Thanks for everyone’s input it is massively appreciated
Yep as Dave stated I’ve had this problem for a while - I don’t think I’m especially hard on the brakes compared to some. I’ve gradually been trying different things and ended up replacing everything bar the rear calipers. Hofmann’s did the caliper refurb and I trust the rigour that they apply to anything they take on. It has the (slightly) uprated Eliseparts master cylinder but that is still common clutch/brakes. Never any problem I’ve observed with gearchange.
After everyones input and unless someone has any other ideas I’m currently thinking the next steps are :
Change the rear calipers (I’ll drop you an email tomorrow Andy)
Flush and fresh fluid and the bleed of all bleeds
(possibly) Motorsport master cylinder (well it can’t hurt can it?)
Then get the car on track somewhere hard on brakes like Dony and give 'em hell
When you bleed the brakes are you just pumping the brake pedal???
Might be a long shot this but years ago I bleed some brakes (changed to Dot 5.1 from Dot 4) and couldn�t get the pedal right did them 3 or 4 times but no joy so got them pressure bleed at a garage in the end and that seemed to do the trick.
My setup is nothing like yours… but I think the principle is all the same.
I had the standard Exige motorsport brakes when I bouugt the car, but after a day at Donny decided they were not up to it (me)!! I tend to be very hard on brakes… have been told by 2 instructors that I brake way too late and too heavy, and therefore loose exit apex speeds… well the point is I give the brakes stick!
Replaced all 4 disks with the EP Alli Belled ones. Warped the front dsks in one session flat at Donny… and the pedal was getting longer too.
EP changed my EP Ali ones to AP’s plus cash of course! Out at Donny again, and the pedal was shite! Got longer and longer and made heal/toe impossible… plus NO confidenceto STOP!!!
After posting about this here, Pesky convinced me that R600+ was the way to go… so ordered 5 litres of the stuff!!!.. only needs about 1.5 for a fliud change!
Bled the entire system twice… calipers off and upside down to expel every last trace of ALL the old fluid. Clutch too… the old fluid in the line was Black!!! Actually used over 3 litres over the 2 hours with pressure bleeding to ensure I ONLY had R600+ left in the system!
Well at Anglesey, all day the pedal was ROCK hard! Even with my very late braking (sorry Martin and Rob!.. just defending the VHPD!!!) I had so much confidence in the brakes it was great!
SO. I agree with Dave P. Bleed that system again, and deffo get Robs/Martins MS cylinder! Wont cost you � 1200 either!
Ben, yes the motor sport master cylinder can hurt. It is designed for the 4 pot front, 2 pot rear motorsport setup and not for the standard setup.
One thing I have done to my 2 pots is feedthe brake line into the middle of the calliper, rather than into the top. JSRacing can do this for you and it means you can bleed the brakes easily and properly. Why Lotus feeds the brake fluid in through what should be the inside bleed nipple is beyond me.
I’m not a fan of some of the elise parts stuff, so I would change the master cylinder back to a standard one.
I know we have spoken about this all before, so let us know if we can help mate.
He’s installing one of these…
