My recently acquired 1988 Polo Mk2 CL has brakes which do not inspire confidence. With discs on the front I expected better. 
Can anyone recommend possible issues and/or improvements. I am not keen to fit a servo, but maybe there are other easier solutions to get better stopping power.

On 10/03/2024 at 14:09, Charlie Rickard said:

My recently acquired 1988 Polo Mk2 CL has brakes which do not inspire confidence. With discs on the front I expected better. 
Can anyone recommend possible issues and/or improvements. I am not keen to fit a servo, but maybe there are other easier solutions to get better stopping power.

Try first some decent pads, should help with initial bite. Without a servo you're always going to need to press pretty hard to get any braking. Mine are the same in that respect, you have to press hard but they're actually not bad.

Thanks Ben - do you (or does anyone else) have a specific make/type of pad in mind for “decent pads”.

 

So, I bought a brake fluid tester for £2.49 from a dealer on eBay. It arrived quickly, well packaged, and it appeared to be a well-made piece of kit. First impressions – good.

I put the required AAA battery in it (not supplied with the device), and pressed the initiating button. The green LED lit up showing that the tester was ready. Still looking good.

Into the garage to take the cap off the brake fluid reservoir – not so good! It clearly had not been off for some time as it seemed to be welded in place (and access for my hand was not great). However, I did manage to loosen it with careful use of some grips.

Took the cap off the tester to expose the two metal probes, pressed the starter button, and dipped the probes into the fluid. The LED display went immediately to the top of the range (red) indicating the presence of moisture in the range 4 to 5%! OK, it looks like the brake fluid is overdue for a refresh, but first I need to test the device on other fluid samples to fully check its ability to detect moisture. I just happened to have some unused brake fluid left over from a few years ago, and some used brake fluid. I tested the used first – result about 2% moisture. Then the unused fluid – little or no moisture. The tester seems to be spot on, and well worth the cost of half a pint of beer.

My expectation was that such a cheap device (that had been made in China, shipped to the UK, advertised and sold by someone in the UK, who had to pay the cost of postage) would prove to be unreliable at best, and useless at worst. But I have been very pleasantly surprised! And now I shall get my local garage to replace the brake fluid, and have a look at the brake shoes and discs at the same time.

 

PS I did think that if the device didn’t work, my modest investment would not go to waste – I would give the tester to one of my grandchildren, telling them that it was a Sonic Screwdriver!!

Link please. 

On 13/03/2024 at 17:00, Charlie Rickard said:

Thanks Ben - do you (or does anyone else) have a specific make/type of pad in mind for “decent pads”.

 

For normal road use, Febi, Delphi, TRW, Bosch, Pagid, Ferodo....they all make decent OEM pads. A set of these and a fluid flush won't set you back too much and hopefully help you. 

There are loads of brake fluid testers on eBay, with a range of prices. I bought mine from:

Star-obd

 

Update on the brakes on my Polo.

I attempted to bleed the brakes myself but could not get the first bleed nipple undone!

The MoT was looming so I took the car to my local garage for them to change the brake fluid before doing the MoT.

Bleed nipples had seized on the two rear cylinders and one front calliper!

Two new rear cylinders and one new calliper, fresh brake fluid and the brakes are now much better. They now inspire a modicum of confidence!

I think that changing the very old brake fluid was the major factor in improving the brakes, but clearly it's good to know that both cylinders and callipers are fully functional.