BRAKE there is a problem

[ali]

Dear All,

I've a problem with my Honda Civic, 2005.... comparing to any "normal" car!!! u know when u press the brake pedal it gives u some kind of a proportionality in stoping the car..
but in my case, half the way through the full brake pressing gives almost nothing, so i need to press a longer distance to acheive what am expecting, instead of a small press.

so, any ideas what the problem is and how it can be solved?????????

thanx in advance

[Bruno]

i'm no honda expert... but i can point out few possibilitis. either you have some air in your braking system, or might be that there is some sort of clogged brake lines.. or the oil is less... or the brake booster is shot! it should be checked asap.

btw some times if you install crappy pads you will have the same problem

[Ayham]

Probable reasons:

- Shot master cylinder
- Brake fluid has air in it
- Brake fluid leak
- Shot brake booster

[BMWe46]

ya i had the same problem with the company car they gave me a skoda... the brake is like 11" deep while the e46 has like 2" deep brake.

[jmeister]

i am getting new brakes :) does anybody know if u have to follow the bedding in procedure? stoptech recommends it and so does brembo (who are one of BMW's OEM suppliers). some say to brake carefully, but the bedding-in procedure seems quite harsh. I wont even ask AGMC advice on what to do so I need to check with the experts. what do u guys think?

[Ayham]

I suggest you open a new thread in the Suspension & Brakes forum for better feedback...

Mechanical systems, by nature, require some sort of breaking in (or bedding in) when they are first commissioned. Rotors are generically covered by layers of coating for storage to inhibit rust for example. Not good for braking performance. The same goes for brake pads. Next time you install a brake kit (OEM or aftermarket) try and hit the brake at 100km/hr (PLEASE make sure it's an empty stretch of the road). The car won't stop as you expected because the pads are "sliding" over the rotor surface due to the coatings. Breaking in yields shaving off these layers till your friction material comes in contact with the rotor surface...

Simple and important :)

[petrolhead]

How to Bed-in Your Brakes

Bedding allows your brakes to reach their full potential. Until they are bedded, your brakes simply do not work as well as they can. If you've installed a big brake kit, changed your pads and rotors, or even if you've purchased a brand new car, you should set aside some time to bed the brakes in by following the instructions below. Proper bedding will improve pedal feel, reduce or eliminate brake squeal, and extend the life of your pads and rotors.

Caution: After installing new pads/rotors or a big brake kit, the first few applications of the brake pedal will result in almost no braking power. Gently apply the brakes a few times at low speed in order to build up some grip before blasting down the road at high speed. Otherwise, you may be in for a nasty surprise the first time you hit the brakes at 60 mph.

If you have just installed rotors with zinc or cadmium plating, or if the rotors have an anti-corrosion phosphate coating, you should postpone the bedding process until normal driving has allowed your brake pads to polish the rotors clean and removed all traces of the plating or coating.

Read and understand these instructions completely before starting. If you have any questions, give us a call or email. Do not substitute higher speeds for the 60mph called for in these instructions. The heat in your brakes goes up exponentially as you increase the speed from which you brake. If you make repeated stops from 80 or 90mph with street pads, you will overheat the brakes and may end up having to replace pads and/or rotors.

When following these instructions, avoid other vehicles. Bedding is often best done early in the morning, when traffic is light, since other drivers will have no idea what you are up to and will respond in a variety of ways ranging from fear to curiosity to aggression. A police officer will probably not understand when you try to explain why you were driving erratically! Zeckhausen Racing does not endorse speeding on public roads and takes no responsibility for any injuries or tickets you may receive while following these instructions.

[1]From a speed of 60mph, gently apply the brakes a couple of times to bring them up to operating temperature. This prevents you from thermally shocking the rotors and pads in the next steps.

[2]Make a series of eight near-stops from 60 to about 10 mph. Do it HARD by pressing the brakes firmly, but do not lock the wheels or engage ABS. At the end of each slowdown, immediately accelerate back to 60mph and then apply the brakes again. DO NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP! If you stop completely and sit there with your foot on the brake pedal, you will imprint pad material onto the hot rotors, which could lead to vibration, uneven braking, and even ruin the rotors.

[3]The brakes may begin to fade after the 7th or 8th near-stop. This fade will stabilize, but not completely go away until the brakes have fully cooled. A strong smell from the brakes, and even smoke, is normal.

[4]After the 8th near-stop, accelerate back up to speed and cruise for a while, using the brakes as little as possible. The brakes need about 5 minutes to cool down. Try not to become trapped in traffic or come to a complete stop while the brakes are still very hot.

[5]If race pads, such as Hawk DTC-70 or Performance Friction 01 are being used, add four near-stops from 80 to 10mph.

[6]After the break-in cycle, there should be a slight blue tint and a light gray film on the rotor face. The blue tint tells you the rotor has reached break-in temperature and the gray film is pad material starting to transfer onto the rotor face. This is what you are looking for. The best braking occurs when there is an even layer of of pad material deposited across the face of the rotors. This minimizes squealing, increases braking torque, and maximizes pad and rotor life.

[7]After the first break in cycle shown above, the brakes may still not be fully broken in. A second bed-in cycle, AFTER the brakes have cooled down fully from the first cycle, may be necessary before the brakes really start to perform well. This is especially true if you have installed new pads on old rotors. If you've just installed a big brake kit, the pedal travel may not feel as firm as you expected. After the second cycle, the pedal will become noticeably firmer. If necessary, bleed the brakes to improve pedal firmness.

Source @ Zeckhausen.com