Front Disc Brake Tutorial

I have just completed my disk conversion and I cannot for the life of me get a consistent pedal feel. Right after the conversion the top part of the pedal travel was very soft and the new front disks were not really doing much of anything. I thought this was probably air in the system so I bled and bled and since I installed a remote reservoir at the same time I was able to use a power bleeder on 10 pounds of pressure, though I still didn't get any air out of the front calipers (my bleeders are on the top of the calipers so they are on the right way). So I decided to try it out again anyway and the same thing but this time as I was going down the road I would randomly push on the pedal and sometimes it would be nice and firm all the way at the top and it would stop fine. Then right after I let off the pedal and pushed it again it went back to being very soft. I cannot figure it out if anyone can help that would be great!

 

You need to provide a more complete description of your brake system for anyone to be able to help analyze the problem. MC type? location? Drum/disc or disc/disc? Residual pressure valves? etc.

 

Sorry about that 45es. I have a stock dual reservoir mc located in the stock position under the floor. It is disks in front and drums in the rear. I have a wilwood 2 ib residual pressure valve right after the mc for the front lines. Could that pressure valve be bad so most of the time if it's not holding pressure in the lines a full stroke of the mc won't provide enough volume to the calipers to bite hard enough? Just a thought.

Focker, I know this is not the problem because when my pedal gets firm every once in a while the front brakes grab nicely. I just don't have that consistent firmness in the pedal.

 

I took the brass seat out and there wasn't a check valve behind it. I've heard that's common with aftermarket replacements.

 

I have to ask. You describe bleeding the front brakes but, did you bleed the rear brakes also. If you pump the brakes, do they pump up and become firm?

 

Yes i bled all of the brakes. No matter how much i pump the brakes they never become firm which is why i don't really think it's air in the lines.

 

I had the same problem with my 71' for a long time. Do you have the brake lines routed correctly? I had to make sure the front brakes went to the first port (closets to plunger) and the back brakes went to the second port.

 

Actually I just hooked the lines how the po had them which is switched from what you said. Did that fix it for you?

 

Made all the difference in the world!

 

Focker I have the rpv in the line for the front brakes, I just have that whole line going to the second port on the mc. I will switch the lines and see what happens. Thanks jzeber

 

From a while back when I first did this conversion, post #42 on page 3.

D27 Disc brake swap on my 71'

 

Well, I switched my lines going to the mc last night and it seems like that did the trick. My jeep actually stops now! Thanks everyone for the help and thanks for that thread jzeber lots of good info in there.

 

I thought "There's no way mine are backwards... " lol. They are.

EDIT Now I'm not so sure. Pics from this site that look exactly like mine:

http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q494/wrhirzel/DSCF0716_zps3f3a954f.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/11/26/udanuryv.jpg

 

where is the pic of the remote res ? I've thought of doing this ....

 

my setup is a complete mix of Jeep to Chevy to Ford.......