JWX Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 whatg would cause a soft/mushy brake pedal? I've bleed the ************ out of EVERYTHING (calipers, MC) and its still soft, the car stops fine its just the pedal feel it crap. car is the 88 RX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 whatg would cause a soft/mushy brake pedal? I've bleed the ************ out of EVERYTHING (calipers, MC) and its still soft, the car stops fine its just the pedal feel it crap. car is the 88 RX A worn caliper mount causing excessive movement/travel. Soft/old flexible brakelines stretching under pressure. Poor quality brake pads with highly compressible material. Firewall flex? Thats about every idea i can think of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 A worn caliper mount causing excessive movement/travel. Soft/old flexible brakelines stretching under pressure. Poor quality brake pads with highly compressible material. Firewall flex? Thats about every idea i can think of. Bad brake fluid can cause spongyness, but if you've bled the %^$*% out of it you've probably very near replaced it anyway. Sure its not your shoes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravelRX Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 In what order did you bleed the brakes? Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoorManzImpreza Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 did you bleed with the engine on? if not please do.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/article.php?a=60 Good article; upgrade to speed bleeders and bleed it in the proper cross directional pattern. If that dont fix it then you have a defective part somewhere most likely stated above by Mikie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Don't know if you have shoes or disk in back, but if shoes, you may need to adjust them. My 85 had sponge untill I adjusted shoes, and this after trying/checking everything else possible. Adjusting rear shoes fixed it. Pyro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Rear shoes seem to need manual adjustment on a lot of the Subarus - I've met some that were so far out of adjustment that I was amazed it stopped. Also, leaking rear brake cylinders can let air in - if one or both rear brakes are slimy, wet, or generally anything other than really dry (assuming you haven't been fording rivers lately), you should probably replace the cylinders. A master cylinder going out can cause brake issues. -=Russ=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Rear shoes seem to need manual adjustment on a lot of the Subarus - I've met some that were so far out of adjustment that I was amazed it stopped. Also, leaking rear brake cylinders can let air in - if one or both rear brakes are slimy, wet, or generally anything other than really dry (assuming you haven't been fording rivers lately), you should probably replace the cylinders. A master cylinder going out can cause brake issues. -=Russ=- Both my 85 and 86 wagons have rear shoe adjusters that still worked automaticly. Just back up fast and slam on the brakes a few times. I was suprised they still worked, I read hear on the board that often the auto adjusters are shot and rusty, and thats one reason (amongst others) that so many folks go to disk in back. (which I hope to do some day) Pyro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWX Posted April 3, 2005 Author Share Posted April 3, 2005 ok lets start with the answers 1. RXs' had rear disks as they were/are turbos 2. speed bleeders all around 3. bleed in an X pattern like the fSM states 4. braided SS brake lines 5. new pads and rear rotors, turned the fronts 6. brake pads are PBR metal masters and rear pads are everstop metallic(sp) and more questions can I get more info on the worn brake caliper mount being worn. fronts are from the 89 parts, rears are factory I'm guessing so that could be it. and the Master cylinder is from the 89 aswell but could be bad, I'm going to switch it out with another one I have just to check. thanks for all the help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWX Posted April 3, 2005 Author Share Posted April 3, 2005 oh ya I forgot to add I bleed them with the engine on and off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Do It Sidewayz Posted April 3, 2005 Share Posted April 3, 2005 get rid of the speed bleeders. they are crap..your better to bribe a friend with a 6 pack. get some good fluid. Motul is great stuff. the spongey feel though..it could be a worn master cylinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravelRX Posted April 3, 2005 Share Posted April 3, 2005 Spongy with the engine on? Initial hard pedal and then pedal drop slow? Be specific. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted April 3, 2005 Share Posted April 3, 2005 get rid of the speed bleeders. they are crap..your better to bribe a friend with a 6 pack. get some good fluid. Motul is great stuff. the spongey feel though..it could be a worn master cylinder. Speaking of worn out master cylinders, who has rebuild kits for these? We used to just hone the bore and drop in new rubber. Part#? (I have a shot in the butt extra one I want to rebuild. Yea, we chased mushy pedal for a couple hours before figuring out bad master. Love my donor car! Even then for great pedal had to adjust rear shoes. Pyro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWX Posted April 4, 2005 Author Share Posted April 4, 2005 its just soft, with the engine off its hard as one would expect but just driving around its soft. the car stops fine its just the pedal is soft. and why are the speedbleeders crap, do it sideways? I like them. I'm thinking it is the MC right now thou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 get rid of the speed bleeders. they are crap..your better to bribe a friend with a 6 pack. get some good fluid. Motul is great stuff. the spongey feel though..it could be a worn master cylinder. Bull; speed bleeders rule. I've had great luck with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWX Posted April 6, 2005 Author Share Posted April 6, 2005 bizump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 bizump Did you end up swaping master cylinders? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWX Posted April 6, 2005 Author Share Posted April 6, 2005 not yet haven't had the time and I need to get the scraping/grinding noise taken care of first. I just bumped it so maybe DIS will tell us why he doesn't like speedbleeders. as I love them and I'm guessing you do aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Do It Sidewayz Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 i've never actually used them. However i was recommended by a brake manufacturer here to not use them. None of the road racers, rallyists or even serious solo guys even think of using them. you just don't get all the air outta the lines....for a street car they are fine...however on a race/rally car...where heat is a huge concern, i wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole. I always take a good amount of time bleeding my brakes, making sure all the air is outta the lines..i often go over all 4 corners atleast twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 I've tried just about every method. Speed Bleeders gave me the best results. Front speed bleeders were a direct replacement of my OEM bleeders. The ghetto one's I rigged up for the rear are still holding on after much hard offroading. They are clamped onto the OEM bleeder in the rear calipers. I simply left them on with the OEM bleeder shut. Haven't fallen off yet Heat could be the biggest diffeerence here. If they were super heated, as brake parts tend to do at high speed , I 'spose they could malfunction. Mine never really see high speed action Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Hah just found a pic of my home made 'one man' Master Cylinder bleeders. Just some scrap hardline with male fittings and rubber hose slipped onto the hardline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.