NCT results: Imbalanced brakes - what will need to be fixed?

codyreo

Hi,

I had my NCT last week and my car failed because my brakes were imbalanced and the hand brake lever travel was excessive.

I am looking to find out from anyone who can help what this means i have to get a garage to do. I want to have some sort of knowledge of what needs doing in case they try and tell me i need more stuff done than is necessary. Its a old car and i don't want to spend over the odds to get it fixed because i might just get a new second hand one if it will be too expensive to fix. However would still love to be able to get it fixed as its a great little car (apart from the lack of working brakes )

Any help would be greatly appreciated, details on the NCT report are below.

Thanks in advance!


Front Axle:
Brake effort, Ovality
Nearside: 1.62kN, 15%
Offside: 1.88kN, 10%

Imbalance: 14%

Rear Axle:
Nearside:0.64kN, 29%
Offside:0.84kN, 24%

Imbalance: 24% (fail/refusal beside this even though fail % is >30, not sure why)

Parking-Brake:
Nearside:0.11kN
Offside:0.23kN

Imbalance: 91% (fail/refusal - highlighted)

Brake Performance
Brake Effort: 54% (<55% is a fail)
Parking: 15% (<16% is a fail)

Lever travel is 11 clicks when it should be operational at 7

anon11

You need to get your rear brake shoes/pads checked and also wheel cylinders. Probably best get new shoes and cylinders fitted and adjusted:)

codyreo

Thanks for your reply anon11.

Looks like pads and shoes aren't that expensive which is good.
Anyone have any idea what cyclinders are? Its a 95 renault clio if thats any help. I've had a look and looks to be arounf the 150 mark fitted?

Is the handbrake problem simply a case of getting the handbrake cable tightened/replaces, or could it be something more costly?

thanks!

sundodger5

when you get the shoes and maybe the cylinders done the handbrake problem should be fixed as well.
the handbrake works on the brake shoes so fixing one will fix the other.