Front brakes not releasing

[2500-Dreamer]

I am happy to add more confusion here.
Two things come in mind when reading this.
I once had a blocked rubber brake hose. It worked like a one way valve. But it only showed at 1 front wheel. Not both.
And, a faulty brake servo was always 'on'. But for that the engine needed to be running.

[Forkie]

Went back out this evening, centered the car in garage manually, so i could jack BOTH front wheels up at the same time. Did that. This is what i got :
Step 1 - both front wheels off the floor. Checked for free movement - both wheels were 90 % free spinning. So that indicates to me that OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, if brakes are not used, the pressure to the pads subsides.
Step 2 - in to cab - foot down on brake pedal 3- 5 times - all this with a non running engine - all movements felt the same - from first to 4th/5th application.
Step 3 - check wheel freeness - now they have considerably tightened up. No longer free at all. Both sides.
Step 4 - undo Master Cylinder nuts. Initially so the face of the nuts are flush with end of the studs. Recheck wheel free movement - drive side a lot better. Pass side not quite so, but better than was.
Step 5 - Albut fully release M C nuts - now the MC does not want to move further forward - internal seal holding it back, but freewheeling front wheels still better than they were. Thats how its been left this evening.

[Forkie]

Got the whole family out there this evening turning wheels both ways etc. So after applying the brakes,engine still off, both front wheels off the ground - they tell me this - the offside front - drivers side - feels the same level of resitance, both ways. However the nearside front - pass side - turning rearwards is the same as drivers side - but turning forwards is harder . So - all seems even, re both front wheels, apart from the pass side, turning forwards....

[Forkie]

So i have a small update. Several weeks ago i answered an ad on a popular internet site from someone that breaks these cars. I thought if i can get hold of some 'good used' calipers, servo and M.C. , at least then i have parts to swap out just to try to chace it out. Several calls and texts over the following weeks led to these parts ( and some other hard to find bits) being very kindy delivered in person earlier today - no doubt many on here will know these lovely people - so we had the pleasure of meeting Peter Jackson and his lovely wife who drove all the way down in their camper to Cornwall - sorry about the weather guys....so nice to have a chat with likeminded souls. He had a good look around the car and soon determined that it is way underinsured - whoops - so the advice was change company ( after i announced some of my restrictions with the current provider) and perhaps more important - do not drive it on the highway any further without doing so !!!!! Regarding the brakes he is fairly adamant after doing a few basic tests that it will be the calipers at fault. So the plan is the next free day i have will be swapping ' the new' for the 'used' and see what i get. I feel indebted for the help , advice and the parts i received today from two genuinely interesting people who were such a pleasure to meet.

[Forkie]

Can anyone tell me if there is a link between the footbrake, and the handbrake, other than the obvious, re setting it all up.Depending on the answers i may get will detemine my reply.

[Alec]

Hello Forkie,

the only link I know is the one regarding the self adjusters on the MK 2 handbrake.
In practice the adjusters don't adjust very well and a common trick is to disconnect the handbrake cable at one wheel, stand on the footbrake which seems to do the trick.
Other than that I would say there is no connection between foot and hand brakes?

Alec

[Forkie]

Thank you for the reply Alec, that was most interesting as i have not heard of that ' common' practice I ask as i am still chasing my front brake issue ( yes really) . So i now have a pair of used calipers to try, but before i did that swap i wanted to attend to jobs at the rear - i.e. replace my already replaced handbrake boots and rear shock mounts, all of which have already perished. So to do the handbrake lever boots, obviously handbrake cables need to be removed. On doing that, i realised the handbrake set up was way too tight..
Short follow on - so now handbrake cables are released, when we started the car up a few evenings ago to shuffle it about in the garage, all of a sudden the car was 'free' , to ping pong it between two bricks - first time it has been that free WITHOUT removing front pads and forcing pistons home. It is not 100 % as yet ( i could go further but you would most likely get bored) but i feel maybe, i am getting somewhere. My only link here - hence the above question - if the handbrake was too tight - which it was - that would put the shoes on the drums? Would the shoes on the drums then allow the pistons to come out a tad in the cylinders, thus taking up any fluid void,in the system, enough to not allow the front pistons to fully retract? I may be talking complete nonsence again - all i know is i have an improovement on the fronts, since slackening off the handbrake cables.....

[Forkie]

So, a further update - it would appear, after all this time , that the fault regarding the non releasing front pads WAS due to the handbrake being too tight....yes many have disagreed with that - but since releasing the handbrake cables a week ago and resetting it, taking it out for our own RBRR of 10 miles ( Round Bodmin Reliability Run) , testing en route, testing back home - engine running / engine off, and each and every evening after - all she wants to do now is bounce back and run me over proper free, for the first time. A result?

[Charles H]

Hurrah! Perseverance has paid off.

[Forkie]

It would appear so....it was the only thing i believe that was never mentioned !!!!! I understand the reaction of a few - as in they do not get the link here....but as no other faults were found - dead end alley up every other avenue - but now free after slackening off the handbrake....
I now need to sort why she is still down on power !!!!!The joys of old cars. Keeps me in the garage though so cannot complain