really long brake distance.
This becomes a problem on wet road. If I should have to panic brake for anything I'm afraid my wheels will just lock and the G slide. I have tried on deserted back roads and I feel it's a problem allthough I'm quite impressed with the brakes actually locking all that rubber.
There is some slight rust on my disks from storage outside, but the pads look good.
Any ideas on reducing the locking (might sound like an odd request, but 2,4 ton G unhinged is not good)? |
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ewalberg
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Past: San Francisco. Present: Germany
Vehicle(s): 2000 g500
Posts: 1887
| Re: Brakes that brake too much
maybe you need to adjust the rear brake compensator so you get more from the rear?... not that you want to lock the rears, but so that the fronts don't lock quite so quickly. |
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460332
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Europe
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Brakes that brake too much
Ooh, thats actually a luxury problem, with time your brakes deterioate toward the avarage G performance, :o)
The rear should only engage when the car is loaded, i.e., usually more than 5 persons on board and should only be possible to block on gravel road. |
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Tjærand
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Oct 2006
Location: Nøtterøy, Norway
Vehicle(s): 1996 G320
Posts: 403
| Re: Brakes that brake too much
With time ;-)
It's from 1988 and had it's brakes adjusted to it's age (i.e. really hard and slow) by default. I could not do those James Bond patented turns before. When I parked tonight I (intendedly) did a 90 degree turn on locked wheels, my wife and neighbours were not amused.
All of a sudden after 1,5 years of neglected standstill it brakes so hard and effective that the paint falls off. I appreciate the fact that the brake system can lock this beasts wheels but locked wheels are poor stoppers, they just keep sliding.
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Fenalaar
Elite Veteran
Date registered: May 2006
Location: Narvik, Norway
Vehicle(s): 2001 ML270CDI, Polaris 400L Big Boss
Posts: 826
| Re: Brakes that brake too much
Locked wheels give you the shortest stopping distance, but you won't get any steering out of them. On the NAF slick roads track, I got shorter stopping distances with locked wheels than with ABS in function. (The car had a retrofitted ABS kill switch).
Johan-Kr |
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ewalberg
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Past: San Francisco. Present: Germany
Vehicle(s): 2000 g500
Posts: 1887
| Re: Brakes that brake too much
with or without locking the wheels, ABS increases stopping distance everytime i've had it engage. In dirt it's downright scary. I think it's purpose is to keep directional stability at all costs... including stopping distance. When ever i have it kick in i get this feeling like "holy crap, i'm not slowing down!" It happens worst on bumpy paved roads where a momentary loss in traction under a wheel kicks in the system and then there's a real loss in brake force. Maybe the newest systems are better. |
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Bill K
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Brakes that brake too much
I would start with bleeding the rear then bleed the front, I don't totaly agree with the rear not working unless you have a load or 5 people in the G. sounds like the rear is not working at all for some reason. with the winter coming and the rainy season upon you, you may need to fix it quickly.
I don't know how much you know about the brakes, so sorry in advance. The rear can have several problems. I won't get into them all, but can point you in the right direction for starters until others jump in.
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/g-class/1250265-master-brake-cylind...
http://www.clubgwagen.com/gtech.php?pageTitle=tech%20article&sid=it...
All good stuff |
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dai
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Oregon USA
Vehicle(s): 300GD 300TD BMW R100RS Landini 80F
Posts: 2110
| Re: Brakes that brake too much
It could be that your rotors are rusty and until you have worn that off your truck will have grabby front brakes.
-Dai |
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Bill K
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Brakes that brake too much
One more that may help.
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/g-class/1240154-how-does-460s-rear-...
Edited by Bill K 10/19/2006 12:24 AM
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amzimmy
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: South Africa/Italy
Vehicle(s): GD300 1981, Alfa GT 3,2 V6, Alfa Brera Q4 3,2 V6.
Posts: 850
| Re: Brakes that brake too much
Interesting subject!
Does any one of you "G-urus" know the correct distance or measurement setting (under NO load condition) of this "Rear break Compensator" on a 460 GD300?
I really would like to check 'this' on mine since the hard breaking (empty), the rear wheels seems to lock...... not a nice feeling when you have your back-end wanting to overtake the front! 
amzimmy  |
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elevatorbernie
Expert
Date registered: Aug 2006
Location: Vancouver B.C. Canada
Vehicle(s): 1989 280GE
Posts: 1347
| Re: Brakes that brake too much
I agree with Dai, the front is locking up due to the rusted discs. If they are rusted badly you should have them machined; if the thickness will allow to be still in spec. On ice or snow they will lock up easier and cause loss of control. Also I have a thought about your rear brakes not working, the rear brake cylinders are probably stuck from lack of use. They may have to be rebuilt or replaced. |
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