I just converted my 03 entire braking system to upgraded Brembo's OEM w/Stoptech braided lines/slotted rotors and street performance pads.

Im a little concerned that the bite and stopping feel is not what even the standard system felt like. Could I have an issue?

 

Did you bleed them properly after install?

 

Id call air. Is the pedal soft?

 

Done by mechanic..

I got in car before leaving and the brakes went to floor on third pump. They then proceeded to re-bleed the entire system. I have been driving for two days, but stopping power/bite should obviously be more enhanced.

 

Im concerned b/c they are rebuilt.

 

Unless "power bled", there always seems to be air in the system after swapping. If he's not forcing fluid through the system under pressure, you'll never get all the bubbles out it seems.

New pads and rotors require bedding-in. Did mechanic do that too?

 

Doesn't sound right to me. I went from 2006 standard OEM brake system (all original components) to OEM Brembo calipers and pads, Centric (Powerslot) slotted rotors, stainless lines and Motul 500 fluid and the difference was noticeable for the better. And keep in mind I'm coming from 2006 OEM brakes which are larger than 2003-2005, so if anything you should be noticing more of a difference than me. I don't know enough about the system to know how to check whether you have a bad piston(s) or some other obstruction, or a leaking line somewhere, or air in the lines. I'd make your shop fix it until it's fixed.

 

Guy was a hack and just wanted the cash to do the job. I attempted bedding by doing some hard stops 0-60.

They just don't seem to bite.. and pedel feels less than stock.

Will the air work itself out eventually?

 

Take the car somewhere else and have it power bled.
Don't do 60-0 stops when you don't feel your brakes are operating properly.
Thats just stupid.

 

Does the pedal feel soft or is the initial bite of the street performance pads not what you expect? A soft pedal can definitely be air in the system, but it can also be from green pads that are not properly bedded-in. I agree with the others, take it to a shop that can use a power bleeder to make sure the air is out of all of the system. Or get the tools to do it your self, very easy job! Once you are sure the air is out, then make sure they are properly bedded-in. Stoptech has a lot of great info on their website.

FYI, when I went from the Brembo OEM pads to the Stoptech 309 street performance pads, I also thought the initial bite was actually worse than the OEM brembo pads. The Stoptech pads are great for track days but if you are just driving on the street I would say go back to the OEM Brembo pads.

 

"Feel" is an impossible quality to evaluate. I assume that you bed the pads. Pads are the key here. Some pads, performance or not , lack initial bite that you may be expecting.

 

I have a 05 Z with OE brakes and an 03 G with Brembo brakes, the brembos has a better gradual feel on the brake pedal system while the OE is more sudden. This might be what you are "feeling". Stomping on both brake system feels and stops just as well as one another. If the guy that did your brake is a hack then i'd still check if you have trapped air inside. The air will not make it out by itself.

 

I'm going to assume that it's not air since you keep referencing "bite" rather than "squishy pedal". By "bite" do you mean initial bite or is it always difficult to stop even once they're warmed up?

I can tell you that my brakes suck for initial bite, but at a stop from 130mph for example they don't bite til around 90-80mph and then it's like hitting a brick wall.

 

Take it to someone else to have them inspect the original guys work. Something was definitely not done properly.

 

In addition to what others have recommended ^ What pads did you have before? and what now?

 

stock oem pads. I now have the stoptech street performance pads as part of the rotor/line/pad package they offer.

 

My stoptech pads didn't have much bite until they were properly bed-in and used for a while. Don't expect neck snapping bite, but they will get better with use and bed-in.

Plus power bleed 'em again as others recommended.

 

Anything I've ever put Stoptech 309 pads had the feeling of yanking the eyeballs out just resting my foot on the brake pedal. There has got to be air in the system. Put your car on 4 jackstands and re-bleed them the right way. Check the entire system for leaks and defects while you're at it.

 

This is troubling.. the system was bled twice. Would Dot 4 fluid make a difference at all? That is what I had put in.

 

Feel is subjective, i have never felt a BBK that felt better than the stock 1 piston brakes for normal street driving. Nor is there a difference in stopping distance between the two. Pad compound will determine the initial bite, so many pads have so much of a different feel.

The air bleeding as other said, sucks, pain in the *** , and takes for ever. Even with a pressure bleeder it seems to need to get performed multiple time to get the freaking air out. Our brakes are worse than our cooling system.