New Brakes Work Terrible

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  • yossarian19
    258 I6
    • Nov 13, 2016
    • 402

    #16
    Like others have asked... How does the pedal feel?
    If you hit the brakes a dozen times or so with the engine off, does the pedal feel different?
    When you hit the brakes, is it like stepping on a rock or is there a lot of motion in the pedal and inadequate stopping power?

    By far the most common issue after a brake job is air in the system. This can be due to an inadequate job of bleeding the MC on the bench, having caliper bleed screws pointing down (instead of up), stubborn lines, etc.

    I've also had an issue where while I was bleeding the brakes the combination valve did it's thing and shut off flow to one side or the other. It's been long enough I can't remember all the symptoms but "no stopping" was definitely one of them. I used a small screwdriver to push a little pin at the nose of the valve to reset the thing and went on with life - bled it again and problem solved.

    If your problem isn't hydraulic and performance still sucks, have you done anything special to break in the brakes?

    When I worked at a garage, we'd punch the gas and check the rear view - when there was nobody behind us, it was HARD on the brakes and off again before a full stop. Repeat 3-5 times while we made our way around the block. You'd be surprised what a few heat cycles and some HARD hits on the pedal would do for the performance of new friction.

    Conversely, a "come back" I had, was a time I neglected to install the "shims" between caliper and brake pad + didn't break the pads in adequately. I drove it around the block, felt fine, but customer claims she damn near lost it while going down a pretty gnarly hill. I wasn't there and am in no position to say much about it - except that in commercial auto repair, it is standard operating procedure to cover your butt and if you get some smoke out of the wheels on a test drive, mission accomplished.

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    • Mikel
      • Aug 09, 2000
      • 6330

      #17
      Another easy thing to test - While having someone step on the brake pedal, if you open a bleeder, does the pedal go to the floor?
      1969 M715 6x6
      1963 J300 Swivel frame

      Comment

      • 440sixpack
        327 Rambler
        • Jul 21, 2016
        • 612

        #18
        Pedal feels pretty normal, an inch or so of travel and you can feel and hear the booster kick in, pedal gets firm well off the floor and then not much happens.

        Rod length is correct , non adjustable but very close fit.

        If the new master doesn't do it I will bleed them again with extra care to check the combination valve pin and make sure it's centered.


        I feel like this has to be a defective or incorrect master after exhausting every other scenario. I should get it back in the next day or so and I'll know.

        Comment

        • PlasticBoob
          All Makes Combined
          • Jun 30, 2003
          • 4007

          #19
          Not trying to insult your intelligence, but did you bed them in?

          I just did the Tundra brake upgrade on my 4Runner (new rotors, calipers, and pads) and it took a 50 mile round trip freeway drive late at night doing around 30 hard stops, one every 1/2 mile, to get them nice and blued. These were the instructions per Brembo, btw.

          On a couple of past cars, I failed to properly bed-in new brake components and had terrible performance the whole time.

          For anyone else lurking and learning about brake jobs:

          Last edited by PlasticBoob; 07-09-2018, 04:36 AM.
          Rob
          1974 Cherokee S, fuel injected 401, Trans-am Red, Aussie locker 'out back'
          Click for video

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          • RamJetFSJ
            350 Buick
            • Jul 18, 2001
            • 896

            #20
            I couldn't find if it was mentioned above, but make sure you bench bleed your master cylinder before installation.
            Ben
            1980 Wagoneer - Ram Jet 350, 700R4, NP208, 4" lift, 33x10.5 tires.

            Comment

            • ShagWagon
              350 Buick
              • Apr 10, 2016
              • 871

              #21
              Yes bench bled MC? would be my next question.
              87 GW- Fitech EFI,Fitech FCC,Skyjacker Hydro 4" lift,BFG AT KO2 30",Dynamax muffler,MSD distributor,MSD 6al box,Blaster2 coil,ACCEL 8mm,.045 gap,Edlebrock perf 4bbl intake,Elgin perf cam,HD alum radiator,Powermaster 150alt,Alum HD H2O pump,Serhills tailgate harness,Cowl screen mod,Evil Twin grab handles,Rstep's custom AMC lock knobs

              Comment

              • 440sixpack
                327 Rambler
                • Jul 21, 2016
                • 612

                #22
                Yes I bled it. and since it has bleeding ports on the master I bled it again with the mighty vac.

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