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poor brakes

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I tried a search but found nothing, the braking on my 89 cabby gti is really bad, pedal goes quiet far down, is this normal for this car? it's a white knuckle ride whenever we go out.🤪

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Are you loosing fluid?

Have the brake pads and shoes been replaced?
Have you bleed the brakes?
Is the free-play set to spec?

If the rears are out of adjustment (very unlikely) due to the design, I have seen the rear adjustment slides spring brake….

I have also seen where master Cylinder leak at the piston and pressure is lost as the fluid can leak out of the master and in to the booster….

So more accurate description is needed as your post is indicative to a system that needs some work, rather than an issue.

Also a Vacuum leak to the booster will negate the power from the booster and return you to Manual Brakes….which are sluggish.

If you pump the Brakes (power off) can you build and maintain pressure or does the pedal sink?  This is more indicative of a air issue and bleeding should be the first step in diagnosis.

On a New to me CAR, I replace every braking component on the car, that is MC, Rear Wheel Cyl, rebuild the Calipers, pads, rotors and shoes, then a complete flush of the brake lines and a good Bleed….  That way I know that all is well….



 

What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?

They all start with GOOD Grounds.

Where are my DIY Links?

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When was the brake fluid last changed?

1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.

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ok thanks, might just be new car as I got a golf r what has awesome brakes, but there is alot of pedal travel in mk1 and losing no fluid, tried to soak front bleed nipples in pj blaster but still can't move them, I went for a short drive and brakes quiet alot felt front discs  and were not very hot. think should start with a set of black diamond discs and pads.

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brake fluid was changed  last week to the rears but can't undo front nipples, they will snap.

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ok thanks, might just be new car as I got a golf r what has awesome brakes, but there is alot of pedal travel in mk1 and losing no fluid, tried to soak front bleed nipples in pj blaster but still can't move them, I went for a short drive and brakes quiet alot felt front discs  and were not very hot. think should start with a set of black diamond discs and pads.

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Well Soak the insides, and the out side of the nipples with PB-Blaster, and or your favorite penetrating oil, not WD-40…. Let it work for a few days, respray them daily.

Tap them with a wrench, or carefully use heat…
Only use a Brake Line Spanner, or a Pair of Vice-Grips low on the nipple and tap it with a hammer (tap not smack). Once you get them loose, either replace them or remove and clean them.  Wrap with Teflon tape on the Threads to the end, poke the bleeder port….(prevents this from happening again).

I would suspect that you have air in the Calipers…that the previous owners couldn't get the bleeders loose to bleed.  

If they still wont come out, (left-handed Drill bits and a reversible drill usually work) or you may have to buy rebuilts, but remember to remove the bleeder screw and wrap it with Teflon tape.


What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?

They all start with GOOD Grounds.

Where are my DIY Links?

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ok , cheers will try that tomorrow.

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Remove rear drums and check the slave cylinders aren't seized or leaking fuild on the shoes and that everything is free to move.

Also the rears are supposed to be self adjusting but rarely are. The pedal moves miles just taking up the slack, with the drum back on use a pointy screw driver to pull down the self adjuster to remove all the free play/slack.

 

1983 Mars Red 1.8 Golf GTI
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet

The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.

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thanks will check that too.

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adjusted rears and better, fluid was changed a short while ago, going to pud black diamond discs and pads with new calipers.
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