crappy ass spongy squeaking brakes

[crrider80]

Hi guys. My brake pedal feels very soft and dont stop well at all. It doesnt feel solid like normal. I recently replaced the pads and the rotors look new and aren't worn. They squeak at low speeds. I think the master cylinder is the cause of this. I've been told that the brake booster may be the culprit also but i kinda doubt it. What do you guys think?
-Steve

 

[Nick M]

A spongy pedal is from air in the lines. A pedal that sinks to the floor is a bad master cylinder.

A squeak with new pads and rotors is either pad material or lack of anti-squeal hardware.

 

[Adjuster]

Have you bled the brakes?

Sounds like air in your brake lines to me. (Cause of the soft pedal and spongy feel.)

Squeeks are another issue. Did you get new pads with sound deadening material on them, or re-use your stock stuff? They make spray on sound deadening or "brake quiet" spray. Also can use very high temp grease to help dampen the noise. (Small amount of grease between your pad and the pistons. NOT THE PADS AND THE ROTOR FACE. (Just letting you know, because I have seen this done wrong, and it's nasty.)

Unless your master cylinder is leaking, or your pedal goes to the floor when your sitting at a stop light with normal pressure on the brakes, then it should be fine. Leaking brake boosters make hissing noises, and it makes your brakes very hard to use, but not spongy feeling, or squeeking.

Good luck.

 

[Adjuster]

Wow, Nick, that must be Karma, we posted at the exactly same time, but you must have just slipped in there before me..

 

[pimptrizkit]

like adjust said, a bad booster will make the pedle very hard. and make you feel like you cant apply enough pressure to stop the car.



if you have a soft pedle, and i get's stiff towards the bottom of the travle, im going to say , replace the master and blled the brakes,


the reason im not sayin just bleed the brakes because, it doesn't sound like you broke any lines loose, and im hoping you have kept an eye on your brake fluid to make sure if doesn't suck air into the system

if your tring to find the cheapest route, bleed the brakes, then relize you probly will be doing it again when you put your new master cylinder on.

 

[robeats91t]

crrider80, I recently experienced a similar problem. My brake pedal would sink to the floor if I pressed the pedal gently, as you would when coming to a gradual stop, and would offer no stopping power unless depressed rapidly. It would also sink to the floor under light pressure when stopped at a red light like Adjuster mentioned. I replaced my master cylinder and the problem disappeared.

Replacing the master cylinder took maybe 35 minutes with help, including the removal of the replacement part from a parts car.

 

[Nick M]

My keyboard is as fast as my mouth.