Brakes feel weaker then other cars - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

stt816 · 06-06-2018, 08:58 AM

My Camaro is getting detailed right now so I have my grandma's Volvo I'm driving around. When I step on the brake it feels like it's going to stop much easier, at the same speeds then my Camaro. Even when I drove my parents Ford explorer sport it felt the same way. I guess mine feel more mushy if I had to describe it. I also just got new oem rotors and hawk pads and still it's the same. Is this normal for our cars?

frankwjr · 06-06-2018, 09:32 AM

do this ASAP...http://www.rangeracceleration.com/Clutch_Care.html
only then do a 4 corner bleed..this way the clutch crap does not get pulled into the lines...our cars are x-pattern...read up on proper bleeding.....good luck!

peace

stt816 · 06-06-2018, 12:59 PM

Thanks you think this is most likely the problem?

ChibiBlackSheep · 06-06-2018, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stt816

Thanks you think this is most likely the problem?

That and honestly you are comparing to a European spec'd car, I feel every European car has better a brake feeling. Either it's the super soft brake compounds, or how they set up their master cylinder with an electric assist, but they do feel better.

frankwjr · 06-06-2018, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stt816

Thanks you think this is most likely the problem?

Don't cost much except some time and Dot 3/4...and it made a huge diff for me...can shift at over 6800 with ease and she stops on a dime...stock rotors and pads...

peace

stt816 · 06-06-2018, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChibiBlackSheep

That and honestly you are comparing to a European spec'd car, I feel every European car has better a brake feeling. Either it's the super soft brake compounds, or how they set up their master cylinder with an electric assist, but they do feel better.

My parents Ford explorer sport was just like the Volvo as well very crisp as soon as you start to touch the pedal

stt816 · 06-06-2018, 02:55 PM

Also forgive my ignorance but when the shop installed rotors and pads would they be bleeding the brakes?

ChibiBlackSheep · 06-06-2018, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stt816

Also forgive my ignorance but when the shop installed rotors and pads would they be bleeding the brakes?

Not really. Usually only when the fluid is swapped will they bleed, or if air got trapped in the lines and the pedal was too soft after they did the work.

stt816 · 06-06-2018, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChibiBlackSheep

Not really. Usually only when the fluid is swapped will they bleed, or if air got trapped in the lines and the pedal was too soft after they did the work.

So you think to get rid of this problem I should do the clutch fluid change as seen above and then bring it somewhere to get the brake bleed?

ChibiBlackSheep · 06-07-2018, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stt816

So you think to get rid of this problem I should do the clutch fluid change as seen above and then bring it somewhere to get the brake bleed?

I would just take it to a shop and ask them to flush your brake fluid with new DOT 4. No sense buying the fluid yourself, and then still paying a shop to do the bleed. The cost is in the labor, not the fluid.

gtstorey · 06-07-2018, 03:16 PM

It's always seemed to me that GM set up it's brakes to have less initial bite and more peddle travel. It's one thing that I have never liked about GM vehicles.

stt816 · 07-10-2018, 04:30 PM

This is what came out...nasty! I'm ordering one more bottle of clutch/brake fluid to make the resevoir even more clean. Still is cloudy after pumping the clutch 30 times...When I asked to get the brakes bled I ask for a 4 corner? Also do I have to tell them I used DOT 4 instead of DOT 3?

ChibiBlackSheep · 07-11-2018, 10:27 AM

If you want DOT 4, tell them. They will only use what's on the cap and the 2 don't mix well.

Norm Peterson · 07-16-2018, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stt816

Also forgive my ignorance but when the shop installed rotors and pads would they be bleeding the brakes?

They really should, and they should have cracked the bleed screws while they're pushing the caliper pistons back down their bores (so that the dirtiest fluid in the system doesn't get pushed back up into the ABS HCU).

On pads . . . you didn't say which Hawks, so I'm going to make a couple of guesses - original HPSs and their "Performance Ceramics".

I wasn't happy with Hawk's original HPS pads when I bought them for the GT in my sig. And that's after being quite happy with the original HPS pads in two other cars previously. I'm not talking about the newer HPS 5.0 compound here, which I have no experience with.

I'm at best uneasy about most ceramic pads intended for street use, even for those who drive somewhere from gently up to no more than moderately hard. Even Hawk downrates their Perf Ceramics on Stopping Power relative to the original HPS.

Next time around, perhaps consider Carbotech's 1521/Bobcat or G-loc's GS-1 pads.

Norm

06-06-2018, 08:58 AM	#1
stt816 Drives: 2012 Black 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Stamford, Connecticut Posts: 672	Brakes feel weaker then other cars My Camaro is getting detailed right now so I have my grandma's Volvo I'm driving around. When I step on the brake it feels like it's going to stop much easier, at the same speeds then my Camaro. Even when I drove my parents Ford explorer sport it felt the same way. I guess mine feel more mushy if I had to describe it. I also just got new oem rotors and hawk pads and still it's the same. Is this normal for our cars? __________________ Pfadt Race Engineering 1.25" Lowering Springs\| Pfadt Spec Performance Street Alignment\|ZL1 Front Bumper Conversion\|ZL1 20x9 Rims\|Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus 275/40R20Y Square Setup\|\|Footwell Lighting\|G2 Gold Painted Brake Calipers *Stainless Power Long Tube Headers\|Cold Air Inductions Cold Air Intake\|VMAX CNC Spiral Ported Throttle Body\|Stainless Works Retro Chambered Catback\| Vitesse Throttle Controller* --Jannetty Racing Enterprises Dyno Tuned\|408 RWHP

06-06-2018, 09:32 AM	#2
frankwjr Drives: 2010 SS 2SS M6 Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Smithsburg, Md. Posts: 2,446	do this ASAP...http://www.rangeracceleration.com/Clutch_Care.html only then do a 4 corner bleed..this way the clutch crap does not get pulled into the lines...our cars are x-pattern...read up on proper bleeding.....good luck! peace __________________ 2010 SS 2SS M6 - Tune by RDP dynoSteve!(Woot) - Daily Driver - *150K!* - All work by me...

06-06-2018, 12:59 PM	#3
stt816 Drives: 2012 Black 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Stamford, Connecticut Posts: 672	Thanks you think this is most likely the problem? __________________ Pfadt Race Engineering 1.25" Lowering Springs\| Pfadt Spec Performance Street Alignment\|ZL1 Front Bumper Conversion\|ZL1 20x9 Rims\|Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus 275/40R20Y Square Setup\|\|Footwell Lighting\|G2 Gold Painted Brake Calipers *Stainless Power Long Tube Headers\|Cold Air Inductions Cold Air Intake\|VMAX CNC Spiral Ported Throttle Body\|Stainless Works Retro Chambered Catback\| Vitesse Throttle Controller* --Jannetty Racing Enterprises Dyno Tuned\|408 RWHP

06-06-2018, 02:55 PM	#7
stt816 Drives: 2012 Black 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Stamford, Connecticut Posts: 672	Also forgive my ignorance but when the shop installed rotors and pads would they be bleeding the brakes? __________________ Pfadt Race Engineering 1.25" Lowering Springs\| Pfadt Spec Performance Street Alignment\|ZL1 Front Bumper Conversion\|ZL1 20x9 Rims\|Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus 275/40R20Y Square Setup\|\|Footwell Lighting\|G2 Gold Painted Brake Calipers *Stainless Power Long Tube Headers\|Cold Air Inductions Cold Air Intake\|VMAX CNC Spiral Ported Throttle Body\|Stainless Works Retro Chambered Catback\| Vitesse Throttle Controller* --Jannetty Racing Enterprises Dyno Tuned\|408 RWHP

07-10-2018, 04:30 PM	#12
stt816 Drives: 2012 Black 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Stamford, Connecticut Posts: 672	This is what came out...nasty! I'm ordering one more bottle of clutch/brake fluid to make the resevoir even more clean. Still is cloudy after pumping the clutch 30 times...When I asked to get the brakes bled I ask for a 4 corner? Also do I have to tell them I used DOT 4 instead of DOT 3? Attached Images __________________ Pfadt Race Engineering 1.25" Lowering Springs\| Pfadt Spec Performance Street Alignment\|ZL1 Front Bumper Conversion\|ZL1 20x9 Rims\|Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus 275/40R20Y Square Setup\|\|Footwell Lighting\|G2 Gold Painted Brake Calipers *Stainless Power Long Tube Headers\|Cold Air Inductions Cold Air Intake\|VMAX CNC Spiral Ported Throttle Body\|Stainless Works Retro Chambered Catback\| Vitesse Throttle Controller* --Jannetty Racing Enterprises Dyno Tuned\|408 RWHP

06-07-2018, 03:16 PM	#11
gtstorey Drives: 2010 Camaro SS2,L99, LSA SC Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 2,146	It's always seemed to me that GM set up it's brakes to have less initial bite and more peddle travel. It's one thing that I have never liked about GM vehicles.

07-11-2018, 10:27 AM	#13
ChibiBlackSheep Drives: 2012 2SS/RS, 1968 SS Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Southeast, PA Posts: 2,085	If you want DOT 4, tell them. They will only use what's on the cap and the 2 don't mix well. __________________ LS3 Crate Engine Swap \| CSP Custom Cam 232/240 .615/.615 113 +3 \| Stainless Power LT Headers \| Z28 Intake \| Borla S-Type Exhaust \| FTI Triple-Disc Billet 3200 Stall 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS \| 1968 Camaro SS \| 2020 Cadillac CT5 Premium Luxury \| 2021 Spark LS