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brakes f***ing up

Old Oct 26, 2005 | 04:30 PM
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Default brakes f***ing up

i need to know whats wrong with my brakes or suspension.

i just got my front brakes completely replaced on my sunfire about 3 months ago. and the rear brakes had maintenence done. just yesterday my brakes started acting up. when i go to stop, they hop sometimes, and i feel like im not gonna stop so i pump it and it stops. its like i have to catch my brakes at a certain point to make them stop right.

but also, when i hit the gas, and then let it off, my suspension squeaks in the front. and also the back right suspension sinks when i stop. and goes back up when i let off the brake. so its like the opposite of what its supposed to do. instead of the front going down the back goes down with it. its a really weird feeling.

does anyone have any clue what my frigin problems are? i can specify more if need be.
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Old Oct 26, 2005 | 08:13 PM
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What do you mean by "hop" like a bad vibration?
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Old Oct 26, 2005 | 08:25 PM
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brake flush maybe? if something got in there or water it can cause that. than again maybe a caliper is loose for some reason, etc. check the backs, i dont know if that car has drums in the rear or disc. if im not mistaken you get brake feel from the rear brakes i do believe, i know it was that way on my fox mustang

these are just total shots in the dark, but its a start
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Old Oct 28, 2005 | 10:25 AM
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Originally Posted by Guado
What do you mean by "hop" like a bad vibration?
when i go to stop the car catches, then lets go, then catches. and it feels like the front end is bouncing a little.... like im running over small potholes.

im starting to think its the ABS going to shit.
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Old Oct 28, 2005 | 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by BLUE2KSS
brake flush maybe? if something got in there or water it can cause that. than again maybe a caliper is loose for some reason, etc. check the backs, i dont know if that car has drums in the rear or disc. if im not mistaken you get brake feel from the rear brakes i do believe, i know it was that way on my fox mustang

these are just total shots in the dark, but its a start

it does have drum brakes in the back. i dont know what brake feel is.. so i cant comment. i guess im just gonna bring it to a garage. really dont wanna spend the money on it though since im about to sell it.
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Old Oct 28, 2005 | 09:16 PM
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it could be the ABS


but if the pedal feels really fucked up, just pull off the wheel and drum. my buddie once a spring break in the drum and it threw EVERYTHING off. the shoes were catching, and the spring got twisted up all in there.

even though it def sounds like its coming from the front, just pull the wheels off and do a visual inspection at least, let us know if anything looks wrong in there. if it all looks good, hell maybe even pull the rotor. if its all good, go with a brake flush. start cheap and then work your way up.

you can do your own brake flush quite easy even if you dont have a vacuum operated siphon deal. buy brake fluid, start at the right rear open the bleeder and have someone pump the brakes 10 times while you refill the resovior constantly. then move to the next one, so on and so forth constantly refilling and pumping.

all you need is an 8mm wrench or something of that size for the bleeder screw.

maybe the wheel cylinder took a shit, and its leaking in one of the rear drums, etc etc.


my advice is pull the wheels off, the drums and look at everything. then you can start scratching off possibilites. my mustang had a broken pad and caused a pulsating while trying to stop and squealed like a motherfucker

but once you eliminate some possiblilites, and its still doing it then take it in for service, but do what you can for free or cheap first
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Old Oct 30, 2005 | 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by BLUE2KSS
it could be the ABS


but if the pedal feels really fucked up, just pull off the wheel and drum. my buddie once a spring break in the drum and it threw EVERYTHING off. the shoes were catching, and the spring got twisted up all in there.

even though it def sounds like its coming from the front, just pull the wheels off and do a visual inspection at least, let us know if anything looks wrong in there. if it all looks good, hell maybe even pull the rotor. if its all good, go with a brake flush. start cheap and then work your way up.

you can do your own brake flush quite easy even if you dont have a vacuum operated siphon deal. buy brake fluid, start at the right rear open the bleeder and have someone pump the brakes 10 times while you refill the resovior constantly. then move to the next one, so on and so forth constantly refilling and pumping.

all you need is an 8mm wrench or something of that size for the bleeder screw.

maybe the wheel cylinder took a shit, and its leaking in one of the rear drums, etc etc.


my advice is pull the wheels off, the drums and look at everything. then you can start scratching off possibilites. my mustang had a broken pad and caused a pulsating while trying to stop and squealed like a motherfucker

but once you eliminate some possiblilites, and its still doing it then take it in for service, but do what you can for free or cheap first
thank you very much. ill try all that tomorrow when i get off work. the brakes arent squealing and i just replaced the entire braking system about 3 months ago, so i dont think i couldve broken a pad... seeing as this car is just a daily driver.
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Old Oct 31, 2005 | 08:23 AM
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no problem, let us know what it was when you find out
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Old Oct 31, 2005 | 09:14 AM
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considering that is a GM..and a cheap ass one at that...i have no doubts that is your abs motor tell you it hates you.

unplug the abs system, and feel your brakes act and feel better than new.
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Old Nov 5, 2005 | 08:00 AM
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Originally Posted by phinger
considering that is a GM..and a cheap ass one at that...i have no doubts that is your abs motor tell you it hates you.

unplug the abs system, and feel your brakes act and feel better than new.
how do i go about unplugging abs? i dont deal with brakes cus i dont have a car worth dealing with them.
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