Weak Brakes

[AdamDude04]

Well after driving around for about a year with warped brakes..I finally changed them out with brand new rotors/pads.

However, now my brakes are weak! And I mean, weak. A panic stop is out of the question..and going down long steep hills has my worried as I wont be able to stop well, causing the fluid to boil making them even worse!

System has vaccume, no leaks, and new fluid was flushed into the system by a brake specialty shop.

I have about 500-700 miles on the new rotors/pads now with no improvment. However, if I spray water on the rotors or drive through puddles, and let the truck sit for a few days, rust develops I guess and the truck stops on a dime - which is nice

Sound like a brake system problem..or just a rotor/pad problem? Going on a 2600 mile trip in a few weeks, and gotta get this taken care of..

Thanks!

 

[AdamDude04]

Also, the pedel is normal feeling. Not too hard, not too soft..and maintains constant pressure for a couple minutes (never sat at a traffic light longer than a few minutes..)

Hate to take it to the brake shop, but I have a coupon for them to do the front brakes for $60 with new pads :\

 

[AdamDude04]

You already paid a shop to put new fluid in - take it back & complain. They'll tell you what's wrong.

I'm not going to make a shop pay for something they didn't do wrong - I'm not like that, and I make enough money to cover my own problems..
Brakes were like this prior to the flush..I did a flush myself, after installing new pads/rotors, same issue, so I had a shop flush the system for $20 thinking it was something as simple..turns out it wasn't the flush, so onto the real problem

 

[AdamDude04]

I didn't say to make them pay anything. I said let them check their work, and they'll probably find the real issue.

Did you clean the rotors before installation? Did you bed the pads in? Did you apply anything to the pads' or rotors' wearing surfaces? Were they high-quality parts (MotorCraft, Bendix, Wagner...), or cheapos from the zone?

What year is your truck? (Put it in your signature so it always appears.) How many miles on it? Just having vacuum to the booster doesn't mean it's working right. Does it hiss when you apply the brakes?

No hiss when I hit the brakes. No vaccume leaks, and water spray test showed now leaks around/on the brake booster or hoses going from booster to intake.
I did not clean the rotors.. they appeared clean from the box.. did not bed the pads in. I didn't even know what that was until not too long ago.

Did not apply anything to the surfaces. They were all high quality parts, and rotors were USA made.

89 XLT 5.0 Bronco. 308k miles.

Thanks for the tip on the signature..I'll get on that now!

 

[Elmo]

If you didnot clean the rotors before putting them on the vehicle then they are your culprit. All metal parts are spreyed with a rust inhibitor upon final inspection. This does just what it implies prevents rust from forming, prior to install you should have cleaned the braking surfaces (atleast) with brake cleaner and a good scrub pad or sand paper, not so much as to change the surface but enough to remove all traces of coating. This stuff contaminates your pads and prevents them from getting the grip needed to perform their job. You may benefit by removing the pads and giving them a good sanding with some 80 or 120 grit paper to remove the surface and expose new pad material. Also scrub the braking surfaces then rinse them with brake cleaner.

 

[AdamDude04]

If you didnot clean the rotors before putting them on the vehicle then they are your culprit. All metal parts are spreyed with a rust inhibitor upon final inspection. This does just what it implies prevents rust from forming, prior to install you should have cleaned the braking surfaces (atleast) with brake cleaner and a good scrub pad or sand paper, not so much as to change the surface but enough to remove all traces of coating. This stuff contaminates your pads and prevents them from getting the grip needed to perform their job. You may benefit by removing the pads and giving them a good sanding with some 80 or 120 grit paper to remove the surface and expose new pad material. Also scrub the braking surfaces then rinse them with brake cleaner.

Hmm..

well I'll just take it into the brake shop an have them do it for $60 with new pads on there ..it's a PITA having to remove the hub..not to mention winter has hit, and it's not the funest thing to work on metal parts when it's cold outside <_<

You think the brakes will get better over time? Or they just pretty much shot..

 

[Broncoholics]

Yeah, nothing stops like metal to metal does! Just kidding...

You don't have to pull to hub to clean the rotor. You can pull the tire off and spray brake clean on the rotor and rotate it as you wipe.

Besides the oil, you should always have the new rotors turned. I know it sounds odd but they work better after they are turned.

A place they probably didn't bleed is at the master cylinder. You sometimes need to crack the lines right where they enter the master cylinder. Have someone help you bleed the system once more. Maybe they just pushed back the calipers/piston and did't bleed the system. You can always go back and have them bleed it. Or the master cylinder could have a piece of crap in it causing flow problems. Pressing the calipers back will force the crap back into the master cylinder and gets hung up within in small orfices. If they drained and repalced the fluid, I'd look for air in the lines.

 

[Greggk]

im experiencing something similar but mine is an 82. so figuring its 27 years old, im just replacing the full brake system front and rear, power booster and master cylinder alike. now i was told we should switch to hydroboost type brake system.

 

[AdamDude04]

Thanks guys! I'll head over to my brake shop tomorrow and have them turn the rotors for me. Same time I'll scrape the pads on the concrete in their parking lot LOL

I've already dropped a grand on the Bronco this week with new toys..girly getting a little upset blowing money like I'm rich so close to christmas! LOL