NCT failure on rear brake imbalance

blastman · 12-10-2012 12:55pm #1

So the car failed on a couple of things to do with the rear brakes i.e. rear axle brake effort imbalance and parking brake imbalance were above the permitted levels. Is this a difficult thing to get fixed (and by difficult I mean expensive). There was also excessive travel in the handbrake lever, so what the effect of adjusting this be, is it likely to help the imbalance issue or make it worse?

Neil_Sedaka · 12-10-2012 12:57pm

Sorry to hear that.
What type of car and has it discs or drums at the rear?

bladespin · 12-10-2012 1:00pm

Could be something as simple as the handbrake cable needs replacing (depends on the car too), this would definately affect the parking brake balance, lots of other little things can contribute to put the imbalance over the limit, pads, disk/drum, caliper etc. etc.

blastman · 12-10-2012 1:54pm

It's a Honda CRX, has discs on the back. The pads have been on it a while now, but he didn't say anything about them being worn, although I've not had a look yet myself.

djimi · 12-10-2012 3:11pm

I failed three tests on the rear brake imbalance on my car (Integra Type R). Replaced and checked pretty much every part of the brake system; eventually we got it through the test with the imbalance on the absolute limit (30% I think it was). The guy I bring my car to is regarded as one of the best around and was completely stumped!

Sorry, I know that this doesnt help much, but it could prove to be a tricky one.

Thatnastyboy · 12-10-2012 7:15pm

At a guess I'd say you may have a siezed caliper,

Easiest option is get one from a breaker, I can only presume eg civics with discs on the rear (sir) would have the same caliper, easy find id imagine with the amount of them advertised for breaking.

And/Or poor brake lines, some braided hoses would be very easily & cheaply acquired online, tighten up the brakes no end

nct tester · 13-10-2012 8:06pm

hondas of the older variety (pre 00 mainly) give a lot of trouble with seized brake callipers. they are expensive enough from a motor factors too.

Nissan doctor · 14-10-2012 12:16pm

If you failed on both the service brake and parking brake imbalance on the same side then its going to be a seized caliper or badly corroded sliders/pad seats.

@djimi, in your case, if pads, disks, calipers etc etc were all found to be perfect but an imbalance was still present then the next most obvious issue is a fluid pressure issue from the master cylinder.
This is very often the case if a car has a lower reading on the opposite front wheel to the rear wheel with the issue, even if the front is within tolerance.

NCT failure on rear brake imbalance

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