Hey everyone. Its been a really long time since I posted last. I've done alot to my car since then. This question is probably a simple one. I changed my brakes last night on my 87 Trans AM. Nothing special, popped the old ones out...popped the new ones in. Now she doesnt want to stop too good. The rotors are new also and were cleaned. Here's my question. I have some fluid coming out of my master cylinder lid. I later read that I should have sucked some of the fluid out before pushing the pistons back into the caliper. Would this cause me to have poor braking? I took the lid off, and had a really hard time getting it back on...so I figured maybe all that fluid backed up in there and is making it difficult. My other quetions is...if that could be the problem...do I need to bleed my brakes now??? Id'e like to think they just have to "break" in...is this true? Do new brakes and rotors need to break in before they stop good? Let me know. The hour commute to school today was alittle hairy...

Justin

 

You should really bleed the brakes every time you do the brakes or anything with them. If you haven't changed your fluid out recently, it would be a good time to do it.

The leaking fluid shouldn't be a problem, just make sure the M/C cap is on tight and doesn't leak. Take some old fluid out if you have to...a turkey baster works great.

You need to bed the pads in with the rotors. You need to make sure the brakes are bled right first, but then go out and do a few (4-5) panic stops and you should be fine after that.


Ed

 

Well...while I was at school, in the pouring rain, I checked my lid to the M/C. Turns out that the rubber gasket somehow got pushed down into the fluid on the one side. So Im sure that was some of my problem. I got rid of some fluid while i was under there too. Now they will all lock if i nail them. I still feel like the front brakes are alittle under powered. This is gonna sound kind of stupid...but in the rain, I tried to do a line lock. Before I only had to apply light pressure to the pedal, and the rear wheels would spin free as if they were on ice. Now its not the case...I have to press really hard just to keep the car from moving forward... Not that line locking is important...just something new I noticed.

Can someone give me the basics of "bedding" the brakes to the rotor? Someone told me before, but my book doesnt say much and I want to be sure I did it right. I guess if its a good idea Ill bleed them down. Maybe change the fluid as well. Gotta do that in a day or two though. Let me know if there are anymore ideas out there.