Is an X supposed to stop?

B

Brad Christiansen

Low Mileage
I think my calipers are hanging up. But pushing my foot hard enough to bend the front bulkhead, my 78 X stops slower than I can stop my bicycle dragging my feet. Ideas?

Thanks for the help. I used your advice on timing, and started right up. Set rotor on #4, but time to #1 got the job done.
 
If you have installed new discs (rotors) and pads, then generally, thats how they feel untill bedded in. I too shat myself when first pulling up behind a lorry taking its first journey onto the open road after its rebuild!
Having no servo doesn't help, untill you realise the reason they didn't fit one :eek:
 
Did you replace your flex lines?

An important consideration when working on brakes.
Those lines (over time) weaken and "balloon" on ya when they get old.
Stock lines aren't too expensive. (around $50), Consider changing them out if they're old.
Also, a quart DOT 4 fluid at your auto parts store (about $6) will guarantee clear lines if you use the whole quart.

Good luck!
 
Well, that is so wrong.

When the brakes are functioning properly, it should be able to lock up the fronts and stop as good as any similar modern car.

Something is very wrong. What else in the brake system has been inspected or replaced and how were the parts replaced and with what parts?

Brad Christiansen said:
I think my calipers are hanging up. But pushing my foot hard enough to bend the front bulkhead, my 78 X stops slower than I can stop my bicycle dragging my feet. Ideas?

Thanks for the help. I used your advice on timing, and started right up. Set rotor on #4, but time to #1 got the job done.
Click to expand...
 
Few things to check...

First -- The little "pucks" that secure the calipers in the bracket MUST be lubricated so that the caliper can slide very easily. They can bind up rather easily if not. Not very likely that all of them are jammed but stranger things have happened. It's easy enough to check and it sure would suck to spend a lot of time and money on other parts only to find that it was something simple.

Lastly, If it's affecting all four corners then it's likely the one thing that is common to all fours - the MC itself, good luck.

T
 
Hey Tommy...is it just me...

... or have you been GONE for a long time?

Were you not starting a Medical School program?

Welcome back... if that's appropriate...
 
yep...

two years down...only 10 to go! Yeah, but now that I see the job and all that it entails the more I regret not doing this when I was in my 20's instead of 40's. After this next year, I am looking at taking on a ridiculous amount of debt to accomplish this goal. The question is "is it worth it?".

Thanks for the welcome back...

T
 
Rupunzell said:
Well, that is so wrong.

When the brakes are functioning properly, it should be able to lock up the fronts and stop as good as any similar modern car.
Click to expand...

I concur, the brakes work quite well with properly functioning calipers, good pads, and proper bleeding.

A brake servo / booster helps on larger cars, but is really a cover-up on smaller cars. Manufacturers want to fit sloppier single piston calipers with lots of flex and poor brake pads because it's cheap. They then have problems with pedal slop / long pedal throw and weak brakes, so they have to up the fluid flow from the Master cylinder. That in turn reduces the mechanical advantage on the caliper (more fluid/stroke, less power per stroke), which requires a vacuum servo (very cheap) to boost the brakes so they feel good....The brakes are very tough to use on a servo-assisted car with the power off right?

ABS changes the ball game of course (electronic controller and such is required in the system, which i'm guessing wouldn't work with a purely mechanical setup).

An X19, Honda Civic, ford focus etc etc would stop very well with 4-piston calipers, a properly sized master cylinder / calipers, and good pads.
 
Yur welcome again...

Worth it... WOW... considering you'll be 50 when you complete your education and then ya wanna work another 10 or 20 years in the field...

That's a BIG decision to make...

As a lousy example... most of MY co-workers and friends RETIRED from their jobs at 50... then a few had second careers. You won't, and I don't, BELIEVE how many are sick and dying and are DEAD already!

(Just call me an OPTIMIST... after all, I hear "Murphy" was...)

HA!

All my best to ya... whatever you decide.
 
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