Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Pete1968 on 07 June 2008, 18:53:07

Title: front brakes
Post by: Pete1968 on 07 June 2008, 18:53:07
Well I dived straight in this morning and changed the pads and discs on the front of my Omega. Very easy job, all done inside 90 minutes.

Well, it was until I looked on here and just saw a post about the pads and now I have a nasty feeling they are on the wrong way round.  Oops.  

When I was merrily creating havoc with the sockets I did loosen the flexible hose connection to the caliper, but only a very small amount came out and I closed it off literally immediately, so I don't think any air got in.  Only thing is i did expect the pedal to be a bit harder than it is.  It's really little different than before, a bit mushy really (I'm used to much harder pedals) so I suppose I'm asking if this is normal.

I've only driven her about a mile and did a good few stamps and gentle pull-ups, and it stops fine.  I expect when they bed in a bit the stopping distances will improve.  And of course if I have got the pads in the wrong way round then they'll be even better tomorrow! ;)

The other point I'll mention  is that I didn't use any Loctite Blue on the frame for the caliper.  At the time my reasoning was that they'll be off again pretty soon anyway for new bearings, but the short drive showed the noise and wander on the front has disappeared, so the discs must have been really playing up.  Actually, the old ones really were awful, and I had seriously got my money's worth out of the pads, so I shouldn't be too surprised.

So my second question for the weekend is that I will definitely get them off and put some Loctitie on, but shall I do it tomorrow or is it okay for a couple of weeks?  Everything is bolted up to the correct settings so it's all nice and secure, and as the bolts don't rotate then I take it the Loctite is there for a 'belts and braces' sort of reason.


Hope you all had a good weekend by the way!
Title: Re: front brakes
Post by: TheBoy on 07 June 2008, 19:14:57
Usually the reminients of the old loctite holds (though you should change the bolt), but as its brakes, I would apply some soon anyway.
Title: Re: front brakes
Post by: ffcgary1 on 08 June 2008, 00:14:29
Bleed the brakes mate as air wll have got into the fluid.  Brakes should be firm.
Title: Re: front brakes
Post by: TheBoy on 08 June 2008, 09:28:47
Quote
Bleed the brakes mate as air wll have got into the fluid.  Brakes should be firm.
Omega ones are more progressive. If you've had crap like Ford Focus - which really does have a hairline trigger on brakes (and often no ABS either) - the Omega ones do feel softer.
Title: Re: front brakes
Post by: Pete1968 on 08 June 2008, 15:54:40
I bled the offending caliper earlier and it's a little bit firmer so a tiny bit of air must have got in.  The brakes bite fine really, I think it's more me being used to a hard pedal.  Thinking about it I've always found the anchors on a lot of autos to be a squishier than a manual so as long as they pull up true and progressively then I won't go hunting for something that ain't there.

Checked the pads while I was at it.  No arrows or different backings on them so I left them as is.   Put it all back to gether and then remembered I still haven't put fresh Loctite on the caliper frame bolts, so it will be back up in the air in 2 weeks' time.