Citroen ZX 1.9D 1997 (Non Turbo) - Changing Bendix Calliper on a Citroen ZX 1.9D 1997

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Tue 19 Apr 2011 17:42
Citroen ZX 1.9D 1997 (Non Turbo) - Changing Bendix Calliper on a Citroen ZX 1.9D 1997 - deSpaniard

Hello all, I'm a newbie to both motoring and car maintenace and in need of some assistance with regards to my ZX. I have been faithfuly getting help from both this site, (your good selves!) and a Haynes manual, but have recently come acropper! I have had very spongy brakes on the old ZX with a juddering motion comming form the front nearside, which after some reading leads me to believe that this caliper is sticking and causing the brake fluid to travel back up the pipe, hence the juddering, does this sound like a reasonalbe diagnosis? Any way I tried to initially bleed the brakeds to get rid of some of this spongy brake pedal and you've guessed it, even after soaking the nipples with WD, have managed to snap both of them off!

So I have decided to replace both the font calipers in the hope that I will be able to eradicate this judder and firm up the brakes on this great car! But alas I cannot find a 'how to guide' anywhere, not in the Haynes manual (which seems to refer only to Girling brakes) or via this or any other site on the web!

Also I am wondering weather I need to renew any other parts aside from the callipers. I have already renewed the front discs (non vented type) and the all of the shoes/pads both front and back when I got the car on to the road!

All help would be greatly appreciated! And many thanks in advance! D

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Tue 19 Apr 2011 22:30
Citroen ZX 1.9D 1997 (Non Turbo) - Changing Bendix Calliper on a Citroen ZX 1.9D 1997 - Avant

Moved to Technical, where you're more likely to get some help.

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Wed 20 Apr 2011 00:02
Citroen ZX 1.9D 1997 (Non Turbo) - Changing Bendix Calliper on a Citroen ZX 1.9D 1997 - Peter.N.

If you can get the pipe unions undone you can bleed them fairly well from there, very often they rust to the pipe so if you see the pipe twisting stop turning. They would only normally go spongy if air got in, and it only usually does that because the reservoir level is low, it could be though if the brakes are binding badly the fluid has boiled.

The calipers are broadly similar, held on with two bolts, the instructions in your Haynes manual should help. If the pipes are siezed to the unions you can if you are lucky unscrew the caliper from the pipe once removed, the pipes will usually bend sufficiently to remove the caliper first but if you kink them they will need replacing.

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