When brakes fail?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach CA
When brakes fail?
What a bad week for my car! I put in the new alternator monday, and by friday, I break it again! :cry
I bottomed out today, and hit really hard. For now I am assuming I broke a brake line, but won't be able to see anything until I jack it up tomorrow. When I finally pulled over, I could see the puddle of brake fluid coming from near the back right caliper. Everything within 18 inches is soaked. Everything. It looks like it exploded. The rear brake section of my master cylinder was half empty (half full? ha ha ha), and I was able to make it home. But the drive home sucked, and this is where I have questions.
When I would use the brakes, they would work just fine for maybe half a second. Then the pedal would go soft, and take a long time to recover. I am sure it would have gone all the way to the floor, but I avoided doing that knowing it wouldn't help my car stop and fearing damage to the master cylinder. But shouldn't my front brakes still work? This is what is confusing me. If I lose rear brakes, shouldn't I only lose 30% of my braking ability? What am I missing here?
Thanks,
Jim
I bottomed out today, and hit really hard. For now I am assuming I broke a brake line, but won't be able to see anything until I jack it up tomorrow. When I finally pulled over, I could see the puddle of brake fluid coming from near the back right caliper. Everything within 18 inches is soaked. Everything. It looks like it exploded. The rear brake section of my master cylinder was half empty (half full? ha ha ha), and I was able to make it home. But the drive home sucked, and this is where I have questions.
When I would use the brakes, they would work just fine for maybe half a second. Then the pedal would go soft, and take a long time to recover. I am sure it would have gone all the way to the floor, but I avoided doing that knowing it wouldn't help my car stop and fearing damage to the master cylinder. But shouldn't my front brakes still work? This is what is confusing me. If I lose rear brakes, shouldn't I only lose 30% of my braking ability? What am I missing here?
Thanks,
Jim
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,080
Likes: 1
From: Frankfurt, Taunus Hills
Re: When brakes fail? (Jim 77)
Its no joke to mess up with your brakes!
Guess you will have to do the rear brake job.
Check out first if its the caliper ( sounds familiar to me, cause the right rear is often the one that fails first - proven by three of my/ our Vettes!)
You can buy good lines and calipers from Vette Brakes in St. Petersburg at
www.vettebrakes.com
Talk to Marie from Sales or Gary from Tech Dept. they will help you for sure!
To answer your brake power question: You will lose about 35 to 40 %, but more important is that the rear end will push the car (which is not THIS critical when in straight line)
But when it comes to cornering AND braking I guess you will have a nice look at your rear end overtaking you......
Don´t mess with Texas, eh Brakes! (My car lived in Texas for some years, now he complains about the cold german weather!)
Guess you will have to do the rear brake job.
Check out first if its the caliper ( sounds familiar to me, cause the right rear is often the one that fails first - proven by three of my/ our Vettes!)
You can buy good lines and calipers from Vette Brakes in St. Petersburg at
www.vettebrakes.com
Talk to Marie from Sales or Gary from Tech Dept. they will help you for sure!
To answer your brake power question: You will lose about 35 to 40 %, but more important is that the rear end will push the car (which is not THIS critical when in straight line)
But when it comes to cornering AND braking I guess you will have a nice look at your rear end overtaking you......
Don´t mess with Texas, eh Brakes! (My car lived in Texas for some years, now he complains about the cold german weather!)
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach CA
Re: When brakes fail? (KenSny)
I have found the break in the line. I bought a new line and I am now in the process of rounding off the old bolts :) . This one's gonna be fun.
But I am still confused. It really felt like I lost all of my brakes, not just 30-40%. They worked as soon as I pressed the pedal, but seemed like they would fade to 0. There is just something about this that doesn't make sense to me.
Jim
But I am still confused. It really felt like I lost all of my brakes, not just 30-40%. They worked as soon as I pressed the pedal, but seemed like they would fade to 0. There is just something about this that doesn't make sense to me.
Jim
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,013
Likes: 79
From: central FL, near the beach.
Re: When brakes fail? (Jim 77)
jim
there issomething wierd in the stock brake systems. i am not an expert on them, but when one end fails is only gives token brakes.
.....on my 67 ford i did not like this so i re-routed the lines to avoid the junction where the warning lamp connects. this was 10 years ago, and i don't remember the details, other than prior to that it lost ALL brakes when one wheel cyl leaked dry! dual braking my eye :rolleyes:
there issomething wierd in the stock brake systems. i am not an expert on them, but when one end fails is only gives token brakes.
.....on my 67 ford i did not like this so i re-routed the lines to avoid the junction where the warning lamp connects. this was 10 years ago, and i don't remember the details, other than prior to that it lost ALL brakes when one wheel cyl leaked dry! dual braking my eye :rolleyes:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,080
Likes: 1
From: Frankfurt, Taunus Hills
Re: When brakes fail? (Jim 77)
Jim, you are really a lucky guy!
The only question I have is how a brake line can crack????
I never heard about this, sorry!
Fortunately it was just the small part.
Use suitable tool for installing! Use line wrenches or Metrinch tools for tightening and loosening the brake line nuts, otherwise they will be rounded off very soon.......
BTW: The Vettes brake system does not set up the lines crossover but axlewise - front and rear, so you should have some brake power left over although it will be hard to brake!
I experienced my brakes fading when the front caliper was leaking and spilled some fluid on the pads and the discs. This was like oiling the brakes!!! :U
The only question I have is how a brake line can crack????
I never heard about this, sorry!
Fortunately it was just the small part.
Use suitable tool for installing! Use line wrenches or Metrinch tools for tightening and loosening the brake line nuts, otherwise they will be rounded off very soon.......
BTW: The Vettes brake system does not set up the lines crossover but axlewise - front and rear, so you should have some brake power left over although it will be hard to brake!
I experienced my brakes fading when the front caliper was leaking and spilled some fluid on the pads and the discs. This was like oiling the brakes!!! :U
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach CA
Re: When brakes fail? (454Big)
Thanks for all the replies! This is actually the second time I have bottomed out and cut a brake line. The line I broke is the one running from the caliper to the rubber hose. I have no idea how it broke, but it did. And I do have a line wrench, but I haven't been having too much luck. I'll get it done tho...
I have had either front or rear brakes fail before, many many many times. But this time it feels more like when my master cylinder went bad. They don't fade to poor, they fade to way less than poor. I am wondering if maybe my front brakes have big problems that the rear brakes were making up for?
And does anyone have any ideas how to clean up brake fluid (dot 3)?
Thanks again,
Jim
I have had either front or rear brakes fail before, many many many times. But this time it feels more like when my master cylinder went bad. They don't fade to poor, they fade to way less than poor. I am wondering if maybe my front brakes have big problems that the rear brakes were making up for?
And does anyone have any ideas how to clean up brake fluid (dot 3)?
Thanks again,
Jim
