5-lug pedal feel concern and e-brake question

[281pony]

i have 13" cobra front brakes and now 12" baer rear brakes. before the 12" rear i had 11.65" cobra stuff. my issue before was a soft pedal.

the pedal would drop down and stay FIRM but i could press it as hard as i wanted, without any noticeable increase in braking/stopping distance. i could also lightly pump the pedal to gain stopping power.

fastforward to now. i have replaced the master cylinder with a 1 1/16th new, and a new stock fox booster. i did not get a later model, because it would NOT fit. the wiring harness in my car is tightly packed against the firewall. i tried for 4 hours to make an sn95 booster fit without luck.

the pedal is still very soft until past the half-travel point. then it gets firm. i have some improvement over the prior scenario i stated. the brakes still do not put me through the windshield as i feel they should. i drive my acura tl and my girlfriends mach 1 (03) and it feels like such stronger braking then my car.

another thing i noticed. if my first compression of the brake pedal is FIRM, then the pedal engages higher and feels more responsive to pedal pressure for the remainder of the drive.

does this give you guys a clue? im losing no fluid, the brakes have been bled 3x, the mc was bench bled. i don't get it..

lastly, on my e-brake cables i got with the 12" baer stuff. they are too long, i routed them just like stock, regardless they are just too long. with my center adjustable cable tightened completely and the handle pulled fully, i had barely and drag on the brakes. just enough to feel by hand. is there any companies/specialty shops who commonly can shorten cables like this?

 

[nibik91]

check for a vacum leak. i assume you have replace the flexible lines? i dont know much about these setups but maybe the stock booster it is not enough for your applications.

check for a leak is what i would do first. check the simple things first.

 

[GroverDill]

93's use different E brake cables, maybe this is the deal with the length?

To get better pedal feel you can adjust the rod in the booster, however I really think you need a SN booster (from a stock 4 wheel disk car)

Good luck.

 

[281pony]

i checked the rod length, damn that sounds gay. anyway, it is adjusted properly. there really isin't a way for me to fit a newer booster in there. unless i want to relocate the primary harness that goes along the firewall. i guess it's doable, ill have to pull a fender liner and see.

my vacuum is strong and consistant. i have a boost/vac gauge to verify that at all times.

i did research my brake kit. with all the information i could find, i have a 93' specific setup somehow. every hit with the part numbers i put in, were for the baer 93' specific kit. who knows though, gotta love ford changing cable routing/length for one year.

i would reuse the 93' cobra cables i have, but the end uses a loop shaped piece versus the plumbob shaped end on the cobra. the whole assembly just seems kinda halfass. just shy of half the cable is insulated, seems really unsecured and at risk of fraying.

 

[Shaolin Crane]

You're describing a booster issue, sounds like you're not getting enough assist. Not sure what you mean about the harness i just pulled it out of the way and elongated the holes, if you cut one of the studs it will help getting the angle right to install it.

 

[Chuckman]

i checked the rod length, damn that sounds gay. anyway, it is adjusted properly. there really isin't a way for me to fit a newer booster in there. unless i want to relocate the primary harness that goes along the firewall. i guess it's doable, ill have to pull a fender liner and see.

are you using the stock gt/lx booster? if so, you might try the cobra version, yours being a 93 it should drop right in without much issue, though it will be tight. you wont have to reroute the harness at all, though the upper intake may have to come off for a bit to get it in there. some of the sn boosters are the same except for the bolt pattern being a bit off (hence the slotting of the holes mentioned earlier).

the cable problems are probably something unique to the baer kit, anytime you go with true aftermarket stuff theres always a chance of something funky going on.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I don't think this is a booster issue.

 

[Butterfinger]

Find an E-brake cable off a '94-95 GT. Your kit may be intended for a '93, but it'll take SN-95 parts to make it work, like the spindles in the front, the COBRA kit is used on 87-93 Fox bodies, but requires the spindles from a SN-95.

My 93 is a Cobra and I kept the stock master cylinder since the car already had discs in the rear and I've got a firm peddle. Find whatever the 93 Cobra used and go with that.

Also, I went with stainless steel brake lines which made a noticeable difference in peddle feel.

 

[281pony]

the wiring harness is TIGHT against the firewall. i already pulled my clutch cable and did all the re-routing possible to make clearance possible for the harness to run over the body of the booster.

the body of the 93 cobra and the sn95 booster is the same diameter. which is a good amount larger then the oem foxbody, thus not enough slack in my wiring harness to wrap around the booster.

i have SS lines, no leaks, it's all new components now. new hawk ceramic front pads and ceramic rear pads. the brakes on this car are very good on paper, when it comes to pedal feel/stopping, somethin still ain't right.

what does that suggest when i can stab the pedal with my first brake compression, and gain a better pedal feel? it's not like i have to pump it up or anything, it just holds a better pedal feel for the 20ish +/- stops i had after noticing the change. the pedal gets firm higher up, and it's a noticeable change in pedal effectiveness.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Are you on the second mc?

Sounds like an air issue. Basically the second pump "rachets up" and compresses the air in the lines or whatever is holding.

With the car off, does the pedal get rock hard, but still have a tiny bit of movement?

I think i suggested before to change the mc before, but I think you have changed it?

 

[Mustang5L5]

Are you on the second mc?

Sounds like an air issue. Basically the second pump "rachets up" and compresses the air in the lines or whatever is holding.

With the car off, does the pedal get rock hard, but still have a tiny bit of movement?

I think i suggested before to change the mc before, but I think you have changed it?

Also, is the booster rod adjusted correctly?

 

[281pony]

Are you on the second mc?

Sounds like an air issue. Basically the second pump "rachets up" and compresses the air in the lines or whatever is holding.

With the car off, does the pedal get rock hard, but still have a tiny bit of movement?

I think i suggested before to change the mc before, but I think you have changed it?

Also, is the booster rod adjusted correctly?

pedal gets solid with a tiny bit of movement, yes.

rod is adjusted correctly and this is with a brand new master. as in not used before, not just a different one.