[AAMI]

Hello,

I wonder if anybody has encountered the following problem with JCW breaks.

I have a MCS since the beginning of October 2005, equipped since the start with JCW engine kit, breaks and suspension.

The breaks on the car were very hard, the pedal had a short course, and the breaks were reacting to the slightest pressure on the pedal (no elasticity at all). The performance of the breaks was significantly higher for instance than the regular breaks on the MCS that I tested before buying mine.

Now the car has 8,200 km and since approx. 4-5 weeks I noticed a big lack of performance of the breaks: pedal very low, elastic, breaks not responding immediately to the pressure in the pedal, longer breaking distance, definitely less sportive sensation and the ABS starts to function earlier in the breaking than before.

I returned with the car to the garage and after a cleaning of the breaking circuit, disks and pads, there was no improvement in the performance of the breaks and what's worse, I did not manage to receive a clear answer in relation to the potential problem and neither in relation to how the JCW breaks evolve under regular/sportive use.

I went then with the car to another garage where the Mini rep. and the breaks specialist acknowledged that the pedal is unusually soft and low but appart from recommending to change the pads to see what happens with new ones (the old ones having only 8.200 km !), could not give me other indication of the issue either.


Did anybody encountered a similar issue with JCW breaks ?


Thank you !
AAMI

[Rakey]

the brakes of course are going to feel different with use, and the other think you need to consider is that your driving style and braking is also going to get accustomed to the feel of the improved braking

I thought the same about mine after a few weeks of using them, but I have the advantage of been able to drive the GF's Cooper, so took it out for a spin and boy then you can tell how the JCW brakes are still working and reacting compared to the standard set up

Doesn't sound to me like you have a problem, as they are still stopping you well with no fade, which is unlike a set of standard brakes, as you hit those and you keep moving and have to hit them again

[AAMI]

Thanks ! Indeed, the car stops right (it's not just a lack of pressure in the breaks) but the sensation in the break pedal which is not the same as before.

[Rakey]

Quote: Originally Posted by AAMI

Thanks ! Indeed, the car stops right (it's not just a lack of pressure in the breaks) but the sensation in the break pedal which is not the same as before.

yeah, mine were solid to press to start with, but as they bed in the pedal has gone to its normal elastic type of feel, so sounds like yours are the same and you don't have a problem

[bimini]

same here, but if the brakes are excessively spongy then its possible that there is air in the system or that the brake fluid has become contanimated...

do they harden if you pump the brakes?

[KiwiJCW]

Mine have a softish pedal feel with quite a bit of travel....feels like the pedal is right on the carpet but the brakes work brilliantly

[AAMI]

Quote: Originally Posted by bimini

do they harden if you pump the brakes?

Thanks. No, they don't harden...

[AAMI]

I had a chat with a brake specialist. His view is that it could come from the master cylinder.

Any thought ?

Many thanks.

[Mike Edwards]

A simple check:

With the engine off, press the brake pedal hard and keep the pressure on. If the pedal starts to move downwards after the initial press, the master cylinder is suspect.

[bimini]

also, check lines...a bulge in a brake line because its failing can make brakes feel spongy. They're normally only on the last section of the line before the lines join the wheel.

whats wierd though is the ABS kicking in earlier, which would suggest the brakes working harder...a spongy loss of braking power would make the abs kick in less or even not at all as the brakes lose the power to stop the wheel.