soft brake pedal

[TurboKA37]

today i installed my new hawk HPS pads, SPL SS Brake lines, and filled with ATE super blue fluid. anyway, i took the car out after the install to bed the pads using the directions on the hawk pads box and brakes work fine but it seems that the pedal engages a bit lower then it used to. maybe a bit softer but its more the engagement point that has changed. i bled them as good as i could with a friend but ill see if bleeding it again will help. no visible leaks either. btw, this is on a '95 240sx.

[TurboKA37]

whoops, meant to put this one in the brake/suspension forum. if a moderator could moves this over there that would be great

[TurboKA37]

re-bled the brakes and took it out again. feels a million times better. pedal engagement is back to where it was before and much firmer. i was so used to the soft pedal feel that i locked up a tire or two coming to a stop sign on accident. i recomend the SPL brake lines for anyone who is debating over getting them. makes the brakes feel much stronger. just make sure to bleed them and then bleed them again once you think you've got it bled correctly

[WDRacing]

Glad it worked out for ya bro, so are you using the stock system aside from pads and lines? If so is there a big difference?

[skatanic28]

im running the same setup. great pedal feel and much more stopping force.i was gonna go to z-brakes but this is more than enough for my driving style.

[TurboKA37]

Glad it worked out for ya bro, so are you using the stock system aside from pads and lines? If so is there a big difference?

yep, using stock calipers and rotors. i did a lot of research into alternate brake upgrades such as the 300zx or q45 brakes and realized that utilizing the stock system would be best for me. alot of people complain about brake balance and pedal feel with those upgrades and after reading a before and after review/test of the 300zx brake upgrade i saw that the only real benefit to the larger brakes is fade resistance (which i was having issues with, with stock system) I havent felt any fade with the new setup but i havent really pushed it hard yet either. brake feel has significantly improved. initial light braking is pretty much the same feel as stock but moderate to heavy braking has a whole new feel. the brakes feel solid and a lot more trustworthy when you are aproaching a stopping car a bit fast. where i used to expect a need to press harder into the rubbery/soft brake pedal, I am now rewarded with a nice, reassuring bite into the asphalt.overall i think it was worth the money. i dont do any track or autocross (although i would like to) so i dont need a system that will hold up against fade as much as others. I usually stick to pushing my car on back roads during nice days or with my friends on the weekends, and the system i now have seems perfect for that job.

[Dori Dori]

I'm glad some people are utilizing the stock brakes. I never understood why so many people feel that a z or q brake upgrade is a necessity. New lines, pads, and fluid make a huge difference in the brakes (feel, fade, and bite).

[kclo4]

I chose to do the Z upgrade because I like to go out to the track on lapping days. The first and only time I drove it after 4 laps in the afternoon my brakes were faded to the floor. There was no way I could go a full 20 minute session.

I felt that if I upgraded the brake lines, but quality brake fluid in and performance pads I would probably be able to last at least twice as long, but I didn't want to have to worry about fade at all. Stock brakes with cooling ducts may have been just as good too, not sure though.

[Dori Dori]

Oh, I have z brakes too, but for the same reason as you.

I'm talking about everyday drivers who feel pressured into the upgrade because they've been told stock brakes are inadequate.