Braking Efficiency

[sankysvr6 0]

Just had my G60 MOT'd recently, which has passed with no advisories. But they did comment that the braking efficiency was low, and has just passed. I got the same comment last year at a different garage that carried out the MOT test.

 

Not really thought much about it before, and just put it down to been an old car with old technology braking system. But after driving my new daily the brakes on the Corrado do feel poor in comparison.

 

So wanted to know, if others could post up there brake efficiency results. Just to find out if there is really an issue with braking system.

 

My results bellow

 

Limit My Result

50% 56% Service brake (i.e. foot brake)

16% 18% Parking brake

[jjgti 10]

[jjgti 10]

So you just passed. Aslong as your brakes lock in the roller brake tester it's a pass even if the efficiency is below pass mark

[dr_mat 0]

The old VW handbrakes were ****e. My VR6 has had numbers like this on the mot for a decade and there's no way to make it better..

[fendervg 30]

Yep. That's about par for a late 80s generation car. The foot brake efficiency is a little low and it might be worth changing the fluid and giving it a good pressure bleed. Should be done every couple of years anyways. I've had an Audi Coupe Quattro, MkII, Polo and the VR and there is no way you will get the standard brakes up to the level of modern cars. You just compensate for it when driving.

[Will.I.Dub 11]

Fitting braided flexible lines makes a huge difference to the feel of the brakes, I don't know if it actually increases efficiency

[fendervg 30]

Well, IMHO all types of brake lines need to be inspected regularly. The standard ones are rubber, and will age and expand under pressure and should really be replaced every 3-5 years. The braided ones add some strength by having metal braid around the rubber. So you will probably just have replaced old worn ones with new ones in any case, and will also have bled the system - so that will improve the feel on two counts. Note that the braided ones can still perish underneath the braid and are actually harder to inspect then. A lot of older cars will not have had these items replaced in a while so it's a good precaution to take.

[dr_mat 0]

Improved brake lines is about improving the braking feel, it's not going to improve efficiency. You can only do that with bigger disks/pads/callipers.