damn my brakes.

[vash]

after a track day (last friday) where i probably over-used my brakes, i got a softie brake feel. i bled them after installing new OEM brake lines. no good. i had a new MC, and decided to test my skills, and switched it out in record time. it is actually easy on my SC versus my last car, a mid year. i used my power bleeder and gently finished with pedal pushing. with the car @ idle, the pedal gets soft again. ATE blue, with 90% pad life left.

sunday i will take up the pad travel manually, and rebleed them. this is "GO" time because i have a track day on monday. i also have new OEM pads sitting on my shelf. should i change them in?

i searched, and i think i know what i need to do. the track event is making me nervous with my back up against the wall. give me some tips, guys! PO had new rear calipers installed and the fronts rebuilt prior to me taking over the reins.

cliff law (buy ATE blue stock guys, it is going to be a good year!)

[vash]

man, i put this in OT? what an idiot.

i'll start: bush hates soft brakes!

[addictionMS]

When in doubt, bleed some more....


Jim

[trekkor]

Everyone should try speed bleeders.

I changed four wheel/tires and bled the whole system in about 15 minutes. 8 bleeders.


KT

[dd74]

Bush hates bleeders.

[trekkor]

I'm sure he doesn't bleed his own brakes, though


KT

[sammyg2]

Speed bleeders are the kind.
I replaced my flex brake lines this morning and bled the entire system (i use valvoline synthetic brake fluid, supposed to outperform regular stuff). I flushed 2 quarts through to make sure I got rid of all the old stuff.
It took me less than 45 minutes to do all that and the pedal came back fast and hard. No sex jokes please

[Z-man]

Movin' to DE/Track forums.

-Z.

[JeremyD]

Sounds like you have some air in the system vash - try smacking the calipers with a soft hammer as you are bleeding - I usually bleed the whole system with some cheaper brake fluid - then bleed them all out again with ate blue - or my favorite - Motul 600.

[cstreit]

I tap my calipers with a mallet and use a small brass hammer to tap my M/C if I can't get a firm pedal to helkp dislodge bubbles.

If your bearings are loose the disc can also push the pads back and give you a soft pedal... Check those too...

[jluetjen]

There was another similar thread recently where I said the same thing that I'm going to say now -- forgive me for repeating myself.

If you don't bleed the master cylinder before you hook it up to the brake lines, you are going to have a heck-of-a time getting all of the air out of the system. You don't need any hammers or anything, just do the following:

1) Fill the master cylinder with fluid and bleed it until you don't get any more air bubbles out of the ports. You can even do this on the bench! Plug the ports and then install the master cylinder.

2) Hook up the lines out to the calipers.

3) Bleed the system starting with the most remote caliper. If the calipers have two nipples, always start with the highest one first.

Doing it like this will get all of the air out of the system in the most efficient fashion possible.

[vash]

thanks for moving this Z!

you guys were right. JP911 with the rubber mallet, me with at the bleeder, zoanas at the pedal, and cantdrv55 monitoring fluid level. we got it bled right in time for a fantastic day running INFINEON with friends. front dust piston boots were shredded and crusty so i tossed another "unknown" into the situation and did a front caliper rebuild. 4 guys to do a bleed! if we were a mechanics shop, we would be broke.

thanks everyone.