how can i get a stiffer brake pedal it doesnt feel like its mushy or spongey but i got used to my truck and its much stiffer
how can i get a stiffer brake pedal it doesnt feel like its mushy or spongey but i got used to my truck and its much stiffer
Originally Posted by w261w261
I know what you mean...
I have to switch between driving an 89 accord and an 07 accord. The difference in brakes is the most annoying part of driving two different vehicles. One stops instantly with almost no pressure on the brake, the other needs to be pushed halfway down before the car even starts to slow.
stainless brake lines might help...
What kind of brake pads/shoes are you using? The first time I replaced my pads and shoes with low dollar Raybestos stuff from Pep Boys (this was in 1992) I noticed the pedal softening quite a bit. Now that I run $60 ceramic pads up front and genuine Honda shoes in the back I don't have that issue. Of course, it could be other things, too.
You could try disconnecting the brake booster. That will make it much stiffer. A harder pad compound would also help.
C|
well i was wondering about the rear drum brakes maybe they are not adjusted proberly? and im using mid grade napa pads and rotors
don't disconnect the booster, that will increase your braking distance significantly, I looked it up in the book, and the difference is something like 150 feet extra stopping distance. the best thing you can do, is make sure your brakes are adjusted right, is the master cylinder leaking in any way, how worn are the pads? the shoes? are the lines leaking? when is the last time the brakes were bled? check for leakage around the rear pistons and the brake calipers in front, the rears leak all the time, this allows air into the system, they are so cheap, they are easier to replace,
yeah i dont feel like disconecting my booster but all the lines are fine the pads are new no leaks on the wheel cylinder and how do you adjust the rear brakes tho i id it a few years back on my 79 toyota but i forgot how
I would say swap to rear discs, but my pedal is softer since I swapped.
Dr_Snooz
"I like to take hammers, and just break stuff, just break stuff." - Beavis
1989 Honda Accord LX-i Coupe, 240k miles, MT swap, rear disc swap
Shop manual downloads available here: CLICK TO VIEW
i know what you mean, these cars do have a heavy feel to the braking, nothing at all like a newer even mid 90s Honda.
Do a complete brake fluid flush and a fresh MC, machine the rear drums and replace return springs along with some good shoes. Spend some time adjusting those couldnt hurt then heh.
Those stainless flex lines for the front too like itzDave said.
You people are seriously bitching about honda braking? Ever driven a '70's or '80's GM pickup? That is a seriously mushy pedal. Try a shortbox toyota hilux with the LSPV removed and no weight in the back...the rear drums lock in an instant, and you're spinning before the discs start to even apply.
Sure they're not the best, but they're not that bad unless somethings failed. Adjusting the drums will help a bit, normally they should be automatically adjusting, but if not, there's some star wheel bullshit that somebody that actually has a 3rd gen should explain. Honda loves to constantly change things and my 2g brakes are somewhat different I'm sure.
ICHIBAN!
"Now, even more better!"
how long has it been since they were bled? air eventually gets in the system over time, and bleed diagonally,left front,right rear, eg, every few years you should do this to flush the fluid anyway,
alright when i get my check i have a few things to do ill get the rear breaks replaced flush the brake system and does anyone know if there is a master cylender with a larger bore diameter i can use if not im going to make a hydroboost unit
it's perfectly possible to lock the brakes on this car if they are working right, once you do that you've already lost traction, and anything past that point is worthless, the main reason to go to bigger brakes is for bigger rotors which can handle more heat without fade.
First I'm going to assume everything checks out ok in terms of adjustment, fluids, etc.. If not then I would fix those things first.
If you really do want a stiffer pedal, then you could do the following things. Pads with a lower coefficient of friction will require more pedal force to create the same stopping force. Usually aftermarket/racing pads have a higher coefficient of friction than OEM so I'm not sure what you would want to use.
If you have a DX/LX or an '86-'87 LXi you could maybe try swapping the master cylinder out for an '88-'89 LXi MC. The newer LXi MCs have a 15/16" bore instead of 7/8". I don't know if the brake lines would match up exactly but it should bolt up the same.
Replacing the rubber lines with braided stainless lines might help but I don't think you'll notice much difference.
I wasn't really serious about disconnecting the booster but it would make the pedal stiffer. And for the record, it will NOT decrease the car's stopping distance, provided you can press the pedal hard enough. The booster only provides assist, so if you have legs like Popeye you could live without the power assist. It will be REALLY stiff though as the pedal ratio isn't intended for manual operation.
Ultimately I think your best bet is to go over the entire brake system to make sure everything is ok. Then try playing with different pad compounds to change the feel.
A hydraulic boost would be interesting but I don't see how it would be different than vaccum boost. If you're really nuts (like myself) you could do a booster delete and re-engineer the brake system to be completely manual, but it's a crap ton of work to do it right.
C|
^wut he sed^
Most likely there not. if your e brake does not hold the car on flat ground the rear brakes need to be adjusted. The shoes should just touch the drum enough so you can slide the drum on. This adjustment dictates the brake pedal feel.
wp
1988 Lxi owner since August 1995
336k miles running strong!
Now running E85.
Oldblueaccord <<< MY YOUTUBE PAGE!
my e brake works fine especially since my driveway is steep and i have an 88 lxi so i have the larger master cylinder
Um you really don' t understand brakes do you?
not the drum breaks but the disk yes
the emergency brake is mechanical no matter if they are disk or drum
ok i understand that it is a cable connected to a lever that spreads the rear shoes to the drum or sqweezes the pads to the rotor
I cannot personally speak to the whole brake hose issue. I mentioned it to my Honda mechanic last year and he said that even the "all rubber" hoses were lined so stainless steel braid covered hoses may look better but may not provide improved performance, unless yours are leaking. I put up with the soft pedal for years and the most significant improvement happened with using Honda OEM shoes and new drum brake hardware. The most improvement I noticed from the ceramic pads up front was reduced brake dust and, since the dust color is lighter, less ugliness on the front wheels between car washings. I can't say that the stopping distance is shorter. There is definitely no brake noise, thus the Raybestos product name, "Quiet Stop."
I have invested alot of time and money on my break set up. the best thing to do is to try different pads. also flush your oil. I use Napa DOT 5.1 with my breaks and I love it. its the best brakes I ever stopped on.
1989 Honda Accord LX-i
B18c1 swap since 7/2011
175whp and 132tq
Redzone tuned
Is DOT 5 silicone fluid? If so, what procedure did you use to flush out all the old glycol based fluid?
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