Thread: What is wrong with my brakes?

My brakes have been trash since I swapped my rotors and pads. I mean since a year ago and I delt with it but after driving a friends car I realized mine are almost non existant! My ebrake goes all the way back and I can move the car if I push hard enough. My rear brakes dont barely work but my fronts work. If I have to hit them hard the fronts lock and I slide. Pedal feels like I have no help... as hard as I push the pedal is as hard as the car stops. I think its the MC but it was fine with the oem rotors and pads. Lines seem fine.. idk what the hell. What really made me pissed is all of a sudden I smell my front right brake pads burning as if I'm riding my brakes. Just started today. WTFF

You can adjust your e-brake cable.

See if the pistons are being moved when the cable is pulled by the lever in the cabin.

If your fronts are draggin, you will see lines of the pad cutting into the rotor.

Getting stainless steel brake lines will improve pedal feel.

Also, installing the larger AD22VF brake calipers will increase pedal stiffness.

The stock system is sloppy, at best.

Its not the ebrake cable. My brakes are more than sloppy.. the almost dont do anything. It feels as if I get noo help from the master cylinder but idk for sure. My pedal goes down halfway before any type of grab. Like I said, it was fine before I swapped everything the pads and rotors were just worn bad.. after the new parts everything was shit. I will admit I did NOT compress the rear calipers correctly. Back when I did it I had never messed with rear rotors before. I ended up twisting the pistons in with pliers. The rear pads were tight on the rotor after the install. they had to burn down

Maybe you glazed the pads in the rear? The e-brake does not operate through the MC, so one issue does not necessarily lead the next. It is possible that you "burned down" the rear pads enough that the ebrake needs to be adjusted to make up the difference. At the same time, if during the burning down you glazed the pads, they would do jack when you stepped on the brake pedal.

Makes alot of sense! I'm going to try and get more pads and rotors and see if it works out. Thanks.

Have you changed your fluid and bled the lines? You may not need new pads and rotors, just scuff them up and try again.

Adjust your ebrake cable by tightening the 10mm nut under the handle.

Check your vacuum lines going to the break booster.

Did you bed in the pads properly?

Read this carefully: Brake Tech - Brake Pad and Rotor Bed-In Procedures

Also make sure you to bleed each line. When doing so, take note on the volume of fluid that comes out. Sometime a small particle gets in the line and can partial block the pressure causing the symtoms you mentioned. Although, if it's parking brake related that wouldn't apply. You may want to rebed the rears by riding the parking brake a little. It may give you more pad bite...nothing worst than being unsure about whether the car is going to stay put while parking on a hill.

where could i get a dial indicator gauge to check my new rotor

^ harbor freight tools, I think they are less than $30

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