Brake pedal weirdness

[Youstolemyname]

Missus was complaining about her brakes being a bit iffy so i took it for a spin and sure enough they are. But something strange is going on....

When I press them with my right foot, there is a lot of travel in the pedal...very little braking and a lot of 'sponginess'

When I press them with my left foot, there is very little travel in the pedal...LOTS of braking and zero sponginess.

Anyone know what could be causing this as I am at a loss...

 

[Lopéz]

Your left foot has less sensitivity because it's used to just jabbing the clutch down. Everyone's the same

 

[Youstolemyname]

I thought that....but I did it while stationery.....there is only a few inches of travel while pressing with left before it 'fully locks' but with the right i can almost get the pedal to touch the floor

 

[L0rdMike]

I thought that....but I did it while stationery.....there is only a few inches of travel while pressing with left before it 'fully locks' but with the right i can almost get the pedal to touch the floor

The pedal doesnt change cause it knows what foot you are using.

 

[Phate]

I've done it, used my left foot and locked my own damn wheels up when using the wrong foot.

 

[shimy182]

its loose, take the plastic cap thing off with a screw driver and get a socket wrench and tighten it as hard as you can. they come loose relatively easily, if that's not that case, its a bit odd but ball bearings may be starting to rust

 

[Youstolemyname]

its loose, take the plastic cap thing off with a screw driver and get a socket wrench and tighten it as hard as you can. they come loose relatively easily, if that's not that case, its a bit odd but ball bearings may be starting to rust

Which plastic cap? The brake pedal cover?

 

[shimy182]

Which plastic cap? The brake pedal cover?

ok sorry didnt read, for some reason i was thinking of a bicycle mixed with a motorcycle
please don't ask..

but anyway does the pedal twist when you force turn it with your hands?

 

[Firegod]

Hmm I'm guessing your missus wasn't trying with her left foot, so if they seem iffy have you checked the brake fluid and pads?

 

[Entai]

How long do you leave it before pressing the pedal with your left foot, after pressing with your right foot?

If you press with your right foot then give it five mins before pressing with your left foot I would guess the pedal will feel spongy with both feet, obviously less so with your left foot as it is less sensitive as has been said, but pedal movement will be very similar.

Another problem maybe the pistons in the calipers seizing very slightly, so on the first application the pistons need to move the pads a relatively long way to meet the discs, but on the second application (again if you do it pretty quickly after the first) the pads have not had time to move fully away from the disc so the pedal feels stronger with less movement.

 

[Youstolemyname]

Hmm I'm guessing your missus wasn't trying with her left foot, so if they seem iffy have you checked the brake fluid and pads?

Brake fluid is fine, it had new pads on front last november and new pads on rear last month.

Gonna take it in to the garage on sat.

 

[dalin80]

first time i tried left foot braking i nearly headbutted the windscreen.

when was the last time the brake fluid was changed? check the level its either water in the fluid (brake fluid is hydroscopic it will literally suck water out of the air and go soft) or a cylinder/piston is leaking a bit.

a couple of years back i had the chance to drive a fire engine expecting it to be like any other HGV + a few tonnes of water i drove carefully, come up to the first junction and gently on the brakes. too this day i think i still have whiplash. the damn thing just stopped dead my squishy bits didn't. ouch.

 

[Defcon5]

I once used my left foot coming of the 62, was my first experience of ABS in action, much to the delight of the driver behind me