Brake Bleeding

[EvilAsPie]

Well, i'm on the final stages of upgrading my obs to rear disk w/H6 and 2 pot front calipers.

Yesterday i got everything installed rear hubs, e-brake cables, lines, calipers, etc. I huge thanks to Mike J (AkinaSpeedStar)

He helped me for about 12 hours! I wouldn't be as far along as i am now without his help!

Everything looks great, but i seem to have a problem bleeding the lines. We did everything we knew but could not get a firm petal, and my father-in-law (a mechanic) came over to help. We double checked every line for air and even every ABS in and out for air. We have steady fluid everwhere, and the MC in full with no more bubbling. Plus the ABS check light is one. I can pump the brake vigorously and then get barely a firm petal for a second, but i can't use that as a excuse when i rear end someone.

Does anyone have any experience with this problem?

My thoughts are, there are a lot of high spots in the brake system, air could be still trapped in there and we need a power/speed bleeder to get it out. Or, my MC doesn't push enough volume for the bigger calipers. I'm 90% sure i read when researching this project that the MC is big enough, but i could be wrong.

If it is just air, does anyone have a power/speed bleeder i could barrow, or would anyone be willing to help?

I'll keep researching forums, but it's good to get local feedback. Thanks in advance.

 

[redlinerally]

When you put the calipers on, did you compress them completely? Also, the disks you have on right now, are they new-ish or do they have some wear? If they're worn, it's possible that they are severe???

I'm not an expert by any means... but I figured in my naive-itee that I might actually make sense. O0

 

[EvilAsPie]

I had to compress the calipers all the way just to get them over the rotors. All the calipers, rotors, and pads came off of an 01 leggy which appeared to have just had a brake job before it got side swiped. I was lucky enough to find it at cumberland salvage. All those components are nearly brand new.

I also can stop the tires from moving. With the car off the ground i moved the tires to about 20 mph and then could only stop them if i pumped the brake a lot. At that point i could hold the tires in place, so it seams the brakes are working, just poorly.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Shorty]

Did you bleed the fronts as well? If not, do it.

Try cracking open a fitting in the brake line closer to the master. Crack the fitting open, have someone push the pedal, close the line, then release the pedal. See if you get air there.

If not, pinch off the rubber hoses at the wheels. ( I use needle nose vice grips with the smooth tips so it dosen't damage the hose ) Pump the pedal. If its better, crack open the rear bleeders and let them gravity bleed for ten minutes or so, making sure the resivour doesn't go dry. It sounds like you've got air and this usually works.

 

[mikebike357]

don't grab your stainless brake lines with pliers! EEch!

But you know that.

Do you need to upgrade the MC when going to a 4 disc setup? I don't know squat about drum brakes but when you swap to the disc i'm wondering the MC needs to be upgraded to accomodate the new rear calipers.

 

[EvilAsPie]

What do you mean i shouldn't pinch off my brand new SS lines!?

Last night i found the thread i had read before about MCs and brake upgrades, and i shouldn't have to replace the MC. I could, and it would get me a slightly firmer petal, but it's not necessary.

http://www.rs25.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46085&highlight=drum+upgrade

If anyones interested.

OBKWG, thanks for tips. Mike is headed over again today to help me do some more bleeding. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[akinaspeedstar]

we got it! well not really but we found the problem. the drivers rear caliper was rubish and will need to be replaced, it was leaking heavily around the piston, and there was our air leek, below the bleeders so it didn't matter how much we bleed cause it would just seep back in. so on to another late night in the garage! good thing i stocked up on beer!

 

[EvilAsPie]

Thanks again for all your help man. Unfortunately it wasn't till after we bleed over a bottle of brake fluid through the system that we decided to recheck all the caliper installations. But at least now there is a cause, or a least a direction.

 

[akinaspeedstar]

so get the new one already, and get your tail light, and your pullies and.. i think that was all were waiting on. and we'll have another install night!

 

[mikebike357]

Don't forget to add some STM decals to your ride! >

 

[redlinerally]

Yeah... if the small ones aren't your thing, let me know. I can cut you some custom STM decals made to spec & color.

O0 >

 

[EvilAsPie]

new caliper ordered. Autozone, $45 w/52 core deposit. had to order it. Hopefully we'll be able to get that in tomorrow night. Maybe even have brakes.

I def want a STM decal. What colors/sizes are available now?

Redline, i may take you up on a custom decal, and i def will be getting some autox megnets come next summer.

 

[akinaspeedstar]

brakes work like a MOFO will throw you right into the seat belts. but then theres always one more thing with this damn car, the rear shocks need to be taken out and tighened down AGAIN, when you go over bumps you can hear them rattling. BUT the car drives and stops like a bastad

 

[EvilAsPie]

Rear struts are fixed. WRXs have a longer shoulder before the thread then OBSs. So my stock top bushings never would have tightened, no matter how hard we tried. And boy did we try hard, too hard, bent a couple of washers, oops.

Took them appart this morning and added a washer between the top mount and the bushing to make up the different.

Another huge thanks to mike. Yeah, the brakes are pretty much to sweetest thing ever (napoleon dynamite voice).

I'll be driving it to work tomorrow with a thick layer of garage dust on it and many interior pieces missing.

I'll have a few pics of all the goods in a little bit.

 

[akinaspeedstar]

sweet! glad you got it figured out! so not more jumping on the trunck for 30 mins trying to find the rattle! ;D

so now on to the supra's altenater, the brakes on the xterra, on jess's car...

 

[EvilAsPie]

It never ends. But i think the garage needs to be used for more important things first...

Like beer pong!!!