Odd brake issues

[mbeals]

I just did a brake job on my car. New pads and rotors on all four wheels plus a new (reman) caliper on the front driver's side. Braking in a straight line is smooth at all speeds with zero pulse in the pedal.

however....

Sometimes when I'm applying decent force, like braking from a 55 to a 35 zone, I will feel a firm pressure with good stopping force, then the pedal will go soft and sink a little ways before the pressure returns. When it does this, the pedal seems to feel firmer, earlier in the travel than usual.

I've also noticed that when I do anything that compresses the front right suspension (e.g. fast turn to the right or driving up on a curve) while braking, I get feed back in the pedal....as if the act of compressing the suspension is increasing the brake pressure and applying the brakes.

The final thing is that I am still getting brake chirp on the right side of the car. It sounds like a brake pad is worn out, even though I have less than 500 miles on all of the components.

I've pulled both right side wheels off and looked at everything, and nothing obvious is wrong. Pads and rotors are wearing normally...everything is tight...nothing is pinched.

Any ideas on what could be causing this?

[a.graham52]

Any of if brake hoses twisted? Exain what the pedal is doing when cornering.

Ur squeak could be caused by "sharp" edges on the pads. Take some 80 grit sand paper and smooth them edges. Make sure non of the tins are bent and hitting the rigors, lastly put a touch of brake lib on the metal of the pads where they touch the caliper. Just a little! And make sire there is some lube on the pads where they sit in the brackets, just a little! I have personaly seen all of these cause brake noise.

[mbeals]

I'll check the hoses again, but when I looked the last time I had the wheels off, I didn't see anything. I'll sand and re-lube things this weekend, so I'll double check them.

If I have my foot on the pedal, applying moderate force (more than just feathering the brakes), when I turn to the right fast enough to make the front end dive a little, or if I drive the right front up on a curb, I can feel the brake pedal push back upward, and the car will pull to the right slightly.

[a.graham52]

are you sure your just not feeling yourself move in the car as the body twists? sometimes it can be very easy if to do if you over think things. however, if it pulls to the right with the brakes applied then there (in theory) is a problem with one of the left brakes not grabbing hard enough. a lazy front brake will give you the steering wheel "twist" moreso then a lazy rear brake.

[billytheman1188]

1. Did you clean/lube the slides that pads slide into?

2. Did you lube the bolts that hold the caliper on the bracket and makes the caliper slide back and forth when its off? The LONG bolts that go through the plastic boot. Lube them up good and put them back in.

3. Did you bleed the brakes REALLY GOOD? Where did you start when you bled the system? Back right? Did you make sure that you didn't see ANY air in the brake system.....it's easy to see if you have a little clear plastic tube to put on the end of the bleeder and then you crack it and see if there are air bubbles in it. Make sure you do a thorough job bleeding.

[mbeals]

Yea..I'm definitely feeling it in the pedal. I was talking to a friend and said that a bad wheel bearing can give pedal feel...and I do have a bad left front bearing. Could that really be doing it?

as for the other questions:

1. cleaned and lubed the slides

2. I didn't pull the caliper pins. The reman caliper I bought came with the bracket.

3. I just bled the right front. I didn't think air would work it's way back far enough into the system to warrant a full system bleed. After bleeding just the right front, it had solid pedal feel and continues to until it does that random 'catch' thing. Is it possible I let the fluid in the reservoir get too low and pulled air into the master cylinder?

[billytheman1188]

Originally Posted by mbeals

Yea..I'm definitely feeling it in the pedal. I was talking to a friend and said that a bad wheel bearing can give pedal feel...and I do have a bad left front bearing. Could that really be doing it?

as for the other questions:

1. cleaned and lubed the slides

2. I didn't pull the caliper pins. The reman caliper I bought came with the bracket.

3. I just bled the right front. I didn't think air would work it's way back far enough into the system to warrant a full system bleed. After bleeding just the right front, it had solid pedal feel and continues to until it does that random 'catch' thing. Is it possible I let the fluid in the reservoir get too low and pulled air into the master cylinder?

When you bled the system did you start the car or leave it off? Sorrty didn't realize you just replaced one caliper. Not to supposed to start it to bleed.....just do it with the car off, cause then when you start the car you're more likely to get air in the rest of the system.

[mbeals]

Nope, I didn't start it.

I was using the rag method instead of the 'tube and jar' method, so I have no way of knowing if there were no more bubbles, but I did bleed the crap out of it... and it did have a firm, high pedal when I was done.

[a.graham52]

A wheel bearing "could" cause a feel if its loose enough. Did u bleed the brakes with a decline person to open and close the bleader while u pushed the pedal?

[Gr1m]

this happened to me. the 3 bolts that hold the wheel hub to the steering knuckle came loose. this could be your problem. if it is put an aggressive loctite on the threads of the bolts (i think red is strong?)

[a.graham52]

Originally Posted by Gr1m

this happened to me. the 3 bolts that hold the wheel hub to the steering knuckle came loose. this could be your problem. if it is put an aggressive loctite on the threads of the bolts (i think red is strong?)

yes red is strong. however i have never had these bolts come loose and iv done hubs on this style on many many vehicles. just make sure you get the bolts effing tight.