Brake disc & fluid, which is best done first?

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Major Eazy

Major Eazy

Active Member
Posts
142
Location
Worcestershire
2005 Freelander TD4. But this posting is really about brakes, so figure to post in General Forum.

Bought EBC discs and pads online. Had local tyre and brake garage to replace them. Drove and found brakes to feel soft. Reported this to them, they test drive and confirmed it. One of their guys advised the following problems.

1. Need to bleed the brakes.
2. Brake fluid needs to be changed as it is dirty.
3. Paint on the new disc needs to be worn off, suggest driving for few days, or 100 miles let it wear off.

I had taken car back to garage, they bleed the brakes, told me that it also needs a fluid change but they're not equipped to do this, therefore I would need to book at another garage. However, the guy did say "Also the paint on the disc need to burn off first."

Now this got me wondering. What did he mean by "first"?

Should I drive for some miles, let the brakes burn off the paint from the discs before I have the fluid changed?

Or can I still have the brake fluid changed anyway, even if the paint on the discs still needs more time to be scrapped off?

What would be the best thing to do?
 
Major Eazy said:
2005 Freelander TD4. But this posting is really about brakes, so figure to post in General Forum.

Bought EBC discs and pads online. Had local tyre and brake garage to replace them. Drove and found brakes to feel soft. Reported this to them, they test drive and confirmed it. One of their guys advised the following problems.

1. Need to bleed the brakes.
2. Brake fluid needs to be changed as it is dirty.
3. Paint on the new disc needs to be worn off, suggest driving for few days, or 100 miles let it wear off.

I had taken car back to garage, they bleed the brakes, told me that it also needs a fluid change but they're not equipped to do this, therefore I would need to book at another garage. However, the guy did say "Also the paint on the disc need to burn off first."

Now this got me wondering. What did he mean by "first"?

Should I drive for some miles, let the brakes burn off the paint from the discs before I have the fluid changed?

Or can I still have the brake fluid changed anyway, even if the paint on the discs still needs more time to be scrapped off?

What would be the best thing to do?
Click to expand...
Time to find another garage, they are just fobbing you off. If they can't change brake fluid then they aren't a garage as that is bread & butter stuff. Disks won't be painted, however they may have some form of coating to help the pads bed in. Bedding in the pads won't affect their ability to change the fluid, you my not get full brake effect until the pads are bedded but that is irrelevant when it comes to changing the fluid.
 
Major Eazy said:
2005 Freelander TD4. But this posting is really about brakes, so figure to post in General Forum.

Bought EBC discs and pads online. Had local tyre and brake garage to replace them. Drove and found brakes to feel soft. Reported this to them, they test drive and confirmed it. One of their guys advised the following problems.

1. Need to bleed the brakes.
2. Brake fluid needs to be changed as it is dirty.
3. Paint on the new disc needs to be worn off, suggest driving for few days, or 100 miles let it wear off.

I had taken car back to garage, they bleed the brakes, told me that it also needs a fluid change but they're not equipped to do this, therefore I would need to book at another garage. However, the guy did say "Also the paint on the disc need to burn off first."

Now this got me wondering. What did he mean by "first"?

Should I drive for some miles, let the brakes burn off the paint from the discs before I have the fluid changed?

Or can I still have the brake fluid changed anyway, even if the paint on the discs still needs more time to be scrapped off?

What would be the best thing to do?
Click to expand...
paint or any other preservative isnt anything to do with a soft pedal,its more likely they caused an issue forcing caliper pistons back to fit new pads,either pulled air in or damaged master cylinder seals, to change fluid alls thats needed is a pipe on bleed nipples in turn keep topping up the reservoir whilst pedals pumped till fluid runs clear simpler job,black fluid in the reservoir indicates master cylinder seals are poor,
 
brian47 said:
I would have thought that any reasonable mechanic would have cleaned any preservative off the surfaces of a new disc before fitting it.
Click to expand...

Absolutely!

I was having a real WTF moment with the "need to burn the paint off first" comment :confused:

Depending on exactly what the brake fluid looks like I would say that they are a tad incompetent as my local garage always offers you the opportunity to replace the fluid at a brake changing interval, they did the Pug this year and I was quite pleased with their work :) Not enough to let them tinker with my Rusty but the Pug they can play with LOL :rolleyes:
 
Sounds like an absolute load of bollox to me I'm afraid, and a garage that's "not equipped to change the brake fluid....".'kin ell, 2 bods (although I use the 1 man kits), bit of pipe, catch pot, spanner and some brake fluid should do it.

Should steer clear of that garage for sure.
 
I wonder if the garage thinks it's a new fangled car which needs a diagnostic tool to assist the process of changing the brake fluid by operating the abs pump
 
Reading between the lines there, they dont want the job.
I've had a few mc fail when or after doing fluid changes over the years. It's almost like the new fluid effects the seals.
I have started using a air vacuum blender and changing the fluid is a piece of ****
 
Your better doing it yourself at this time of year.
With Christmas on its way you can throw a couple of egg yokes in the old fluid and serve it to relatives. The Dutch have exported it for years.
 
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