Brianbajnuth

My brakes do not lock up when I hit the brakes all the way with all my force. I have both front and rear brake lines hooked STRAIGHT UP TO THE MASTER CYLINDER and still doesn't lock up, and the brakes seem a little weak. Any ideas on what I should do?
Thanks in advance.

90camaro355rs

you might try bleeding them, maybe they have air in them

Brianbajnuth

Thanks for replying
I have tried bleeding for days!
Everytime I bleed a wheel and Finnish everthing and just go back around to do it again there's air in the lines. Can it be sucking air from somewhere? The master is always full too

90camaro355rs

sure it can, exactly how are you bleeding your brakes, what I do is get a bottle that has a lid put hole in lid fill with brake fluid about 1/4 inch, place tub in hole and submerge into brake fluid then put hose on bleeder have friend pump brakes and hold then open bleeder repeat until no bubbles are seen, do all four corners starting with pass rear then driver rear then pass front the drivers front. always checking brake fluid in master cylinder

90camaro355rs

make sure all lines are tight and no fluid is dripping from any where before you start and before you move to another wheel

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

Am I reading this right? No proportioning valve?

Brianbajnuth

Yes your right!! No proportioning valve and still no lock up! And I don't see and visible leaks and I don't think fluid is losing.

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

Why did you do this? When you do manage to get the brakes working right...scratch that.....working. You will not like the result.

Brianbajnuth

Yea I know I have a wilwood proportioning valve on the way but it's still suppose to lock up all four wheels right?

Brianbajnuth

Anyone know what can be the problem here? I hate driving the car like this knowing that I can't stop on a dime

Base91

iTrader: (1)

I think the answer to your original question is absolutely. If you mash the brakes they should lock up front and rear. I'm assuming you don't have giant super sticky tires. Sounds like a bleeding issue.

Brianbajnuth

There's always air in the lines but not leaks.

greenyone

iTrader: (1)

I built a reverse bleeder from a garden tank sprayer I had lying around. Works much better than trying to force air bubbles down through the system. They air bubbles want to go up anyway. Makes for a good pedal every time.

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

I know you said you have no leaks. How did you tee off at the master for the front brakes? You do realize they are bubble flare, not inverted flare and the front of the master is for the back brakes.

Brianbajnuth

I used a brass t fitting. Checked for leaks on and around it. Nothing!! I'm stumped

Brianbajnuth

Do you mind posting a pic of this bleeder? Might help me in my case thanks

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

Does your car have ABS? Then yes, they should lock up! haha

90camaro355rs

This is a false statement. abs stands for antilocking brake system. this means when you hit the brake the abs module will apply pressure then release pressure causing a pulsation like feeling in your pedal and a lot of noise, if your brakes lock up with abs your abs isn't working correctly!

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

Wow, are you sure? So glad you explained that, now I know the abs on my 85 firebird isn't working properly.

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

Go read my post again.

It was a rhetorical question (aka sarcasm)... no third gen came with ABS.

Restrorob

iTrader: (7)

Brianbajnuth

[QUOTE=90camaro355rs;5815051]This is a false statement. abs stands for antilocking brake system. this means when you hit the brake the abs module will apply pressure then release pressure causing a pulsation like feeling in your pedal and a lot of noise, if your brakes lock up with abs your abs isn't working correctly![/QUOTE

No third gen came with abs!!
Stop confusing me
Lol
My booster holds pressure but the pedal feels hard like manual brakes

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

Do you have the check valve on the booster? Still have the factory rubber lines? They are known to collapse internally and not let pressure through.

Brianbajnuth

I have a new check valve
New hose
Rebuilt (i think) booster
Stock master
New calipers
New pads
And the lines are hooked up straight to the master

Brianbajnuth

Can't lock the wheels

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

I'm talking about the rubber lines going to the calipers and rear end. Haven't replaced them?

Restrorob

iTrader: (7)

Joe, I just found that same issue on mine last weekend. Pedal hard as a rock and nothing to the calipers on either side, New hoses done the trick....

Brianbajnuth

I have the stock flex hoses in the front but the back I think has a ss braided hose from the body to the rear end and then on the passenger side rear wheel it has a flex hose but the driver side it goes into the caliper with a steel brake line. Is that how I comes stock?

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

I don't have a rear disc setup. Someone will have to chime in on that. Braided line would be a replacement IMO. I'd certainly replace the rubber lines though. They're like 15 bux each and many problems with them.

Restrorob

iTrader: (7)

No, There's supposed to be a hose between both rear calipers..... I'd get that line replaced with a hose.....

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

The answer to this problem is something probably obvious and you are just missing it-- Happens or has happened to all of us admitted or not. Not trying to sound harsh but I will list what comes to mind:

You should have a hose between every disc caliper and hard line. If the hose is the stock piece throw it out and purchase a new one-- anything is better than that >23 year old hose you are currently using. Make sure the hose has copper crush washers on them and they are TIGHT. Make sure each caliper has the bleeder screw at the TOP of the caliper and NOT the bottom. If the lines were run dry, disconnected from the master cylinder or the master cylinder was new then it NEEDS bench bled and then all the lines rebled. Use a clear hose when bleeding and use one of the cheap one person bleeder kits with the vacuum pump for ~$30, I think you can even rent them. After that start the car and pump the brakes several times and then bleed each line several times while smacking the caliper with a mallet. Tighten all lines and connections and bleeder screws and press the brakes hard several times and inspect for fluid at a connection or on a line. It is possible that a hard line has a split or crack in it. If you find no fluid after all of that than it is almost certain the problem is mechanical be it a bad master cylinder, stuck pistons, glazed rotors, crap pads, etc,.

MoJoe

iTrader: (5)

I disagree. My 87 IROC 10 bolt... I took the factory lines and brakes off this summer (LS brake upgrade), and the driver's side caliper did have the hard line direct to it.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

Are you advocating that it is fine to run hard lines to disc brake calipers, Or just stating that someone probably did a drum to disc conversion and somehow didn't use any brake hose?

MoJoe

iTrader: (5)

Neither... I believe the factory did it that way. My preference is, and I would advocate flexible hoses to calipers.

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

I'll be honest here, common sense says it should be a flex line, and that was my first thought. Calipers move and it would stress the line and break it eventually. But I seem to remember seeing a hard line here somewhere on a rear caliper before and that's why I didn't want to answer. Without an adapter you couldn't get a seal on a banjo fitting caliper with an inverted flare line. Not saying it's correct, or a smart idea even if it is factory. Just that I remember seeing it before.