Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Brake Problem (Need Advise)

During regular driving my car breaks fine. But once I start driving agressevly and braking at higher speeds the brakes begin to loosen. Its as if once they heat up they dont stop anymore.. I literally have to mash the brakes to the floor board to get the car to stop.. But once I start normal street driving again they stiffen up and everything is fine.. What could be the problem. I would not mind upgrading brakes but dont really have massive funds to do so.. Maybe slotted or gas drilled rotors and better pads. I dont know what to do or how to fix it.. Shoot me some ideas so I can try them out.. Thanks in advance...

How hard are you driving? Sounds like you maybe pushing them a bit too hard causing them to overheat and fade.
You may also be boiling the brake fluid. What is the condition of the system?

Your brake pads are "dirty" with road grease, silicon tire shine etc... So when you brake really hard... the stuff starts to VAPOURIZE and the 'air bearing' created between the pad and caliper is the problem. IF you want to be able to brake hard and NOT have this happen it can be solved in three ways: 1) buy new pads, this will 'solve' the problem for awhile, but it will come back. 2)Clean your pads with clorinated brake cleaner (the Wheels MUST be off) and really use a LOT... 3) My now infamous 130mph hit the brakes HARD cleaning method. This is cleaning them by heating them REALLY hot!!! find an empty freeway that is big and straight... get up to 130mph or so and then hit the brakes hard... You will experience the 'gas fade' before you slow down to 60! but keep the brakes on til down to 35mph or so then coast for a few seconds (make sure you don't come to a complete stop while the rotors a really hot (warp city) (also make sure your lug nuts are evenly torqued all around BY HAND) The second time you do the 130mph stopping, you may notice that your brakes are shuddering some THIS IS A GOOD SIGN!! Then by the third run you will discover that your brakes just stop the car really good!!! and will for a long time. Till they need to be cleaned again. If you cannot get up to 130mph (no SVT) then a few extra times from 110mph like 8 to 12 times total will do it too. Some "poo'poo" my method but trust me it works. If you are NOT comfortable doing it though, don't kill yourself on my behalf.

my brakes do the same things....i drive hard most of the time and put alot of freeway miles on too...im swapping out the fronts upgrading to kvr rotors n carbonfibre pads but may be outta your range ... at the very least i'd get new pads...try the premium pads at your local parts store...should work for at least awhile...i changed my brakes last summer and its time to do it again dammit

Don't buy the lifetime pads. They are very hard and probably increase the stopping distance. Plus they tend to chew up your rotor. Since it is easier to replace pads than rotors, go with a premium pad.

It sounds like your brakes are heat soaked. They can't absorb any more heat. Since they essentially convert your kinetic energy (the energy of motion) into thermal energy (heat) once they are full, they need to cool before you can effectively stop again. There are different pad compounds that have more heat capacity, such as some of the Mintex pads, the KVRs as well as EBC pads, off the top of my insommniac driven head.

Flush your brake fluid. Brake fluid is hygroscopic. (A fancy word that means it absorbs water.) This lowers the boiling point of the fluid and means the pedal can get mushy as that non-compressible fluid turns to steam (very compressible)

I like the Valvoline SynPower brake fluid as it is a DOT4 fluid and compatible with your system. For about $10 including the cost of an inexpensive one man bleeder, your can replace the brake fluid in your car in about an hour or so.

I've used the KVR components with success before. The pads wore quickly in my 87 LeSabre. I probably got 25k-30K before I replaced them. The cross drilled rotors are still on the car with a second set of pads. (I used these when I replaced the pads, expect to get about 25K or so on them as well http://www.bendixbrakes.com/en_us/product/domestic.html )

I'm impressed that the cross drilled rotors are holding up so well. They probably don't improve stops by reducing heat. They do give a way for those gasses Elizabeth raves about to get out. Same for any steam that is generated by wet brakes. If your rotors are wet and you apply the brakes, if the water is turned to steam, then it can push the pads back off the rotor, reducing your stopping power.

I do have a complete set of the KVRs with slotted and coated rotors as well as pads. I'm waiting for my braided SS lines before I do the upgrade.

TB