No Bite When Breaking Why?
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 111
Likes: 6
From: Jersey
No Bite When Breaking Why?
I have a 2012 is250 convertible but not much action on that section of the forum. Car has 106k on it and hasn’t had many issues. In august 2020 I had 2 new calipers installed as the original ones were shot. I also did new pads and resurfaces rotors. the stopping power is much better but there’s no bite to the brakes at all. What could be the problem?
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 111
Likes: 6
From: Jersey
forget the name of the pads but I’ll check the receipt if it says so. A local shop did it (good people). Reason I changed calipers is they were frozen in the front lots of rust from previous owner. Brake fluid level is good. This was all work done in the front by the way.
The rears are notorious for seizing too. Just so we are all on the same page, when you say no bite, what does that mean?
With new calipers they *had to bleed the brakes. That doesn't mean they did it correctly. I manually pressure bleed mine using two people. When done, I repeat the process and add in this step. While being held down under pressure I tap the caliper from the bottom up repeatedly with a hard wood block. This action breaks stuck air bubbles free to exit through the bleeder into the hose. While under pressure, trapped air groups together unlike the other condition where people vacuum bleed and air scatters throughout the system.
The result of tapping under pressure and sealing the bleeder under pressure gives instant pedal response at all four corners. And when there is no air in the system, the pads retract properly reducing drag.
With pads that have good bite, the effect is instant grab and slowing with minimal input at the pedal.
Recap: guys that work alone often vacuum bleed and walk away calling it done. This results in poor pedal response which could be mistaken for poor initial bite.. Check and see how brakes were bled and confirm those rear calipers are not stuck either. i.e. pull off the highway using minimal brakes, and feel the wheel, caliper,, and lastly the rotor for heat. They should be cold. I say 3 steps at stuck calipers can lead to BURNED FINGER TIPS if the rotor is your first point of contact.
Make sense?
With new calipers they *had to bleed the brakes. That doesn't mean they did it correctly. I manually pressure bleed mine using two people. When done, I repeat the process and add in this step. While being held down under pressure I tap the caliper from the bottom up repeatedly with a hard wood block. This action breaks stuck air bubbles free to exit through the bleeder into the hose. While under pressure, trapped air groups together unlike the other condition where people vacuum bleed and air scatters throughout the system.
The result of tapping under pressure and sealing the bleeder under pressure gives instant pedal response at all four corners. And when there is no air in the system, the pads retract properly reducing drag.
With pads that have good bite, the effect is instant grab and slowing with minimal input at the pedal.
Recap: guys that work alone often vacuum bleed and walk away calling it done. This results in poor pedal response which could be mistaken for poor initial bite.. Check and see how brakes were bled and confirm those rear calipers are not stuck either. i.e. pull off the highway using minimal brakes, and feel the wheel, caliper,, and lastly the rotor for heat. They should be cold. I say 3 steps at stuck calipers can lead to BURNED FINGER TIPS if the rotor is your first point of contact.
Make sense?
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 111
Likes: 6
From: Jersey
Thanks for replying. When I say no bite I mean, if I tap on my brakes (whether I'm going 50 or 15 mph) it makes no difference, the car doesn't stop at all. When depressing the pedal I just feel lots of air, I really have to put force into it before the car stops.
Mechanic claimed to have bled brakes. Advised not to flush fluid because thats from the rear, and I wasn't touching them at the time so it doesn't pay to do it when it would have to be done anyway when changing rear pads and rotors.
2 Front Calipers installed
Re-surfaced rotors in front
New Front Pads
New Hardware
All set me back $1000........
Mechanic claimed to have bled brakes. Advised not to flush fluid because thats from the rear, and I wasn't touching them at the time so it doesn't pay to do it when it would have to be done anyway when changing rear pads and rotors.
2 Front Calipers installed
Re-surfaced rotors in front
New Front Pads
New Hardware
All set me back $1000........
The rears are notorious for seizing too. Just so we are all on the same page, when you say no bite, what does that mean?
With new calipers they *had to bleed the brakes. That doesn't mean they did it correctly. I manually pressure bleed mine using two people. When done, I repeat the process and add in this step. While being held down under pressure I tap the caliper from the bottom up repeatedly with a hard wood block. This action breaks stuck air bubbles free to exit through the bleeder into the hose. While under pressure, trapped air groups together unlike the other condition where people vacuum bleed and air scatters throughout the system.
The result of tapping under pressure and sealing the bleeder under pressure gives instant pedal response at all four corners. And when there is no air in the system, the pads retract properly reducing drag.
With pads that have good bite, the effect is instant grab and slowing with minimal input at the pedal.
Recap: guys that work alone often vacuum bleed and walk away calling it done. This results in poor pedal response which could be mistaken for poor initial bite.. Check and see how brakes were bled and confirm those rear calipers are not stuck either. i.e. pull off the highway using minimal brakes, and feel the wheel, caliper,, and lastly the rotor for heat. They should be cold. I say 3 steps at stuck calipers can lead to BURNED FINGER TIPS if the rotor is your first point of contact.
Make sense?
With new calipers they *had to bleed the brakes. That doesn't mean they did it correctly. I manually pressure bleed mine using two people. When done, I repeat the process and add in this step. While being held down under pressure I tap the caliper from the bottom up repeatedly with a hard wood block. This action breaks stuck air bubbles free to exit through the bleeder into the hose. While under pressure, trapped air groups together unlike the other condition where people vacuum bleed and air scatters throughout the system.
The result of tapping under pressure and sealing the bleeder under pressure gives instant pedal response at all four corners. And when there is no air in the system, the pads retract properly reducing drag.
With pads that have good bite, the effect is instant grab and slowing with minimal input at the pedal.
Recap: guys that work alone often vacuum bleed and walk away calling it done. This results in poor pedal response which could be mistaken for poor initial bite.. Check and see how brakes were bled and confirm those rear calipers are not stuck either. i.e. pull off the highway using minimal brakes, and feel the wheel, caliper,, and lastly the rotor for heat. They should be cold. I say 3 steps at stuck calipers can lead to BURNED FINGER TIPS if the rotor is your first point of contact.
Make sense?
Thanks for replying. When I say no bite I mean, if I tap on my brakes (whether I'm going 50 or 15 mph) it makes no difference, the car doesn't stop at all. When depressing the pedal I just feel lots of air, I really have to put force into it before the car stops.
Mechanic claimed to have bled brakes. Advised not to flush fluid because thats from the rear, and I wasn't touching them at the time so it doesn't pay to do it when it would have to be done anyway when changing rear pads and rotors.
2 Front Calipers installed
Re-surfaced rotors in front
New Front Pads
New Hardware
All set me back $1000........
Mechanic claimed to have bled brakes. Advised not to flush fluid because thats from the rear, and I wasn't touching them at the time so it doesn't pay to do it when it would have to be done anyway when changing rear pads and rotors.
2 Front Calipers installed
Re-surfaced rotors in front
New Front Pads
New Hardware
All set me back $1000........
1. Take it to another mechanic. Have them bleed the system. Sequence is as follows.
Rear Driver
Rear Pass
Front Pass
Front Driver
You may need to verify on the convertible. As to which rear side line is farthest from master cylinder.
2. Bed in the brakes. If they cut all the rotors. This needs to be done.
Last edited by MikeFig82; Mar 22, 2021 at 11:32 AM.
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