brake fade SUCKS!
 

Yeah.. After showing a geo prism what's up :cool: :cool: :cool: , I run into some SERIOUS brake fading.. Rather, it was during this.. A prism probably shouldn't be able to stop better than an 88 gxl... hmm... I ended up with the brake pedal floored, and I just sorta kept rolling thru a red light--not the best thing. Luckily it was empty.. Yanking the e-brake slowed me town a tad quicker, so i ended up directly under the signal. hmm..

Any ideas what this could be? My front pads look really damn thick, but i dunno the brand.. Both rear pads are brand new (raybestos) with under 5k on them, and my RL rotor is new. I even have two SS brake lines on (RR and FL.. couldn't get the other lines off, as I didn't have the right tools)

Could it just be really shotty front pads? Maybe air in the lines? I bled all but the FR maybe 2 months ago while doing the SS lines.. I broke the bleeder screw off the FR caliper, and haven't gotten around to replacing it or trying to extract the screw.. Any ideas? It really sucks!


-Tesla

that's not fade I don't think. sounds more like a leak or really bad air in the lines. is your fluid down at all?

Mmm.. the fluid level is where I left it..

I stopped a lot better right before, at the previous light.. And later, on the way home, I tried hitting the brakes.. I could lock it up, but it was a lot harder that it should have been.. The stop in question was maybe a 80 mph-0 stop.

-Tesla

That happens to my car once in a while. It happened a couple times today and it never does that so many times. All of my brake pads are pretty new. The pads are autoparts brake pads, so theyre nothing too great but I always use these and never really had a problem with them. Last time I checked my brake fluid it was where its supposed to be. I'll check again tomorrow. Any more suggestions for both of us?

that happens to my car always now. it started when a shop changed everything there was to change on the brake system. all I needed them to do was change one leaking caliper while I was on vacation. I came back to a huge bill and all new brakes that suck ass. the real kick in the ass is that fro what I paid in parts I could have had the big brake kit with the 14" rotors and 8 piston calipers, and had some left over to buy that Jacobs ignition. After I yelled at them for about 20 minutes I realized that if I didn't pay I wouldn't get my car. so I had no choice.

anyway I think you need new pads and to deglaze you rotors. get the hawk pads they are inexpensive and damn good. about $50 - 60 fro each end. then bleed the lines and use DOT 4 fluid. if that doen't do it change your master cylinder

the same thing happened to me when I ran my 90gxl at a small track. after 2 laps.

I found a small leak under the master cylinder and change brake fluid to dot3. Took the car for some twisties and a have a very nice pedal feel. just like new. I still have to go back to the track and try it again.

Hope this helps.

The pads may suck but it's more than that if the pedal is going to the floor. Either you boiled the flud or you have a leak allowing air into the lines.

Todd

I used to have the same problem in my 90 GTU. I replaced the pads with Hawk HP+, and upgraded the front calipers to 4-piston. I also had the front rotors turned, and replaced the rear with brembo x-drilled(I got them for free, and couldn't afford them for the front :)) I also replaced the MBC and flushed and re-bleed the whole brake system. After that, I have NEVER had brake-fade again. Even after an HOUR of HARD back-road driving.

Raybesto pads cant even stand the pressure bikes give them...

dude, you need to get your act together and fix those brakes.

put on the other remaining SS lines, check the pads, maybe even resurface/turn the rotors and completely flush and bleed the system.

I am very hard on brakes- I have had several cars that I have gotten to the point of GLOWING RED pads AND calipers... Barelry stoppable!
Anyways, For some reason I have NEVER experienced any sort of fade with my 90 GXL. I am using Dealership pads front/rear, and I need new rotors soon on the front (getting a little wavy). I have stopped HARD down from the 220+km range all the way to stop several times, and can still lock the wheels up at any point. (and no, I am not using lawn mower tires).
I don't know what the deal is, but I like the Geniune Mazda pads (real dusty though!!)
Oh well, I'm happy with the stock system!
(Oh, I've got 4 piston calipers! :))

I just ordered a full brake fix for my 91 vert. Mine are still original rotors and calipers have never been gone through. I ordered 2 powerslot front rotors, 2 stock rears, new oem pads for all 4 corners, new pad hardware, caliper rebuild kits, new slave cylinder all from www.mazdaformance.com They have pretty good rates. They might start carrying EBC stuff too. Brakes are by far the most important part of the car. Please make sure they work correctly.

If its a situation with the pedal going to the floor it isnt rotors or pads. If you get the rotors and calipers hot enough to glow you definitely boiled the fluid. Consider upgrading the fluid when you flush it out. If you get them that hot on a regular basis run a duct to the rotor, that will help.

So if your braking enough to cause a lil smoke, think the fluid would have boiled and need to be flushed? Maybe i've just gotten used to the brakes (mucho better than my old GSL) but it doesn't seem to brake as hard...This is after braking from a 140ish run...

If you are getting fade it is because your brakes are heating up too much. Could be from dragging brakes. Check the calipers. The RX-7 has ducts directing air to the front rotors so it should not tend to fade as most cars. Make sure the ducts are not plugged.

After reading all this, should the brake pedal ever go all the way down if your brakes are working properly?

No, there should always be some measurable resistance or else there is a problem