1. Home
  2. Car Maintenance
  3. failed this car on excess Footbrake Travel

failed this car on excess Footbrake Travel

Hi to all My Work Friend has taken in for a mot a Fiesta 1100 year is 1990 The Mot Station failed this car on excess Footbrake Travel< I cannot fault the travel as the pedal on Normal braking travels 1 inch as I have over ridden the Automatic rear Brake adjusters.

As you all know on a fiesta the servo/master cylinder is on the N/S so connected by a Brake rod across the car so with Mega Pressure on the footbrake you can press the pedal 3/4 down but this is bending the Bulkhead/Brake Rod and I mean really pressing Hard.

I Used to be a MOT tester but finished in the trade 5yrs ago at that time as long as reserve travel was on the pedal no reason to Fail.

I have tried the car on the road and the brakes lock the wheels when the pedal is 1/2 way.

When the engine is switched off and the servo emptied of vacum the pedal is rock Hard. The Garage say the Brake Master Cylinder is at Fault but I have no CREEP on the pedal at all

Has anyone got a MOT manual to check to see what the fail criteria is on pedal travel

The Mot Station were so stupid as when checking the car bodywork used a metal screwdriver sharp end to check the sills for corrosion which we all know is tottaly out of order but they managed to puncture the sill and desided to fail on this.*(I know when I mot'd cars that I would have been struck off for using a screwdriver for checking Corrosion) we had a small "T" Bar which you would use the plastic head and listen to the tone of the metal

I know I could appeal and win but would like your views on this I do appriate that without looking at the car it is difficult but I worked on Fords for 25 years

Reply to
Ticker
Loading thread data ...

method of inspection 4. Depress the pedal fully & check the position of the pad relative to the floor.

reason for rejection 4. When the pedal is fully depressed, there is not enough reserve travel.

method of inspection 2. if a vacuum servo is fitted, then with the engine off, totally deplete the stored vacuum by repeatedly applying the service brake. fully apply the brake & hold at a constant pressure. note whether the pedal can be felt to travel further when the engine is started.

reason for rejection 2. no dip can be felt when the engine is started, indicating vacuum assistance is not working satisfactorily.

tut tut on using a screwdriver to asses corrosion.

Reply to
reg

A copy of the inspection manual is viewable online at:

formatting link

Visit the MOT Forum:

formatting link

Reply to
NT

That's a good 'un. To prove the system on my Xantia the pedal should move down when the engine is started in those circumstances. Hydropneumatic system. Old VW Passats and many Cavaliers had what some would consider to be excessive brake pedal travel. Nothing wrong with the brakes, but they didn't give a super secure feeling. The VW characteristic was due to the servo being on the left with pedal pressure being applied by a cross bar from the right on rhd cars. Lost motion, backlash and a bit of twisting in the spindly thin crossbar. Corrosion (there used to be a lot of it about) was tested with an air powered device with a bundle of needles that probed at the metal. Wasn't destructive-you could hold the palm of your hand against it. Apart from all that, the biggest ripoff is the fail for emissions. Greeny nutters win and the government love it cause they can charge more taxes in the name of 'environment'. Engines that will only run with the aid of computers because they can't breathe efficiently. Bugger! DaveK.

Reply to
davek

A screwdriver to dig holes in your car!!!! sue them for criminal damage... Simple, they are not allowed to DIG for weak points on the sills. I have complained previously about this and received a full MOT refund, a new sill fitted, an MOT cert and an APOLOGY for the inconvenience!! stick to your guns and hold out mate!!

Reply to
zagga

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.