Brakes: Better Pedal Feel When Pressing Brake Twice

[nuffsaid]

hi all

I noticed in my GTT that when I am driving around, the first application of the brakes dont feel as hard or firm as the second touch of the brakes.

Basically if I want to come to a stop at the lights, I will brake the first time, but if I let go of the brakes and step on it again straight away, this second time I step of the brakes it feels to have a better bite and is slightly firmer.

Why is this so? Is this normal? Seems like I need to bleed some air in the brake ssytem?

I recently had my brakes machined, new proper pads put in, and bled. I also have a brake cylinder stopper (which was not removed when bleeding the brakes, dont know if this matters)

The person who did it all bled the brakes from the front drivers side, to the front passenger, then did the rears. He said that order did not matter.

Its quite annoying as I thought my brake service would have made my brakes feel better than this.

Any help is appreciated!

[paulr33]

you could try bleeding them again or take it to a brake place for a service / check, it almost soundns like the brake lines are flexing too much and taking up the slack

[nuffsaid]

The thing is though, when I am actually stopped at the lights, no matter how many times i pump the pedal, it doesnt get harder.

So it only feels harder when i pump several times when i am coming to a stop.

Note: Formula Ferodo pads in front, Bendix Advance in the rear. (this might help)

[flagger]

sounds like the master cylinder might need reconditioning...

this happened to me in my R32. master cylinder got resleeved

Edited April 4, 2006 by flagger

[joh21m]

where do you get it resleeved?

[MerlinTheHapyPig]

call up any brake place, if they can't do it, they can point you in the right direction (and will usually do a free safety check & give their opinion of your problem)

Alot of people don't bother rebuilding master cylinders these days because it's often cheaper to just replace...

[dangerous_daveo]

call up any brake place, if they can't do it, they can point you in the right direction (and will usually do a free safety check & give their opinion of your problem)

Alot of people don't bother rebuilding master cylinders these days because it's often cheaper to just replace...

I was just about to say... With my clutch slave a new genuine nissan one was cheaper than a rebuild. With the brake master it was about $2 diff, just I had to wait for the nissan one so I went the rebuild.

[Eug]

The person who did it all bled the brakes from the front drivers side, to the front passenger, then did the rears. He said that order did not matter.

get someone else to bleed it...

you are meant to begin bleeding calipers from the one which is furtherest away from the master cylinder.

so in the case of a skyline, rear left, rear right, front left, then front right.

well thats the unwritten rule anyway and i've never had a problem.

[Busky2k]

The bleeding order probably wouldnt have made a difference in pedal feel, its more about just making sure all the oil fluid is gone.

Maybe you need to bed the pads in or something?

[nuffsaid]

Reconditioning? sounds expensive! Whats the expected price to recondition the master cylinder?

I didnt think that bleeding them again would make a difference because at a stop, pumping the pedal doesnt really improve anything.

And pads were properly bedded in 3 weeks ago as per instructions on the box.

Edited April 5, 2006 by nuffsaid

[dangerous_daveo]

$100 or so?

[nuffsaid]

Seems a bit cheap, is that inclusive of labour?

[predator]

I tend to find it in most of the cars I have had.. I actually like the feel, if you're just coming to a bit of a gradual stop you don't want it to lock up straight away.. second hard press if you really want to lock it up.

I always pump my brakes on stopping anyhow. It depends on the extent, but it may actually be fairly normal??

[nuffsaid]

Yeah maybe its a common occurrence.

Its not that bad, I mean the brakes a better than how they were before I got all the work done to it.

I just wanted to know why its happening, its quite annoying but maybe not worth a master cylinder rebuild.

[AlexCim]

If i am driving on the road i dont feel this at all, but if i am in winding roads, i tend to find that when my brakes heat up a bit and are under some load if i am slowing down, then let off quickly then back on right away, it slows down faster.

I've put it down to the fact that i dont have slotted rotors and the gasses build up and releasing for that 0.1s gets rid of it all?

[MerlinTheHapyPig]

Seems a bit cheap, is that inclusive of labour?

rebuild's aren't that hard, all they do is disassemble the master cylinder, clean everything in metho, check the bore and then replace all of the o-rings and seals etc.

(if bore is pitted or worn, have to replace master cylinder...)

up to you, but it can't hurt going and getting a quote...

[Sydneykid]

As advised via PM, sounds like pad knock off to me. Get the run out on the rotors checked. They were machined on the car, which can be risky if not done carefully.

cheers

[nuffsaid]

Master cylinder recondition inclusive of genuine parts and labour $400

The car feels like there is some slack in the brakes. The first centimetre or 2 offers no bite. Is this adjustable?

[PMATT]

Master cylinder recondition inclusive of genuine parts and labour $400

The car feels like there is some slack in the brakes. The first centimetre or 2 offers no bite. Is this adjustable?

Have reconditioned the skyline1 1/16 brake master cylinders before for about $250 (give or take) master only already off the car.