just wondering if anyone can explain to me why my 86 IROC with 23000 miles on it has such lousy stopping power. i have replaced the master cylinder, installed russel brake lines, put high perfrormance pads on and still my 86 MONTE SS can out brake this car.....what gives

thanks
terry

 

Fourspeed,

This question has been asked many times in this forum. The headings vary, usually something like ‘I can’t stop’, ‘Why do thirdgen brakes suck?’ and others similar. Some people will actually say their stock brakes are good. I had a four wheel brake job done on my IROC about five thousand miles ago, and they are a **** poor excuse for brakes. Nowhere near enough, as you put it, ‘stopping power’.

Why? What’s the weak link in the system? Nobody seems to know, which is why your post went unanswered for two days. You’ll get recommendations to upgrade to 1LE brakes (expensive), or Baer (more expensive) and that’s it. I don’t know the answer either, but I am going to keep looking.

 

probably because your monte has drums on the back.

 

The calipers are only single piston and the discs are relatively small. These are the kind of brakes you would expect on the average European family car- not a ton and a half Grand Tourer.

There is a company that will put Porsche dics and 4 pot calipers on our cars (I posted the info some time ago) but it is as costly as the BAER set up.

I changed from drum to 89 disc rears and it made a big difference to my 'stopping power', I would really recommend it It still isn't World Class but it is much better.

Semi metallic pads and flexi brake hoses help a little too!

 

Have you ever had new o-rings and seals put in the calipers and wheel cylinders ? It made a huge diff in my old F**d. Very inexpensive and not to tough to do.

 

my 84 came with 4 wheel discs, it stops great after i redid a lot of the system. new front rotors and calipers, new rear calipers, new pads all around, new rear brake lines, new booster and master cylinder. I think the biggest problem with most of our brakes is that they are in disrepair, our cars are getting old! The above statements are true, i think they should've used bigger stuff to begin with.

Try a thorough bleeding because it is likely that the car has never had a full bleed done before and it has old fluid and air in the system. Upgrading to expensive, larger, aftermarket stuff is not needed on the street. Use a quality pad too.