Ok. I just bought and installed a used Rotora 6/4 brake kit. I have some concerns, though... First, the pedal feel doesn't feel quite as firm as before (I had stainless lines with my stock brakes). Is this normal for a BBK? Or, maybe its just me. I've bled the brakes several times (with the old fashion pump method and with a vacuum pump). Now, there is a SMALL chance that the master cylinder resevoir went pretty low. If air got in there somehow, how would you get it out? In the FSM, it says you can fully drain the fluid, then bleed them normally... So, there shouldn't be any air in there, right?

Second, after my first hard braking session, I noticed several 'pops' coming from my R/F caliper (pops were spaced about 30-45 seconds apart). I know that's not normal... Maybe the caliper needs rebuilding....

Input/thoughts?

Thanks,
Jerome

 

I would bleed them 1 more time to make sure. You can tap the rotors with a rubber hammer to create some vibration in order to loosen some possible trapped air. Brake fluid is cheap, brake failure is not.

 

First +1^ bleed them again and tap each caliper with a rubber mallet lots of times while it's bleeding. I just flushed all my fluid last month and found more air in mine.

Second, it is common to have a little pad creep with larger brake kits. Is the feel a little soft if you first push on them but if you let off and push again it's hard? If so, that's pad creep and normal.

 

Ok. So, I did bleed them again and they did firm up a bit. As far as the popping noise, I think it's actually the head shield hitting the spindle. I guess it contracts a good bit when cooling, and pops against it. Meh. I think I'll do it right and actually take the heat shield completely off. It shouldn't be too bad (removing the hubs).

Thanks guys!!!

Oh, and Tim, Rotora FTW!!!

 

I've seen people just cut the heat shield..saves time. Good luck.

 

It has been cut. But, it's a little rough around the edges... Small stuff like that keeps bothering me until I get to the point that I can't stand it anymore...

 

Item 1 seems to be resolved to your liking - knockback & air in the lines are the usual culprits.

Item 2 - do you hear the popping when the car is still moving or when its at rest? if you hear it in motion, that is unusual. if you hear it when stopped, its probably just the rotors cooling.

 

It seems to only do it when the car is stopped... It's pretty loud. I put my hand on the caliper to see if it was coming from there, but it wasn't. The noise seems to be coming from behind the rotor/hub. That's why I assumed that it was the heat shield popping.