Any suggestions on how to firm up my brakes. I autox my car almost exclusively. New rotors, Steel braded lines, Hawk HP+ pads.

The car stops ok but I really have to push the brakes just about to the floor. I run 275's up front and I can tell you that I cannot engage the ABS unless the track is dirty or wet.

Any suggestions on how or what to do to get a firm brake pedal and get more clamping on the rotors without going to a whole new brake system?

Thanks

Allan

 

Have you considered that your master cylinder may be failing?

 

is it soft all the time? you may need to bleed. is the master leaking? when you come to an easy stop is the pedal on the floor? if you keep pressure on the pedal does it sink to the floor?

 

There is some other thread about brakes. The guy said that he bled them with the key on it fixed his softness problem. Maybe you could try it.

 

You can bleed the brakes if you need. You should try starting the car and just press the brake and hold it. See if the brakes just bleeds down to the floor or you get a good pedal. Let us know what you find.

 

Did you get new fluid with your new rotors? If not, flush the old fluid and run a good fluid like ATE Super Blue. Thoroughly bleed the brakes.

 

Brakes do not go to the floor they just go in much further than they should.

I like the idea of the fluid and also the possibility of the MC going out.

Allan

 

If the brake pedal does not slowly sink to the floor, then the master cylinder is probably not bad. It sounds like you have air in the system and need to bleed it again PROPERLY. Check out the instructions on my site for bleeding brakes. That should cure your problem: http://www.zeckhausen.com/bleeding_brakes.htm

 

Viagra in the ol gas tank should help if it doesn't gunk up the injectors!




I vote for the master cyl myself if you already know that the brakes have been bled properly.

I've never had any problem bleeding the brakes on a FD. I've had cars completely apart, lines, ABS pump and calipers completely removed off the car. I bleed them myself by just loosening the bleed screw at the caliper, hook a long hose to the bleeder and start slowly pumping the pedal. ~1qt of fluid later I'm done.