Brake Pedal Travel

[Gibbo GTI 0]

My car left the Peugeot factory as a 1.6 GTI but i've since fitted 1.9 GTI front brakes and i'm in the process of rebuilding the rear beam with the 1.9 brake setup. I've always found the pedal travel to be pretty long, even with the system properly bled. I was thinking whilst the brakes are disconnected it would be a good idea to replace the master cylinder to either the 1.9 or the non ABS 406 one as after 18 years, the seals inside must be on there way out. Would the 406 M/C be too much for the 1.9 brake setup? How much pedal travel is there with a 1.9 M/C?

[mickie 3]

if the seals where on there way out, you'd either have no brakes or the brakes might lock on..

 

i dont think it would give you a longer brake travel..have you tried fitting new pads and discs all round and tryed again with the brake pedal

Edited September 2, 2010 by mickie

[Gibbo GTI 0]

if the seals where on there way out, you'd either have no brakes or the brakes might lock on..

 

i dont think it would give you a longer brake travel..have you tried fitting new pads and discs all round and tryed again with the brake pedal

 

 

Yeah, tried all that and fitted new braided hoses.

[Cameron 16]

You shouldn't have to upgrade the master cylinder until you're using callipers with really big pistons, I'm still using the 1.6 mc with Lotus 2-pots and GTi6 rear discs and the pedal travel is quite nice and short.

[Gibbo GTI 0]

Thanks for the replies. Maybe mine is just worn and needs a standard replacement as there is a spongy pedal after conventional bleeding and pressure bleeding.

[oonip 4]

pedal travel shouldnt be affected a worn M/C unless it's leaking everytime you press the pedal, which you would notice. It works, or doesnt. I find my pedal to be pretty spongey compared to some more modern cars.

 

Is it spongey compered to how you remember it originally, or has it always been like it? i.e - your looking for a solid pedal that you will never find with changing the system entirely.

 

If its that bad and theres definately no air in system, could it be servo setting?

[Anthony 1,002]

If it's definitely bled through properly and you are still running a 1.6 beam then it's probably the self-adjusters that aren't working properly.

 

As above, if you replace the MC, just get a standard 20.6mm GTi one - running a larger 23mm 406 one with standard brakes gives you a very short, sharp pedal that's not particularly easy to modulate and which I didn't like one bit on the car I drove with that setup.

[Gibbo GTI 0]

Cheers Anthony, definately bled thoroughly. Will get the 1.9 GTI M/C

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

I concur with whath Anthony said, a 406 M/C is rubbish with the standard calipers, just makes the brakes pedal wooden and solid with less assistance.

 

You need to work out if it's just pedal travel with a gap not doing much or are the brakes grabbing as soon as it's moved but then progressively bite more? If you have the car rolling slowly in neutral then press very lightly the first movement of the pedal should stop the car positively.

 

There is however some dead play in the brake pedal, if you take this out it greatly enhances pedal "feel" but you run the risk of brakes biding if you don't get it right. I did this on mine using a spacer as part of the pedal switch IIRC. The proper way of course is to adjust the rod to the M/C!