BarneyMobile

iTrader: (4)

I've notice lately the my braking power is not what it use to be. I think its time for new brake lines. Im not sure if I want to go braided stainless steal lines or just new GM rubber lines. I hear with the braided lines the pedel is rock hard. I just want my braking power back. It wont even lock up the tires in the rain.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

You want increased stopping power and think brake LINES are the way to get it?

For increased horsepower, would you just increase the size of the fuel line?

BarneyMobile

iTrader: (4)

The way I'm thinking is that the old rubber lines are just beat and expand under braking where new lines or braided lines wouldnt expand like the old beat rubber lines.

Krab

iTrader: (28)

Have you tried flushing the old fluid out and bleeding afterwards? This alone might net you the results you're looking for.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

Have you tried new brake pads?

I'm sorry ... I just don't buy that for a daily driven street car one can get stock lines hot enough to cause a soft pedal.

And that what toasted lines feel like ... a spongy pedal. The car still stops the same, it's just the "feel" is soft.

Barney made no mention of a soft or long pedal, just no braking "power" I interpret that as mashing the brake pedal and nothing happens.

Foxxtron

iTrader: (1)

Barney, first things first.

1. How many miles since new pads and rotors, and what kind are they?
2. How many miles and how old is the brake fluid? Is it DOT 3, or a properly upgraded fluid?
3. Have you properly inspected the brake system, including the caliper piston boots, the caliper slider pins, and even the brake fluids condition, and not just looking at the brake lines?

FWIW on a stock brake system with upgrades consisting of brembo blanks, Hawk HP+, fresh DOT 5.1, and a proper OE caliper rebuild (piston boots and slider pins) for my street car, there was at least a realisitically measurable improvement, including a stiffer pedal, but when I added stainless steel lines, I thought the improvement would increase greatly, but guess what? the stopping distances and the brake pedal stiffness improvements weren't significant enough to measure by SOTP or by the naked eyes (that is if there was any measurable improvement, and there wasn't, at least with the equipment available).

BarneyMobile

iTrader: (4)

The rotors are stock replacements from wagner and wagner pads. the rotors are about 2 years old and the pads have a bout 5k miles on them since the cars last brake job. To clearify my problem, what I notice is it still takes the same braking effort to stop but the pedal travels much further so if I had to make a panic stop I dont have enough pedal left to do that. The fluid level is perfect. It looks alittle dirty. I dont think its ever been changed. I'm gonna try flushing & bleeding the brakes tomorrow and see what happens. I dont kno if this has anything to do with the problem or not but my #1 header primary tube come really close to one of my brake lines (about 1/4 inch) but there is a heat shield between the brake line and the header tube.

Foxxtron

iTrader: (1)

Affirmative. Like mitchntx and Krab mentioned, it's more likely a problem with things other than the lines themselves, and definitely not the fact that the lines are OE rubber coated fibreglass weave.

You definitely need a flush and could use a good brake fluid upgrade, i.e. DOT 5.1, DOT 4.0 or it's equivalents, such as RBF 600, ATE Super Blue, ATE typ 200, and several others, but do not use DOT 5.0 under any circumstances.

While you're at it, go ahead and check the caliper and brake lines. I doubt these effects may be happening, however I think you should check the caliper piston boots and the caliper slider pins just to make sure they're in good condition.

BarneyMobile

iTrader: (4)

I did a brake flush and rebled the whole brake system. works great now. Thanks for the help!