Any car brake mechanics on here

[paul]

I've got some thing doing my head in

[Mick D]

Are you running a vacuum assisted booster between the master cylinder and firewall Paul?

[Mick D]

Ok, so you are running a booster,
Say everything has been done and set up properly.
IE; a matching system as per design requirements,
Hydraulic requirements In relation to Pad pressure are basically determined by ratio of cross-sectional  slave cylinder piston surface area as to the cross-sectional master cylinder piston surface area. That would/Should be all good and considered if you bought a proven kit.

Say all is correct above, the first cheapest alternative is to try different pad compounds,
Varying Pad compounds can and will provide amazing differences in pedal feel. 

[Mick D]

Gee, that's one cool looking beastee, how good wil it be when you can stop it

Ps; most race compounds generally improve after raising to prescribed operating temperature.

Are the rear brakes locking up when you stomp on the pedal?

[bazza]

Is it 7" booster? Looks like same as I put on my 66 mustang.
Did you bench bleed the Master cylinder?  Lot of people go on about that,may be google it.
Was it drums before kit?
Right pedal ratio?
I have opposite with my kit-touchy brakes when first pus pedal then stops real well, Played with willmont front/rear adjuster, that works but did not  solve touchiness.
Nice wheels, good luck. Try some Camaro  forums for some one who has fixed that problem.

[80-85 husky]

there isn't a regulator valve in the master cyl for drum brakes ? holden conversions need a little plastic dowicki ripped out of the brake pipe holes when going to disc.

the rear wheel cylinders may also be different or where they in the kit?

is it a 307??

[kdx Geoff]

I've fitted a disc brake conversion to the camaro and there is no bite in the front brakes

Ok, so you are running a booster,
Say everything has been done and set up properly.
IE; a matching system as per design requirements,
Hydraulic requirements In relation to Pad pressure are basically determined by ratio of cross-sectional  slave cylinder piston surface area as to the cross-sectional master cylinder piston surface area. That would/Should be all good and considered if you bought a proven kit.

Say all is correct above, the first cheapest alternative is to try different pad compounds,
Varying Pad compounds can provides amazing differences in pedal feel. 

So l assume the car lacks stopping power ?

If you get the car off the ground so you can rotate the wheels, get someone to gradually apply the brakes and make sure that they all work and that a gradual increase in pedal pressure equals an increase in difficulty in rotating the wheels by hand. This costs nothing to do and will let you know that all the brakes work by comparing them side to side and front to rear.

[Mick D]

Some very good points, especially the one about the Camaro forum 

No play in your front hubs, did you pre-load the front wheel bearings?

As Bazza inferred, removal of all air is paramount to achieving peak pressure.
When you stand on it is your pedal going anywhere near full stroke?

Have you replaced all the high-pressure flexible hoses?
Including the rear one/ones?

[Mick D]

Just on the by and by
I replaced the aged expanding hose of the XR 500 with a younger second hand one of a XR400,,,,what an amazing difference.
Gone from a brake that practically didn't work at all, to a killer one Fluid Aeration produces the same symptoms

[Mick D]

Ther probably cheap Chinese pads.

Chinese bits,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
just learnt my final lesson about the fool hardiness of using chineese Taper roller trailer wheel bearings,,,,,,never again for me on that one  

I saved ten bucks on the original chineese fitment though farrrrrrc 

[Jim]

bleed the master cylinder on the car,failing that a pressure bleeder should do the job...jim...

[bazza]

Hoses could be worth look if all else fails . What size is master cylinder bore? (not under 1" ?) Although kit should be sorted when sold to some one

[bazza]

any up date?

[EML]

Any report today Paul?
Simple way to check is to clamp off the rears and see if that improves the front.....then vice versa. Some vice grips set right can do the job without damaging the rubber hoses

[35elsinore]

Paul,  do you have a lot of pedal travel or just shit brakes.
If you have a lot of pedal travel clamp off all 3 hoses [1 rear and both front], apply the brakes and get someone to take a clamp off at a time and that will tell you which brake you are loosing your pedal. If all the air is bleed out a disc/drum system generally will only loose pedal travel with the adjustment of the rear shoes. A trap for that is if the park brake cable is over adjusted, back the park brake cable right off, then adjust the shoes to lock up, back adjuster off about a third of a turn both sides and then adjust you park brake back up.

If you just have shit brakes it can only be compounds or brake bias if all the components are new. Maybe push the pistons back in to make sure they are free.

Hope this helps
Cheers Troy