I'm concerend something is wrong with the stopping power of the brakes on my 87 Tbird Sport. The car has the stock size wheels/tires. The brake pads/rotors and shoes/drums look good and the rear self-adjusters are working correctly. Also the brake pedal is firm when pressed. Yet no matter how hard I slam on the brakes at any speed the brakes never lock-up and the stopping distance seams unusually long. I'm the original owner of the car and have never known the brakes to lock-up. Is this normal on Tbirds or could there be something wrong?
Have the rotors been turned when the last brake job was done? The pad material gets cooked into the rotors and that effects the biting power of the pads.
The brake rotors were replaced with new ones and I cleaned them in gasoline and then brakeleen to remove the anti-rust coating. The pads are a semi-metalic type. Don't recall the name brands of the rotors, pads or shoes.
when was the last time brake system was flushed, refilled, and bleed? over time brake fluid absorbes water and will not work as good as fresh brake fluid
What kind of pads are on the car?
If you've checked everything, remember one thing:
The stock brakes on the Fox body cars aren't that great. :)
It's been over 10 years since the brake fluid was changed and the system bleed. I've never had the lid on the master cyl off since then. I've been checking fluid level thru the transparent reservoir.
Power brake booster working?
my suggestion is to get all the brake lines n everything flushed and refilled with fresh fluid and bled... even if you dont open anything up... it will still absorb water...... hell even on the shelf it will absorb water if unopened at that. thats my suggestion and...... you should at least be able to lock up the tires...
:stupid: make sure you use decent pads/shoes, they make a huge difference. Remember expensive doesnt mean good.
I guess the Power brake booster is working. I haven't tested it but I'm able to press the brake pedal down with my hand or a broom handle when the car is up on jack stands.
I'll need to get some new fluid to do this.
Could any of the rubber brake hoses have an effect on braking?
yes those rubber hoses tend to swell and break down over time.. what i would do if you can afford it... is run all new brake hardline and soft lines in the system.
huh? new hardline? why?
As long as your hardlines arnt rusted out, or looking rough, theyre fine.
Look at your rubber lines, and see if they look dry rotted. If so, they gotta go. Usually bad rubber lines makes your pedal squishy though.
i say new hardlines because the car is almost 20 years old and the hardlines are probably the original lines.. also the brake fluid hasnt been changed in 10 years..... id say its got some water in it which would corrode/rust the inside of those lines. also those rubber lines can bulge under pressure reduced the ammount of brake force you can apply. just my .02 cents you can check the lines and see how they look if the hardlines look fine keep em.. but id say they kind of ugly lookin lol..