Brake pedal travel question. Normal?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,112
Likes: 1
From: Torrance CA
Brake pedal travel question. Normal?
It seems like the distance the brake pedal travels before the brakes engage changes. Sometimes just a tap and the brakes are on and other times, you have to push it an inch or more before anything happens. Is this normal? My brakes function well and the fluid level is correct. I just wondered if this is cause for concern and indicative of a problem. Thanks for the insight.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,123
Likes: 3
From: Orland Park Illinois
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
I'd be a little concerned, if this were my car. My '98 is 7years old w/18k miles and I do not have this kind of variation in the brake peddle. Just my opinion. Good luck. 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Ok you are experiencing a few things here: brake fade and brake pad taper.
what to do:
1. Need to FLUSH and replace not top off the brake fluid. Yor brake fluid is too old.
2. New brake pads are in order, those are just about shot. if the pads have an uneven ware, then look at #3 below
3. check the caliper brakets, they may be bent. If so time to replace the brakets too.
Not too bad. about 2 hours for DIY if you know what your doing, 3 hours if you dont.
Good project.
Oh look at your rotors while you have every thing apart.
Good Luck
what to do:
1. Need to FLUSH and replace not top off the brake fluid. Yor brake fluid is too old.
2. New brake pads are in order, those are just about shot. if the pads have an uneven ware, then look at #3 below
3. check the caliper brakets, they may be bent. If so time to replace the brakets too.
Not too bad. about 2 hours for DIY if you know what your doing, 3 hours if you dont.
Good project.
Oh look at your rotors while you have every thing apart.
Good Luck
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,308
Likes: 1
From: The Beautiful Greater Bay Area California
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
Ok you are experiencing a few things here: brake fade and brake pad taper.
what to do:
1. Need to FLUSH and replace not top off the brake fluid. Yor brake fluid is too old.
2. New brake pads are in order, those are just about shot. if the pads have an uneven ware, then look at #3 below
3. check the caliper brakets, they may be bent. If so time to replace the brakets too.
Not too bad. about 2 hours for DIY if you know what your doing, 3 hours if you dont.
Good project.
Oh look at your rotors while you have every thing apart.
Good Luck
what to do:
1. Need to FLUSH and replace not top off the brake fluid. Yor brake fluid is too old.
2. New brake pads are in order, those are just about shot. if the pads have an uneven ware, then look at #3 below
3. check the caliper brakets, they may be bent. If so time to replace the brakets too.
Not too bad. about 2 hours for DIY if you know what your doing, 3 hours if you dont.
Good project.
Oh look at your rotors while you have every thing apart.
Good Luck
Attend to your brakes ASAP. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,059
Likes: 12
From: AKA Harvey Mushman-I know just enough to be dangerous "Those who sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither"- B. Franklin
Senior Member
Cruise-In V Veteran
I've flushed non ABS brakes with a suction gun type bleeder. Can you do ABS brakes the same way?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Originally Posted by madeouttaglass
I've flushed non ABS brakes with a suction gun type bleeder. Can you do ABS brakes the same way?
Vacuum bleeding if done too fast can seperate the fluids. It is much quicker and safer to use the power bleeder. the 10-15 psi of pressure is more then enough to go though the ABS modules and the caliper.
Last edited by AU N EGL; Dec 28, 2005 at 09:35 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Rancho Cucamonga California
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
No Never use a 'suction' or vacuum bleeder on any brake lines. always PUSH the fluid though the lines.
Vacuum bleeding if done too fast can seperate the fluids. It is much quicker and safer to use the power bleeder. the 10-15 psi of pressure is more then enough to go though the ABS modules and the caliper.
Vacuum bleeding if done too fast can seperate the fluids. It is much quicker and safer to use the power bleeder. the 10-15 psi of pressure is more then enough to go though the ABS modules and the caliper.
Thanks
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Cant really Create thtat "perfect vacuum" and this the problem. air gets sucked though the tygon tude bleed valve connection.
Part of the bleeding process is seeing bubbles, if any and or color change of the fluid thought they clear tygon tubing attached the bleed valve as it drains in to an old bottle or what ever you use.
I use an old 16 oz plastic coke bottle with a hole drilled in the cap and put the tygon tube though that.
If you dont have the power bleeder then it becomes a two person opperation. One to pump and hold down the brake peddle and one to bleed.
Good Luck
Part of the bleeding process is seeing bubbles, if any and or color change of the fluid thought they clear tygon tubing attached the bleed valve as it drains in to an old bottle or what ever you use.
I use an old 16 oz plastic coke bottle with a hole drilled in the cap and put the tygon tube though that.
If you dont have the power bleeder then it becomes a two person opperation. One to pump and hold down the brake peddle and one to bleed.
Good Luck
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Rancho Cucamonga California
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
Cant really Create thtat "perfect vacuum" and this the problem. air gets sucked though the tygon tude bleed valve connection.
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
Part of the bleeding process is seeing bubbles, if any and or color change of the fluid thought they clear tygon tubing attached the bleed valve as it drains in to an old bottle or what ever you use.
I use an old 16 oz plastic coke bottle with a hole drilled in the cap and put the tygon tube though that.
If you dont have the power bleeder then it becomes a two person opperation. One to pump and hold down the brake peddle and one to bleed.
Good Luck
I use an old 16 oz plastic coke bottle with a hole drilled in the cap and put the tygon tube though that.
If you dont have the power bleeder then it becomes a two person opperation. One to pump and hold down the brake peddle and one to bleed.
Good Luck
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Missouri
Another thing, if you unhook your brake lines from the calipers you'll need to replace the copper washers that are on both sides of the line. I just had my calipers powdercoated and didnt replace them so when I tried to bleed the brakes, they leaked. I replaced those washers and all was well. I bought them at the local GM dealer. They werent expensive.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 8,222
Likes: 0
From: Norfolk VA
Or you can take one of the cold copper washers to any autoparts or hardware store and buy 8 copper washer of the same size, cost between $0.25 and $1 for all of them. The last set I got wern't as think as the origionals, but still did the job.