Ive got the 85 front Disc/rear drum setup, Completely Stock.

The pedal is a Lot More squishy than I would like it to Be. So I went through and started fixing things.

Ive replaced all the pads/shoes ( first thing)

I also replaced the front lines ( helped some )

Didnt Turn the front Rotors yet, But they look to be A-ok.

Flushed all the fuild, By pouring new in whilst the brakes were slowly pumped with the bleeder open on each wheel, One at a time, Till Clean fluid came out.

Bled them all the way around a few times, from farthest to closest to the MC.


Never let any air into the MC while Flushing it, But when I swapped the soft lines I just unscrewed them, and put the new ones in. I bled the brakes after Obviously.

Did I do something wrong There?

I also have Not replaced the softline to the Rear yet, So this may have something To Do with it.

It feels alot Firmer sometimes than others.

Lastly, I occasionally get Brakesteer, And Not to any particular side, It alternates.

Usually If I start to brake, I will feel steer. Then I let off and brake again, and its fine.

any suggestions ?


Thanks for any help You can provide



------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

BTT pls.



------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

BTT< ths is the suspension and BRAKE forum, isnt it ?



------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

Bort,

I feel your pain. I currently have just about the same problem as you. Originally, I had terrible brake steer to one side. I replaced the calipers with rebuild ones and that did not help. I then changed both rubber hoses for the front brakes and that brings me to the symptoms you have. The brake steer is not as bad, but still evident. I think I may need to re-bleed my lines. I also need to tighten my bleeder screw because once under hard braking, fluid spewed. Horrible feeling to lose pressure when trying to stop! Next project is a rear brake job.

I did the exact same swap on my 86 Cutlass Ciera and, I hate to say it, it stops WAY better than my Formula.

------------------
89 Formula 305 TBI
160* stat, 200* fan switch, K&N, Headers, 3in Flowmaster (hollow cat) back, pullies, 1.6 full roller rockers, B&M trans cooler, home-made ram-air
3.73 Richmond gears and SLP Zexel Torsen Posi (waiting for install)

 

Bort, that's the right way to replace the soft hoses in the front. In fact if you didn't replace those hoses, I would've said you should. Maybe you're getting the brakesteer from a problem with the rear brakes?


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

Possibly Tom, Ill replace the Rear Softline this weekend IF I get a Chance, and re bleed all the way around.


Its really quite annoying tho, My car stops great sometimes, and others it dosent. Is this just the inherant ****tyness of the stock breaks on a Sport Coupe, Or is there still something I need to Fix ?

Thanks for the Reply's.




------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

Hey, that's weird... I just noticed this sentence of yours from your first message. I believe I still have air trapped in my master cylinder somehow. If I hit the brakes (easy or hard, doesn't matter), release them, and hit them again, the brakes work better! Are these related? I only get brake steer under a verrry hard braking condition tho; and that's mainly because my left rear disc caliper isn't working that well.



------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

Sounds very similar Tom.

I also Notice that If I Accelerate fast off idle, and then brake hard w/in a few seconds, the brakes feel like they almost go to the floor.


Air in the MC huh ?

how Do we Bleed it out ?


Thanks For the help




------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

I'll have to try that (accelerate hard from idle, hit brakes, watch pedal) this weekend, I'll let you know what happens.

A bleeder kit... the Haynes book gives details on bleeding the thing, but it's such a pain in the *** ! I was working on a home-made pressure bleeder, like the ones a brake shop would have, but stopped as soon as it got cold outside.

In a nutshell, you'd have to remove the line closest to the firewall (it's for the front brakes) from the m/c. Then you'd run clear tubing from the port back into the m/c reservoir. Then you slowly pump the brakes to the floor, wait 10 secs, release, wait 20 secs (for the quick-take-up-valve to fill), then repeat; this is done until no air bubbles are seen anymore in the clear tubing. Then you remove the tubing, attach the hard line back to the m/c, and repeat for the front-most m/c port (for the back brakes). Then you bleed the whole damn car again.


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

Hey Tom, I'd like to point out that if you do submerge the end of the clear tubing back into the MC, you'll still have a little air left in the system even after the bubbles disappear. The reason being that air takes a pretty long time to get out of brake fluid. If you look at it closely you'll notice really tiny bubbles in there. What I usually do is bleed the brakes into a separate container, and keep refilling the MC with new fluid. The old fluid can be reused after 1 day if it is still clean. Hope this helps solve your problem. BTW, bleeding brakes the old fashioned way is a two man job that a real PITA because both people need to know exactly how to do it, but it is the best way. I wouldn't really trust speed bleeders or such stuff but that's just me .

------------------
'88 IROC 305 TPI
Crappy 700R4 slushbox
Gutted airboxes
180 degree T-stat
Advanced base TPS voltage
Relocated IAT sensor
Momo steering wheel (gotta luv it)
Ram-air setup coming soon
Flowmaster muffler (puke)
Taylor SpiroPro wires
Accel cap and rotor
Ported plenum
Kills: '94 Z28, Olds Aurora V8, bunch of Mustangs, T-birds, ricers, and others who assumed a 12 year-old car would be too slow.