Power brake increasing boost

Nope. You cannot increase the power of the servo unless you replace it but with what, I don't know.

Make sure there's no leaks on the vacuum pipe connecting to the servo and the servo itself first.

Not all cars are the same. You'd need to compare it with an identical model to see if yours is faulty. But as it sounds like you've just acquired this car why didn't you notice on the test drive?

You need to compare like for like. The 'other vehicles' may have bigger, better brakes. Different sizes offer different braking forces.

Shirley the first thing to do is check whether the servo's working at all. Engine off. A few pumps of the pedal to use up the vacuum. Hold foot on brake. Should feel hard and not move. Start engine. Pedal should sink a bit.

Don't call me Shirley :-)

Well someone had to say it.

I'd have felt cheated if they hadn't!

Willy Eckerslyke formulated the question :

Pad or shoe type/make/material can make a large difference.

Have no idea as to the significance of the Shirley bit, but if it is a joke can't really see anything amusing. If it's supposed to be funny, well then.....Haha!

Who's Shirley?

Yep the servo is working, with the engine off then you REALLY need some foot pressure. but not tried your specific check yet.

Don't really care what you call me, just don't get the point, maybe someone could share the "joke"

Never posted here before, but you seem a weird mob! Thanks for the help though.

Alf.

The vehicle is low miles, immaculate and from an elderly neighbor who can no longer drive. Given the price even if I need a professional brake overhaul it's still a bargain.

Thought i'd ask here so even if I don't fix it myself and least I can tell if the repairer is bulls....ing me.

Alf.

Alf. gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

I hope they paid you to take it away, then.

A 12yo Direwoo Esperate - even in good nick - isn't worth much more than the scrap value. They were shit when they were new, and age hasn't done them any favours.

Mileage is irrelevant.

From the comedy film "Airplane":

Rumack: Can you fly this plane, and land it? Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious. Rumack: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.

I thought that was just Usenet generally!

Don't forget to post back with any outcome or conclusions please.

Chris

Perhaps it's something you'll just have to put up with then. As I said it depends on what you're used to. Some cars have too much servo assistance IMHO. Also if it doesn't have ABS less chance of locking the brakes on a poor surface.

It could be the pads are glazed due to lots of light braking. Although that is a long shot. Might also be possible to use a different make which gives better bite.

Brake pedal pressures do vary between between different models and makes of car, so unless it's a physical problem for the driver to brake comfortably, I think it's driver just needs to get used to them.

If it is a problem, a new pair of front discs and pads might be enough to reduce the pedal pressure. It's certainly what I would try first, but by the sound of it there's nothing really wrong with the brakes as they are. Mike.

We might appear weird to you, but we do mostly live in the real world and deal with real life as it is today. If you didn't get that rather poor and well hackneyed "joke" then I have to ask the question, how out of touch are you?

1. Don't buy that heap of crap. Even if in great nick, its rubbish from the start.
2. If you have bought it, stop worrying over mirror differences between it and other cars and just drive it. If concerned get the brakes checked over, but I strongly suspect nowt is wrong and you will be wasting your money. All cars are different, even one's of the same year and model and you soon get used to the pedal differences.

I presume by your name (if it's not an alias) that you must be somewhere in your seventies, so judging by your previous dismissal of all of us "weird mob", I don't expect much understanding or meeting of minds from you. Some old folks are bright, knowledgeable, intelligent and have learnt about this world, others get to that age just as naive as when they were 17, but still expect some kind of universal respect bestowed upon then solely based on their age. Ridiculous as respect can only be earned; it's not a right. We have tired to help you with our knowledge and experience and point you in the right direction, but you respond by dising the whole group !!!

Paul J

At least most old folk know how to spell. ;-)

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Alf. saying something like:

It's possible the pads and shoes are glazed through low use. Either take it out for an Italian Tune-up or strip and clean/replace friction surfaces yourself. Quite likely though, it's just that you're not used to it and will do so quite quickly, simply using a little bit more foot pressure than you do now.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Alf saying something like:

Me, who's asking?