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[ranger_blackhat]

fix one-mess another thing up -- that has to be my cadence!  now that I have the wheels moving freely and you may recall from my last post, i bled the brakes all the way around, I now find that the brake pedal depresses only an inch or two when i use it and the brakes are ultra sensitive.

how do I and what do I do to trace this issue down?

Marc

[charley fitch]

Are you sure that you are dealing with a Triumph here?  Just joking, but your problem is one that I do not believe that I have ever heard before.

The only remedy that I can think of is that you may have over tighened the adjustments on the brakes.  When you adjusted the brakes could you spin the wheels with very little or no drag from the brakes?  If you have much drag on the wheels when spun with the car off of the ground then the brakes should be adjusted back at least to where the wheels spin with very little if any drag.

What changes did you make in the brake system just lately?  New brakes or hoses, adjusted the emergency brake?  Knowing what you did recently can better give us an idea of what is causing the current problem.
Charley 

[TomMull]

Marc,
Charlie's right about the history. The main culprits for an unusually hard pedal (I think that's what you describe) are plugged a hose(s), bad master cylinder and frozen calipers. The overly sensitive part might point to the MC. Check to see if any wheels are dragging too.
Tom

[ranger_blackhat]

Charlie/Tom

you are great and I am planning to be back home this coming weekend for the new years eve celebration and expect to get some time with the ole girl (mean the car of course).   (1) I will go back around and make sure everything is rolling well but am sure that it is as I pushed her out and then back in the garage this past weekend or maybe 2 ago.  i reduced both adjusters on the front left wheel and then she rolled.   (2) know the e-brake is not engaged or stuck as she rolled freely.   (3) will also specifically inspect all the brake lines to be certain that something has not gone bad.

if not found by above I suspect the worse and something is not going well with the MC.  could there be anything else?

thanks guys...Marc

[TR3driver]

Is it possible you just aren't used to manual brakes?  2-3 inches sounds about right to me; and it should take only a little pressure to apply the brakes.

My suggestion would be to find a deserted area, where you can do a panic stop from 30-40 mph.  That will tell you if one wheel is trying to lock first; or if you have one or more wheels not doing their jobs.  If it pulls down straight and hard without locking a wheel, then there is nothing wrong at all.

[ranger_blackhat]

I had a TR3A for about a dozen years long ago and bet you are right i have lost my foot for the manual brakes, however they were not like this prior to my evacuating the brakes accidentally through a minor banjo bolt leak and now they are.  I hope to have the new clutch slave in this weekend and should then be able to drive again and do the checks as you suggest.

thanks