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Front brake job.. What went wrong???

  • Thread starter Thread starter 2003_GT
  • Start date Start date Feb 14, 2009
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2003_GT

New Member
Nov 5, 2008
69
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Santa Fe, NM
Feb 14, 2009
#1
  • Feb 14, 2009
  • #1
I changed the brake pads on my stang i thought all went well but when i took it out for a test drive the car begins to shake: it does like a stop and go kinda thing when i apply the brakes especially at highway speeds... Can anybody tell me what it is i did wrong and how to fix it PLEASE

Thanks everyone
 

BK_CAULEY

it's built for speed not longevity, woman
Dec 26, 2006
0
10
49
Thomasville, ga
Feb 14, 2009
#2
  • Feb 14, 2009
  • #2
Did you bleed the brakes properly? did you put your hands all over the rotors? might have got alot of grease on them.
 
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2003_GT

New Member
Nov 5, 2008
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Santa Fe, NM
Feb 14, 2009
#3
  • Feb 14, 2009
  • #3
Red198 said:
Did you bleed the brakes properly? did you put your hands all over the rotors? might have got alot of grease on them.
Click to expand...

I hardly, if at all, touched the rotors, and i didnt open any of the bleeder screws or anything since all i did was change the pads, should i try bleeding the system???
 

hotdog71

Member
Dec 8, 2004
427
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Seattle, Eastside
Feb 14, 2009
#4
  • Feb 14, 2009
  • #4
Did you grease the back and top and bottom of the pads?

how does the peddle feel, soft or hard or normal?
 
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2003_GT

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Feb 14, 2009
#5
  • Feb 14, 2009
  • #5
hotdog71 said:
Did you grease the back and top and bottom of the pads?

how does the peddle feel, soft or hard or normal?
Click to expand...

Pedal feels soft, spongy like
 

hotdog71

Member
Dec 8, 2004
427
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16
Seattle, Eastside
Feb 14, 2009
#6
  • Feb 14, 2009
  • #6
Sounds to me like you need to bleed them the peddle should feel fairly firm and not fad when you stomp on the brake.

I think its right side then left (drivers) bleed sequence. You need to some someone help unless you have one way bleed valve installed.

This is how I did mine: Open valve, and have someone press and hold peddle all the down, lifting off will allow air to get in so close the valve and then let off brake repeat until no bubbles are seen in the fluid.

You don't really need to bleed the rear brakes since the system is split front to back.

good luck
 

mransr

Founding Member
Nov 3, 2000
1,188
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98
Riverside, SoCal
Feb 14, 2009
#7
  • Feb 14, 2009
  • #7
are the pads on correctly?
the inside and outside pads are different* and while they will fit on either way, if you get them backwards you'll end up with a spongy pedal...


*those little posts on the back of the pads are different, see below
 

Mike97gt

it doe snot
Founding Member
Jan 26, 1999
10,633
7
89
the people's republic of massachusetts
Feb 14, 2009
#8
  • Feb 14, 2009
  • #8
you never should have to bleed the system if it was not opened..

what i suggest is to take the brakes apart and make sure everything moves freely and the pads are not installed backwards.

BTW are these new rotors? the shuddering could be warped rotors.. did it do this with the old pads.
 
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2003_GT

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Feb 15, 2009
#9
  • Feb 15, 2009
  • #9
The rotors are the same ones that i used with the old pads... And i im posotive i installed thd pads in correctly i refrenced the old ones to know witch one to install on what side
 

Pearl02

Member
Nov 27, 2004
496
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Kansas City
Feb 15, 2009
#10
  • Feb 15, 2009
  • #10
I had the same thing happen when I changed rotors and pads on my car. I've done brakes plenty of times and I've never had this problem. Don't bleed the brakes. I just drove my car and work the brakes as normally as possible. Just keep working the brake pedal. It took a little bit but the brakes came back. This one really puzzled me. Don't panic. Give it a try. Just be careful. Pearl02.
 

lvmustanggt

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Apr 9, 2006
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Las Vegas
Feb 15, 2009
#11
  • Feb 15, 2009
  • #11
mransr said:
are the pads on correctly?
the inside and outside pads are different* and while they will fit on either way, if you get them backwards you'll end up with a spongy pedal...


*those little posts on the back of the pads are different, see below
Click to expand...

I would like to know , white is the pad that should go to the caliper piston side ? little post on the middle or far ?
 
N

n0v8or

10 Year Member
Aug 23, 2003
604
8
39
Rhode Island
Feb 16, 2009
#12
  • Feb 16, 2009
  • #12
A couple of questions:
Does the vibration/shake occur ONLY when the brakes are applied?
Does it persist for a short time after the brake pedal is released?
When driving at a steady ~10 miles per hour, with the brakes lightly applied, does the change in apparent speed ("stop & go thing") occur about 2 times per second?
Do you feel the vibration in the pedal, in the chassis, or both?

If the answer to the 1st 3 questions is Yes, a common cause is an area of greater or lesser friction on a rotor. This can happen when a rotor becomes partially contaminated with oil or grease, or from contaminants transferred from pads-to-rotor, perhaps because the new pads were not bedded-in properly.
 

Pnyxprz02

New Member
May 11, 2008
13
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0
Birmingham, Alabama
Feb 16, 2009
#13
  • Feb 16, 2009
  • #13
Brake vibrations....

Hey sorry to hear about the brake problem. Im really not trying to be a smart ass or insult you. But Just wondering if you had the rotors turned before you put the new pads on. It'll give you that same vibration if the rotor and brake pad doesnt have a completely smooth surface to mate with. Again i just wanted to make sure since you reused the old rotor . I hope that helps.

Pnyxprz

:Track:
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,220
17,902
224
Massachusetts
Feb 16, 2009
#14
  • Feb 16, 2009
  • #14
Did you correctly torque the wheels back on tightly when you finished?
 

twogts4us

15 Year Member
Apr 1, 2004
4,188
12
79
Dunedin, FL
Feb 16, 2009
#15
  • Feb 16, 2009
  • #15
Pnyxprz02 said:
Hey sorry to hear about the brake problem. Im really not trying to be a smart ass or insult you. But Just wondering if you had the rotors turned before you put the new pads on. It'll give you that same vibration if the rotor and brake pad doesnt have a completely smooth surface to mate with. Again i just wanted to make sure since you reused the old rotor . I hope that helps.

Pnyxprz

:Track:
Click to expand...

That's my question as well - did you turn the rotors???
 
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2003_GT

New Member
Nov 5, 2008
69
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0
Santa Fe, NM
Feb 17, 2009
#16
  • Feb 17, 2009
  • #16
n0v8or said:
A couple of questions:
Does the vibration/shake occur ONLY when the brakes are applied?
Does it persist for a short time after the brake pedal is released?
When driving at a steady ~10 miles per hour, with the brakes lightly applied, does the change in apparent speed ("stop & go thing") occur about 2 times per second?
Do you feel the vibration in the pedal, in the chassis, or both?

If the answer to the 1st 3 questions is Yes, a common cause is an area of greater or lesser friction on a rotor. This can happen when a rotor becomes partially contaminated with oil or grease, or from contaminants transferred from pads-to-rotor, perhaps because the new pads were not bedded-in properly.
Click to expand...

1. Yes the vibration occur ONLY when i apply the brakes and immediatly goes away when i release them
2.The "stop and go thing"occurs mostly when im going atleast over 35mph anything less its hardly noticible, but when it does happen it gets faster as the car slows down
3.Well the the steering wheel starts to move side to side pretty fast but the car still goes straight, it feels more as if i was applying and releasing the brakes very fast (which im not lol)
 
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2003_GT

New Member
Nov 5, 2008
69
0
0
Santa Fe, NM
Feb 17, 2009
#17
  • Feb 17, 2009
  • #17
Pnyxprz02 said:
Hey sorry to hear about the brake problem. Im really not trying to be a smart ass or insult you. But Just wondering if you had the rotors turned before you put the new pads on. It'll give you that same vibration if the rotor and brake pad doesnt have a completely smooth surface to mate with. Again i just wanted to make sure since you reused the old rotor . I hope that helps.

Pnyxprz

:Track:
Click to expand...

Whats "turning the rotors" mean exaclty
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,220
17,902
224
Massachusetts
Feb 17, 2009
#18
  • Feb 17, 2009
  • #18
2003_GT said:
Whats "turning the rotors" mean exaclty
Click to expand...



Resurface the rotors by shaving a small amount of material off the face to remove pad friction material deposits and unevenness
 
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2003_GT

New Member
Nov 5, 2008
69
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0
Santa Fe, NM
Feb 17, 2009
#19
  • Feb 17, 2009
  • #19
Mustang5L5 said:
Resurface the rotors by shaving a small amount of material off the face to remove pad friction material deposits and unevenness
Click to expand...

How do i do this??? Do i need to take it to a shop or can i do it at home
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,220
17,902
224
Massachusetts
Feb 17, 2009
#20
  • Feb 17, 2009
  • #20
Must be done on a brake lathe so you will need to take them to somewhere that turns rotors.
 
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