Brake Problems After Hitting Curb?

WellKiiid?? · 07-02-2014 10:51pm #1

My mother hit the curb this evening! She hit it from the side not head on! It damaged the rim of the wheel but its not flat! The wheel in question is the front left.

Anyway when driving it now, the brakes have to be pressed down really far. they are working, but not like they used to be working!

I was wondering if the impact from the crash could have air locked the brakes?

Or does anyone think they know what else could be wrong?

Iv checked around the calipers and there doesnt seem to be any brake fluid leaking?

The car is an opel corsa 1999!

Has anyone had this experience before?

johnayo · 08-02-2014 1:20am

You need to jack it up and remove the wheel. Have a good look at the brake disc and the calipers for damage. Also check for excessive play in the hub bearing.

Noccy_Mondy · 08-02-2014 1:23am

Could have warped the brake disc. As said, by taking off the wheel and having a gawk you should find the culprit.

Greyfoot · 08-02-2014 12:50pm

Probably brake hose or a joint got a hit as well, you might well leak oil , it will get worse, get it checked asap. Probably steering and suspension parts needs checked as well.

dharn · 08-02-2014 12:53pm

Sounds like it should not be driven, I think brakes are split diagonally so that drake is probably not working at all, the car is dangerous to drive

slimjimmc · 08-02-2014 1:44pm

The sponginess may be caused by a damaged brake hose which is now bulging when under pressure.
Check the brake fluid level is correct when on a level surface.

burke027 · 08-02-2014 1:58pm

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Could have warped the brake disc. As said, by taking off the wheel and having a gawk you should find the culprit.

Fail to see how hitting a Kurb would warp a disc to be honest. You do know what causes. Warping of discs yea

slimjimmc · 08-02-2014 6:08pm

burke027 wrote: »

Fail to see how hitting a Kurb would warp a disc to be honest. You do know what causes. Warping of discs yea

I too can't see how an impact with a kerb would cause warping. I believe overheating is the main cause, and anyway a warped disc wouldn't cause the further brake pedal effort that the OP is experiencing. There's something else wrong with the brake system and the car should be parked up until the problem is found and fixed.

Noccy_Mondy · 08-02-2014 11:36pm

burke027 wrote: »

Fail to see how hitting a Kurb would warp a disc to be honest. You do know what causes. Warping of discs yea

Yes I'm aware that harsh and sudden breaking regularly can frig them up. Okay I was just trying to act like I knew what I was on about. You got me :pac:

WellKiiid?? · 09-02-2014 10:27am

Thanks for the replies!! I had a look at the brake pads and there is only about 3mm left until it hits the metal? But i cant see how the sponginess would come all of a sudden because of this?? Could the impact have pushed the piston back into the housing and inturn pushed the brake fluid back into the reservoir? This may mean that the piston isnt coming out as far as it should??

I have been looking around the car and there doesnt seem to be any leaks while pumping the brakes!!

I also opened the little nipple on the brake caliper and there was brake fluid coming out without pressing the brakes!!

CJhaughey · 09-02-2014 12:02pm

WellKiiid?? wrote: »

Thanks for the replies!! I had a look at the brake pads and there is only about 3mm left until it hits the metal? But i cant see how the sponginess would come all of a sudden because of this?? Could the impact have pushed the piston back into the housing and inturn pushed the brake fluid back into the reservoir? This may mean that the piston isnt coming out as far as it should??

I have been looking around the car and there doesnt seem to be any leaks while pumping the brakes!!

I also opened the little nipple on the brake caliper and there was brake fluid coming out without pressing the brakes!!

Honestly, given your lack of mechanical knowledge and given that brakes are a critical safety item, please take them to be professionally checked.
Peoples lives could be at risk from this fault.
Its too difficult to try and identify crash damage without seeing it.

slimjimmc · 09-02-2014 1:50pm

CJhaughey wrote: »

Honestly, given your lack of mechanical knowledge and given that brakes are a critical safety item, please take them to be professionally checked.
Peoples lives could be at risk from this fault.
Its too difficult to try and identify crash damage without seeing it.

+100

WellKiiid?? wrote: »

I also opened the little nipple on the brake caliper and there was brake fluid coming out without pressing the brakes!!

Well if there wasn't air in the system beforehand there probably is now !

OP, leave the car parked until you can get a mechanic to inspect it. You car has a defect with the brakes which may deem it unworthy/unsafe to be on the road.

burke027 · 10-02-2014 11:00am

WellKiiid?? wrote: »

Thanks for the replies!! I had a look at the brake pads and there is only about 3mm left until it hits the metal? But i cant see how the sponginess would come all of a sudden because of this?? Could the impact have pushed the piston back into the housing and inturn pushed the brake fluid back into the reservoir? This may mean that the piston isnt coming out as far as it should??

I have been looking around the car and there doesnt seem to be any leaks while pumping the brakes!!

I also opened the little nipple on the brake caliper and there was brake fluid coming out without pressing the brakes!!

I can't be leave u just opened the nipple. If u haven't a clue what ur doing why would u do that. I see cars that people try sort themselves everyday in our place the latest was the brake flexi pipes on the front cable tied tightly to the shock. Oh dear god please leave if to the mechanics

WellKiiid?? · 10-02-2014 6:28pm

Found out the problem!! The back brake shoes were not tight at all!! The little screw for tightening or loosening them was back to the last! So im after tightening it and the brakes and handbrake are working fine now!! She said there was hardly any handbrake on the car at all!!

BTW its going in to be looked over by my uncle tomorrow!!

WellKiiid?? · 10-02-2014 6:31pm

burke027 wrote: »

I can't be leave u just opened the nipple. If u haven't a clue what ur doing why would u do that. I see cars that people try sort themselves everyday in our place the latest was the brake flexi pipes on the front cable tied tightly to the shock. Oh dear god please leave if to the mechanics

Well i worked with my uncle when i was 13 for about 4 summers so i would have a good knowledge of how to fix cars!! Although im not an expert!

And maybe opening the bleed screw was silly as air would have got in!! I didnt open it fully just barely cracked it untill a small bit of fluid leaked out!!

dharn · 10-02-2014 6:32pm

Has that yoke ever seen the inside of an nct test center :eek:

mickdw · 10-02-2014 6:35pm

But from the first post, you gave the impression that there was a major change in brake performance after the accident. So that was not the case at all?

WellKiiid?? · 10-02-2014 6:37pm

Yeah it has 8 more months nct!! I think the problem is that my uncle who usually fixes all our cars is on holidays so we had a neighbour do a back wheel bearing (The back driver side which had no handbrake) in this car last week and hes getting kinda old so maybe isnt up fixing cars anymore!! Maybe he loosened it by accident!!

WellKiiid?? · 10-02-2014 6:43pm

Personally i dont know if the brakes were good or bad before hitting the curb but my mother said that the brakes were not as good as they used to be!!
Maybe hitting the curb made her realise that the brakes are not good!! Shes getting to an age where shes not as quick and aware of things as she used to be!!

burke027 · 11-02-2014 8:08am

WellKiiid?? wrote: »

Personally i dont know if the brakes were good or bad before hitting the curb but my mother said that the brakes were not as good as they used to be!!
Maybe hitting the curb made her realise that the brakes are not good!! Shes getting to an age where shes not as quick and aware of things as she used to be!!

You do understand that adjusting the handbrake will have no effect on the brake pedal at all. And secondly doesn't matter if u opened the bleed nipple a tiny bit of all the way it's still the same outcome. U say u spent summers under the car well u must not of being taking in two much mechanics do a 4 year apprenticeship for a reason and even then they only start to learn there trade when they finish there 4 years. So do yourself a favor have a mechanic check the car over because what u say happend and got done doesn't really add up to what is actually wrong with the car.

slimjimmc · 11-02-2014 11:19am

WellKiiid?? wrote: »

Found out the problem!! The back brake shoes were not tight at all!! The little screw for tightening or loosening them was back to the last! So im after tightening it and the brakes and handbrake are working fine now!! She said there was hardly any handbrake on the car at all!!

BTW its going in to be looked over by my uncle tomorrow!!

I'm curious now. Where is this little screw, inside the rear brake drum or outside? Can you find it on this link : http://www.thecorsa.co.uk/mechanical-tutorials/113-how-replace-rear-brake-shoes.html

Perhaps there was too much clearance between the shoes and drum.
Is it possible that the adjuster strut wasn't set correctly since the bearing change and the auto-adjust wasn't not working to take up the slack.

WellKiiid?? · 11-02-2014 11:46pm

burke027 wrote: »

You do understand that adjusting the handbrake will have no effect on the brake pedal at all. And secondly doesn't matter if u opened the bleed nipple a tiny bit of all the way it's still the same outcome. U say u spent summers under the car well u must not of being taking in two much mechanics do a 4 year apprenticeship for a reason and even then they only start to learn there trade when they finish there 4 years. So do yourself a favor have a mechanic check the car over because what u say happend and got done doesn't really add up to what is actually wrong with the car.

Im not disrespecting your knowledge of cars but tightening/loosening this screw does have an effect on the brake pedal..... I loosened it and the problem was back again!! And why wouldnt it seen as there are brake fluid lines going into the rear drum brakes?

Its been looked over by a mechanic in the morning!

WellKiiid?? · 11-02-2014 11:50pm

slimjimmc wrote: »

I'm curious now. Where is this little screw, inside the rear brake drum or outside? Can you find it on this link : http://www.thecorsa.co.uk/mechanical-tutorials/113-how-replace-rear-brake-shoes.html

Perhaps there was too much clearance between the shoes and drum.
Is it possible that the adjuster strut wasn't set correctly since the bearing change and the auto-adjust wasn't not working to take up the slack.

Sorry if i said screw i meant nut!! Do you see that little star shapes nut thats under the pistons at around picture 8? The one that the automatic adjuster is supposed to be sitting on? Thats the nut that was loose!!

Greyfoot · 12-02-2014 6:20pm

burke027 wrote: »

You do understand that adjusting the handbrake will have no effect on the brake pedal at all. And secondly doesn't matter if u opened the bleed nipple a tiny bit of all the way it's still the same outcome. U say u spent summers under the car well u must not of being taking in two much mechanics do a 4 year apprenticeship for a reason and even then they only start to learn there trade when they finish there 4 years..

True that,, sometimes I wish I learnt it properly, the lots of after, before reading could have been saved from my part. Guess learning never stops eh?

Brake Problems After Hitting Curb?

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