[DeTomaso] Mushy brakes

[Will Kooiman]

The biggest improvements I made to my brakes were:

1. Bleeding both screws in the front calipers.  I missed the lower screw for
the first year I had the car.  I lot of orange gunk came out on the first
bleed.
2. Good pads (I have Porterfield r4s)
3. braided stainless brake lines at all 4 wheels - they made a noticeable
difference in the hardness of the pedal
4. Removing the proportioning valve - you can switch to a gutted valve if
you want the stock look.  I was going to add an adjustable prop valve, but I
didn't need it.  No prop valve was just right.  I removed the shuttle valve
at the same time, but I think removing the prop valve did the trick - not
the shuttle valve. 

Each of these made a noticeable difference in my brakes.  I was very
unimpressed with my brakes when I got my car.  After I made the last change,
I felt like the brakes were as good as the brakes on my wife's Porsche.
Okay, I admit.  That's a stretch, but you get the idea.  The brakes were
nice and hard.  I could stop much faster than I've ever needed to. (until
the rotors get too hot - which vented rotors would fix)

By the way, I've never taken the calipers apart.  They could probably use a
rebuild.  All of my brake bleeds have been done with a self bleeder cup that
you can find at any parts store.  It's important to get the air out, but I
think it's more important to do the stuff I listed.

There's one more thing.  While I was working on my brakes, I broke one of
the brake lines.  It was rusted so badly, it snapped in two.  Scary, hunh?
After that, I replaced every hard line.

Will.

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of Don Franck
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 3:45 PM
To: unlisted-recipients:; no To-header on input
Cc: detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Mushy brakes

The pedal does stop, it just feels very mushy.  The brakes were fine, but I
have not driven the car but about 50 miles in the last three years.  This
last time I got in the car was when I noticed the pedal felt "mushy"

Don


On 3/14/08, ProvaMo.com <Pantera007 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>
> Mushy, usually means air in the system (air can be compressed) or a master
> seal going bad.  I once found a leak in the booster line on one car.
>
> The procedure to bleed the brakes differs slightly depending upon the
> calipers.  The stock caliper has 2 bleed screws.
>
> What do you mean by mushy?  Does the pedal slowly sink to the floor, or
> does
> it stop at some point?
>
>
> Chuck
>
>
>
>
> We have rebuilt all the wheel cylinders and put new pads on.  I still have
> very mushy brakes.  Is there anything else to do other than the master
> cylinder?
>
> If I need to replace the master cylinder, what are your
> recommendations?  I
> only drive on the street.
>
> Don
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