Rear Brakes

[Tricky Dicky]

Anyone have any idea about how to best do the rear brakes as my off sidewheel caliper seems to have seized? or very hard to turn? as I found out at the MOT station today.
Any info about brakes on a Murena would be most appreciated
Richard

[macaroni]

I recently got this link from Roy. It tells you just about everything you will ever need to know about Murena rear brakes.

www.matraclub.org.uk/pdf/brakes.pdf

Enjoy!

[krede]

Thanks for sharing!! this in a very helpful article!!  The rear brakes has a reputation for being a real pain in the ar**!!
If you have any similar links regarding murena maintenance, please by all means DO spill the beans !

[Tricky Dicky]

Link copied and will shortly be read with interest. Thank you for your prompt reply Anthony.
Richard

[davidewanprice]

How scary! ive just been looking at this after the garage i used fitted new pads but seemed to throw away the anti rattle springs, thus meanins my car sounds like its about to impload!

[roy4matra]

How scary! ive just been looking at this after the garage i used fitted new pads but seemed to throw away the anti rattle springs, thus meanins my car sounds like its about to impload!

Sounds like another bodge job by mechanics that don't even understand the mechanics of the things they work on!  I can never understand why this country doesn't have a law prohibiting people working on safety things like brakes unless they have a proper qualification certificate.  And I don't mean a normal mechanics training course many of which are pathetic.  You wouldn't expect an unqualified person working on say an aircraft would you?  So why are incompetant people allowed to work on vehicles?!  Sorry for the rant, but this always annoys me.

Regarding the calipers. I have special tools that allow separating the corroded together caliper housing and frame without damage.  I have seen so many damaged beyond repair.  Since I am now working for myself, if you want calipers overhauled properly please contact me directly.  Properly overhauled rear calipers should remain free for ten years without further major work if they are in good condition to start with.  I have done many and can state this for a fact with satisfied customers to back it up.

Roy

[LarsB]

Not to sound ignorant, but why would you want to separeate the housing from the frame?

I can only think of one reason (If the aluminium housing is no longer round ),  and hopefully I am one of the few it affects. 

Lars

[Anders Dinsen]

I can only think of one reason (If the aluminium housing is no longer round ),  and hopefully I am one of the few it affects. 

AFAIK this is not uncommon, unfortunately.

I have rear calipers done by Roy, and I'm one of the satisfied customers...!

[roy4matra]

Not to sound ignorant, but why would you want to separeate the housing from the frame?

I can only think of one reason (If the aluminium housing is no longer round ),  and hopefully I am one of the few it affects. 

Lars

No, it is the most common problem Lars.  You get corrosion build up between the aluminium housing and steel frame, and the aluminium being softer is squeezed oval.  This is why the rear brakes stick.  It has to be removed so the alloy can regain its round shape - and it will regain it very quickly after being separated.  Only then can you rebuild the caliper properly.  It is all explained in my brake booklet with photos.  The URL was given by macaroni.

Roy

[krede]

I can never understand why this country doesn't have a law prohibiting people working on safety things like brakes unless they have a proper qualification certificate

Yes.. we have had this discussion at work as well..
In Denmark you need to have a license to do electrical installations in houses.. you need a licence to do plumbing and so on..
But anybody is allowed to attempt brake repair on a 27 ton truck , without any qualifications what so ever!!

[LarsB]

Well then it seams like I will have to give it a try. My first tought was that somone had previously clamped the aluminum housing to hard.

Thanks to your article I might get my calipers back to decent working condition 

Lars

[roy4matra]

Well then it seams like I will have to give it a try. My first tought was that somone had previously clamped the aluminum housing to hard.

Thanks to your article I might get my calipers back to decent working condition 

Lars

Hope it works out Lars.  I wrote that booklet many years ago after being asked many times how to sort out bad rear brakes, and I even gave demonstrations at our classic car show.  I've had a quick read through again in case there was anything I might have missed or could do with updating, but I don't see anything amiss.  If anyone has any questions, please ask.

I will give you all this additional tip.  Once the housing is out, cleaned and has regained its round shape, try this.  With no seal fitted the piston should fit easily in the bore.  Push the clean dry piston in the clean dry bore with no seal until it engages on the screw of the centre pin.  Now give it a quick rotational flick and it should spin down the thread on its own.  If it cannot do this, something is not right.  Once you can achieve this you know the bore is round and the piston fit is correct.  Now once the seal is fitted, and the piston is tight, you'll still know it will work as it should.

Roy

[roy4matra]

I can never understand why this country doesn't have a law prohibiting people working on safety things like brakes unless they have a proper qualification certificate

Yes.. we have had this discussion at work as well..
In Denmark you need to have a license to do electrical installations in houses.. you need a licence to do plumbing and so on..
But anybody is allowed to attempt brake repair on a 27 ton truck , without any qualifications what so ever!!

My sentiments exactly Krede.

Roy