Brakes not acting right...

[mheath717]

Ok folks I seem to be having a problem with the brakes on my olds. A few years ago I put a set of pads on my car. I think every other brake component is still factory. It would stop just fine, but sometimes it would scare me and get a little too close to people who stopped short in front of me. :shock: I decided to freshen up all my brakes, but I don't have a ton of money so Its one thing at a time. A week ago I put a set of new calipers, and a new set of pads on there. The car seems to stop alright as long as you are kinda gentle with the breakes. I was going about 45mph and got on the brakes enough to make em act weird. The pedal feels kinda weird (almost like a grinding feel), and then the brakes lock up and my car pulls to the right a little bit. :? As long as I make gentle stops it is fine. I was thinking maybe I got a bad passenger side caliper because it was pulling to that side. The pedal doesn't feel spongy or anything like that. I bled them really good and ran a whole quart of brake fluid through it to flush it.

I just know that it never locked up like that before I changed the calipers. Sometimes it took a while to stop, but no matter how hard I pushed the pedal it never used to lock up. A friend of mine was saying that maybe I need to adjust my rear shoes out a little bit. I don't see how that would have anything to do with it... But I'm not the smartest guy.

Where do you guys think I should start? Should I get that caliper swapped out for a new one? Or maybe change my rotors? They did have some grooves cut into them... I was just trying to wait on another paycheck to do the bearings and rotors...

 

[tc1959]

Well: there's your problem Rotors are grooved Replace the rotors or have them turned if there is enough left. You should be fine. ( don't wait too long or you will ruin your new pads. Good luck.

 

[mheath717]

So it wasnt doing it before because the pads were grooved to match the rotors? Is that what you are saying? The new pads have no groove and its locking up now?

 

[pontiacgp]

the manufacturer of the pads should have break in instructions for the pads...if they don't come in the box check with the manufacturer and they should have them, if they don't I wouldn't be buying them

BTW...how do you get a couple of years out of a set of pads?...

 

[mheath717]

I put about 600 miles on them before I tried any hard stops but they didn't have any instructions on breaking them in.

 

[mheath717]

BTW...how do you get a couple of years out of a set of pads?...

Haha It hasn't been my daily driver. Ive probably only put about 6,000 miles on it since ive owned it.

 

[pontiacgp]

I use EBC's and to break them in I have to drive 20 then hit the brakes...then 40 and his the brakes ...and then 60 and hit them again..then one time a bit quicker....I have to do it consecutively so the pads don't cool down. If I don't break them in right the $80+ set of pads are useless

the last time I did it some cop was watching me and pulled me over luckily after I was done to ask me what was doing...when I explained he asked me where he could get a set of those pads cause anything that smelled that bad has to be good...they have a coating on them them to break them in that stinks when you burn it off... :lol:

 

[pontiacgp]

BTW...how do you get a couple of years out of a set of pads?...

Haha It hasn't been my daily driver. Ive probably only put about 6,000 miles on it since ive owned it.

I almost do that in a good month.... :shock:

 

[mheath717]

Well here lately Ive been driving it a whole lot. I guess Ill just do my rotors and bearings my next day off... You know of anywhere where there are any decent drilled/slotted rotors for gbodys? Ive been told they are worth paying extra for because they last so much longer than regular vented rotors.

 

[tc1959]

Well here lately Ive been driving it a whole lot. I guess Ill just do my rotors and bearings my next day off... You know of anywhere where there are any decent drilled/slotted rotors for gbodys? Ive been told they are worth paying extra for because they last so much longer than regular vented rotors.

I don't know if they last any longer but they do cost a whole lot more.
I have power stop from summit on my Camino