brake adjustment

mkcobra · #1 (**permalink**) 10-05-2001, 08:32 PM

Hello Don and DV

Don I want to pick your brain real quick on the brake setup on the new cobras, i think i have the wilwood master cyclinder but the brakes feel very soft and almost to the floor, can these be adjusted doesnt feel like air in the lines just weak, soft master cyclinder. i do see a turn knob to increase and decrease something but my impression was this was to adjust front to rear brake power.

thanks Mike

hope to learn something about a cobra one day.

dscott · #2 (**permalink**) 10-06-2001, 09:01 AM

Mike, Tell me about the brake setup on your car. Drum, disc? 4 wheel disc? There are several things that can cause the problem you have but I need more information on your setup. The Wilwood adjustable prop valve is for front to rear brake bias. This wouldn't have any effect on the feel of the pedal or a soft pedal.
Don

dscott · #3 (**permalink**) 10-06-2001, 09:45 AM

Mike, Since I now know this is Jim's I can describe the brake setup. The fronts are 11" and use a Granada rotor with a midsize GM caliper, The rear are a custom setup for the 8.8 using a Cadillac Eldorado caliper with the built in parking brake. The master cylinder is Corvette, The booster is Mustang II. Most of the time the probelm is with the rear brakes. It is very hard to bleed the rears because the design doesn't place the bleeder at the top of the caliper. I normally remove the caliper, tip it so the bleeder is at the top and open the bleeder screw. You don't need to apply any pressure to the brakes. Watch for air bubbles to come out the bleeder. Repeat this a couple of times. The other problem with the rear brakes is the parking brake adjustment. When properly adjusted the parking brake holds the caliper piston to within a 1/16" of the rotor. If it isn't adjusted properly the piston must move to far to reach the rotor causing a low pedal. Normally the brake is adjusted with the use of the parking brake. It adjusts itself each time the brake is used. You can try applying the parking brake several times (pull it up and down several times) and see if this helps. If none of this works there is 1 other procedure you can do but it is more involved. Let me know if this helps. Don

mkcobra · #4 (**permalink**) 10-06-2001, 12:35 PM

thanks Don

i will try this and let you know.

Mike