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[henryd]

when I bought mine it had not been used for 3-4 months and the brakes were bloody useless,after freeing seized front caliper slides and new pads all round and a fluid change pedal is much firmer and it will stop so yours will probably need similar attention

[Omegatoy]

sorry guys and girls but it aint air in my experience!! after standing for a year you can bet on of the pistons is sticky and this is causing the spongy pedal, what happens is you use the pedal after a long layoff, and th piston comes out ok but is to corroded to go back in properly!! so next time you use the pedal it sems spongy as the fluid has nothing to push cos the piston is already out!! fix is easy just remove wheels and work the pistons in and out a few times after cleaning them with something like plusgas or wd40 before you push them back in!!

With any car that has been left unused for a year, with now spongy brakes, should have a thorough brake system inspection and overhaul, to lubricate, free up, and adjust, with new brake fluid installed.  With brakes take no risks; it is not worth it, and worth giving the system a thorough overhaul.

totallly agree with ya Liz,I would do the same, but this is just a quick fix for his pedal prob, 

[Lizzie_Zoom]

sorry guys and girls but it aint air in my experience!! after standing for a year you can bet on of the pistons is sticky and this is causing the spongy pedal, what happens is you use the pedal after a long layoff, and th piston comes out ok but is to corroded to go back in properly!! so next time you use the pedal it sems spongy as the fluid has nothing to push cos the piston is already out!! fix is easy just remove wheels and work the pistons in and out a few times after cleaning them with something like plusgas or wd40 before you push them back in!!

With any car that has been left unused for a year, with now spongy brakes, should have a thorough brake system inspection and overhaul, to lubricate, free up, and adjust, with new brake fluid installed.  With brakes take no risks; it is not worth it, and worth giving the system a thorough overhaul.

totallly agree with ya Liz,I would do the same, but this is just a quick fix for his pedal prob, 

I understand the motive, but with brakes there is no such thing as a "quick fix" in my opinion Omegatoy.  Other things on a car, maybe, but NEVER brakes.

[osealy]

I wonder will they work ok once the rust is worn off?

[cem_devecioglu]

pistons if rusted badly needs change and the rubbers too..

[dad1uk]

When you say spongy, do you mean the pedal goes down a fair way but improves on pumping the pedal, or that the braking efficiency feels poor?

[osealy]

When you say spongy, do you mean the pedal goes down a fair way but improves on pumping the pedal, or that the braking efficiency feels poor?

The latter, efficiency is poor, pedal does not go down?

[Entwood]

When you say spongy, do you mean the pedal goes down a fair way but improves on pumping the pedal, or that the braking efficiency feels poor?

The latter, efficiency is poor, pedal does not go down?

More than likely a siezed piston in the caliper then, or more than one ...

The piston don't move, so the fluid can't move, so the pedal don't move. The piston don't move so the pad is not pushed against the disc so the brakes don't work.

As most braking on these cars is done by the front brakes, and they are pretty easy to work on .. I'd start by stripping them down, cleaning them up and checking the pistons for corrosion.

HTH

[osealy]

All four discs are starting to (polish) up and the brakes don't bind so I'm beginning to think that pitted discs just don't work well and the more the brakes are used the better they'll get.

[MickAP]

Just to put my tuppence worth in.
I suggested my brake fluid needs changing, as I have the same problem, not spongey but not really as effective as they used to be. I've had new discs and pads up front last year, and the rears stripped and cleaned around 18 months ago.
Now this problem has developed ever since I stopped using the TD on a regular basis, in other words it's laid up for up to 2 weeks at a time.
Talking to a well trusted member of the forum yesterday he suggested before I go ahead and change the fluid, check the caliper pistons first, they may be sticking. Give every thing a clean and see how you go.

No harm in then doing the fluid as well.
So this is what I'm going to do first

Mick