New Brakes.... New Problems
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,101
Likes: 3
From: Cruising somewhere in St. Louis, Missouri
New Brakes.... New Problems
OK... I purchased a full set of powercoated red calipers with the O-ring design from vette brake products and it came with new brakes pads and some new lines..... i installed them last week and took it out for a long drive today.... maybe 100+ miles and thats a lot for my car getting 5 miles a gallon 
"insert fun factor here"
OK... on with the issue. the brakes seem to be holding my car back like there is pressure already applied to the calipers as i drive. Could this be because of the newer brake pads that need to be broken in? I had 3 wheels full of brake dust today after the cruise and i pulled over twice out of the fustration.
is this normal and i have to let things settle down or is something else wrong?
Thanks
Jim
"insert fun factor here"OK... on with the issue. the brakes seem to be holding my car back like there is pressure already applied to the calipers as i drive. Could this be because of the newer brake pads that need to be broken in? I had 3 wheels full of brake dust today after the cruise and i pulled over twice out of the fustration.
is this normal and i have to let things settle down or is something else wrong?
Thanks
Jim
Last edited by luerja; Jun 13, 2009 at 09:42 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
OK... I purchased a full set of powercoated red calipers with the O-ring design from vette brake products and it came with new brakes pads and some new lines..... i installed them last week and took it out for a long drive today.... maybe 100+ miles and thats a lot for my car getting 5 miles a gallon "insert fun factor here"
OK... on with the issue. the brakes seem to be holding my car back like their is pressure already applied to the calipers as i drive. Could this be because of the newer brake pads that need to be broken in? I had 3 wheels full of brake dust today after the cruise and i pulled over twice out of the fustration.
is this normal and i have to let things settle down or is something else wrong?
Thanks
Jim
"insert fun factor here"OK... on with the issue. the brakes seem to be holding my car back like their is pressure already applied to the calipers as i drive. Could this be because of the newer brake pads that need to be broken in? I had 3 wheels full of brake dust today after the cruise and i pulled over twice out of the fustration.
is this normal and i have to let things settle down or is something else wrong?
Thanks
Jim
Rick B.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Have you replaced the master cylinder? Between the master cylinder and the booster there is a rod which is adjustable. If the rod is not adjusted properly it can hold pressure on the calipers.
However, if you had constant pressure on the rotors you would probably smell the heat off them when you stopped. Are they smoking? Do you smell anything?
Also as mentioned above a collapsed brake hose or a restriction in the brake lines could also cause drag.
What about putting the car in neutral while driving and see if they are dragging, this is one way to tell.
New pads will usually drag a little when you first install them but they will usually clean up real quick too! Good luck
IMHO,
Willcox
However, if you had constant pressure on the rotors you would probably smell the heat off them when you stopped. Are they smoking? Do you smell anything?
Also as mentioned above a collapsed brake hose or a restriction in the brake lines could also cause drag.
What about putting the car in neutral while driving and see if they are dragging, this is one way to tell.
New pads will usually drag a little when you first install them but they will usually clean up real quick too! Good luck
IMHO,
Willcox
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,101
Likes: 3
From: Cruising somewhere in St. Louis, Missouri
Have you replaced the master cylinder? Between the master cylinder and the booster there is a rod which is adjustable. If the rod is not adjusted properly it can hold pressure on the calipers.
However, if you had constant pressure on the rotors you would probably smell the heat off them when you stopped. Are they smoking? Do you smell anything?
Also as mentioned above a collapsed brake hose or a restriction in the brake lines could also cause drag.
What about putting the car in neutral while driving and see if they are dragging, this is one way to tell.
New pads will usually drag a little when you first install them but they will usually clean up real quick too! Good luck
IMHO,
Willcox
However, if you had constant pressure on the rotors you would probably smell the heat off them when you stopped. Are they smoking? Do you smell anything?
Also as mentioned above a collapsed brake hose or a restriction in the brake lines could also cause drag.
What about putting the car in neutral while driving and see if they are dragging, this is one way to tell.
New pads will usually drag a little when you first install them but they will usually clean up real quick too! Good luck
IMHO,
Willcox
They do not smell when i stop... but there was a lot of brake dust on my wheels. I can here my car using more power when cruising because of the issue...and i can feel the difference as soon as i installed them.
maybe one or two more days of cruising around would fix it but I really have no idea...I'm not use to installing new calipers and brakes pads on cars.
