Mushy power brakes, Arizona Emissions

atomicpunk · Sep 28, 2005

First, WOOT! My Stang runs again. I'll post a movie soon.

Now all I have to do is pass Arizona emissions. Any fellow AZ Mustangers know how difficult this is? Truly amazing that these idiots want testing on a 37 year old car.

My first reaction was, holy crap, I forgot how MUSHY the stock power discs are! Is this typical? Is there a cure? I'm thinking of going to Baer track front/rear, I sure had to have that expensive of a brake setup and still feel ... MUSH. I suppose I could ditch the booster, but ...

Opinions welcome.

thanks!

68 Coop · Sep 28, 2005

How old are the rubber lines??? They may be balloning out, just not far enough to burst, but still enough to stop you from getting full pressure.

Dark Knight · Sep 28, 2005

Air in the lines?

Where in Az are you moving? some places dont require the smog test.. also, if you get classic car insurance, you can get a smog waiver..

atomicpunk · Sep 28, 2005

Lines seem okay. Brakes are solid as a rock when there's no power assist.

I'm not moving, the car relocated here from Las Vegas in July - it was never registered in Vegas and isn't registered yet here. I'm in Maricopa like you. I read about the bill on exemption for cars with classic car insurance, and that's what I have. However, everything else I've read said they haven't implemented it yet. Is that information outdated ?

thanks guys

rsev216 · Sep 28, 2005

I turn in the idle screw a half turn and up the idle to over 1000 rpm and the 68 302 passes. Make sure you have a clean air filter. Any smog equipment that came with the car has to be connected.
It's a silly test but the state needs the money.

STSFCTN67 · Sep 28, 2005

What does your booster look like, if it has the metal band around it, then you have the wrong booster for disc brakes.

Dark Knight · Sep 28, 2005

actually, they just passed the law.. not sure when it goes into effect, thinking either in Nov. or next year...

gzminiz · Sep 28, 2005

Dark Knight said:
actually, they just passed the law.. not sure when it goes into effect, thinking either in Nov. or next year...

No way, i knew there was something trying to go through, thought it had to do with a rolling 20 year limitation if you have historic plates. Good news for me, I was worried I was going to have to try and pass. Pretty sure I wouldn't once i got the motor completed.

Dark Knight · Sep 29, 2005

yeah, I dont think there's any way I'd get a 557 with a big solid roller and dual quads through either..

I'll look up the info on it

Dark Knight · Sep 29, 2005

ok..
http://www.azmotornews.com/

and the bill
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=hb2357

back to the brakes.. do they stay soggy when you pump the pedal?

atomicpunk · Sep 30, 2005

There's a pic of my brake booster. I didn't realize there were different ones for disc/drum?

The brake pedal stays mushy. I bled them a month or so ago, which firmed them up when the car's not running (and thus not boosted).

As to the emissions, I found an implementation schedule that had bureaucratic idiocy extending through December of this year without actual implementation yet. I guess that means I could get a one year waiver and hope it's gone next year.

STSFCTN67 · Sep 30, 2005

I have the same booster thus the same problem. You need to purchase the unit without the band. I am going with the unit from Autozone. Check out their website and you will see the 2 models avialable.

Anyone interred in a booster for your drum brakes??

scurley · Sep 30, 2005

As far as AZ emmissions, it is a joke to pass. All we have to do is an idle test.

atomicpunk · Oct 1, 2005

I passed

I passed. Couldn't take the test the first round through, the rear brakes wouldn't hold the wheels still on the rollers, and apparently they can't do an IDLE test with the car off the rollers.

One drum is out of spec, we swapped them around and got it to hold, took it back up there today and passed.

Scurly, AZ emissions requires an idle test and a 25-30mph at load test.

As for the booster, why is that the wrong booster? The Ford parts manual lists a Midland number with either Midland or Bendix as the manufacturer. I can't seem to find any other authoritative sources regarding the specific booster. Autozone lists Midland as "with clamp band". Is this just a swap to a lower powered drum brake booster?

Since I'm hoping to switch to Baer, which would probably mean a conversion to a miniature booster ...

STSFCTN67 · Oct 2, 2005

The Bendix unit has tabs that are bent down to squeeze both halves of the unit together. I do not know what makes them different. My only guess is that disc brakes require more boost? The first time I did the swap and used the correct booster the brakes were much more sensitive.

bnickel · Oct 2, 2005

the booster does not matter for disc or drum, the only difference is the manufacturer. now the boost may vary between the 2 manufacturers but they will both work for disc or drum. check the factory manuals and you'll see that it really doesn't make a difference, both boosters were used for power brakes regardless if they were disc or drum

Mushy power brakes, Arizona Emissions

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