brakes pushing back?, bumpy Options

[ArizonaRed]

when i brake on my car the brake pedel pushes back on me in bumps. its like its bumping my foot. its like push, no push, push no push. i checked the disks and pads and they are flat without any bumps or scratches. is it my brake cylinder that isnt applying full pressure, just once every other second? my brake fuid is filled up and doesnt look dirty. i just do not have even braking. could my disks be warped a little from snow?

[ArizonaRed]

Try bleeding your breaks.
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I agree, possibly air in the lines ?
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how does that happen?

to bleed brakes do i just unhook the line right where it goes to the caliper? any special tools?

[gas65]

Try bleeding your breaks.
[right][snapback]308181[/snapback][/right]

I agree, possibly air in the lines ?
[right][snapback]308185[/snapback][/right]

how does that happen?

to bleed brakes do i just unhook the line right where it goes to the caliper? any special tools?
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No, don't open that line!



You will probably have to jack up each wheel and remove them one at a time for the directions below. And make sure you put a jack stand somewhere to hold the car securely for each wheel before you stick yourself under the car.

Yes, jacking up each wheel, putting a jackstand underneath it, bleeding the line, removing the jackstand, and than lowering the car one wheel at a time will take some time, but it is much safer than trying to crawl under the car with a jack holding it up. You can raise as many wheels at a time if you want, as long as you have enough jackstands. I have 4 jackstands so I raise my whole car and remove all the wheels at once when I do mine. Just be safe.

Directions:

Do not use an open end wrench on the bleed valve, use a boxed end

Jack up the whole car or however many wheels you have stands for. Remove the wheel(s). Open up your brake fluid resevoir. Than starting with the wheel located furthest from your master cylinder, you have somebody pump the brake pedal and hold it down and you open the bleed valve, keep it open until the pedal hits the floor and than close it back while they still have the pedal to the floor. Do this several times until all the air comes out, you should see a steady stream of fluid, not a sporadic flow when the air is all out. Make sure they never lift their foot from the pedal while you have the bleed valve open. When you have a steady stream, close the valve securly but don't try to overtighten the valve, they do strip and break under stress. Now go to the 3rd furthest wheel from the master cylinder and repeat the process, than the 2nd furthest, and than the last wheel(which should be the closest to the master cylinder).

Your brake pedal should now be alot firmer higher up from the floor, in other words, if your pedal did'nt start grabbing until it was halfway down to the floor, it should now start grabbing alot sooner as you push the pedal. That is if you did it right.

WARNING: If you have never bled brakes on any car, I would ask somebody local to show you how to do it, maybe a parent(that has done it) or a mechanic. A mechanic may charge you a little, but these are the brakes that stop your car and the little price is worth more than doing it wrong yourself and having a wreck later.


And you might want to put a hose on the bleed valve before you open it and drain the fluid into an oil pan, but I never do. I usually just keep plenty of rags and towels around and try to catch as much fluid in the pan without a hose, than clean up the driveway with the rags and towels. Hell, whats another spot in the driveway.

This post has been edited by gas65: Jul 4, 2005 - 3:49 AM