EK front lock up

**rubixcube** · 11-06-2011 12:28 PM

Hey all,

So yesterday I was out driving on Moggill Rd right near Indro police station, on the downhill stretch where there are pedestrian traffic lights (for those of you who know the area) Coming down the hill(100% dry road, tires are about 95%), and some guy pushes the button and walks straight out onto the road, so I smack my foot on the brakes, pretty hard, started slowing down alright, but then had to push harder for the downhill grade, and the front right locked straight up and I skidded. I've only got a cxi, so there's no ABS..stock front brakes, and rear disc setup taken from a mid 90's teggy I think. Don't know if the master cylinder has been upgraded. Anyway, I guess I just kind of thought the brakes felt.. weird? Might have just been the fact I was going downhill, but it felt like there was hardly any braking coming from the rear. The pedal isn't soft persay..it just didn't feel as nice as the brakes on my dad's magna for example (yes I know that's like comparing apples to oranges, as a 2005 magna has ABS, but we have roughly the same size brakes and my car weighs a lot less). Also note, this is the first time I've actually had to brake hard for a real reason, so all the other times I've been bored on a lonely road testing my brakes, I was never actually putting them on hard enough for this to happen, that's why I'm curious.

Just wondering what kind of advice anyone might have as far as:
a) could there be air in the lines? (probably the least likely cause, did a brake bleed at the end of last year with dad, pretty sure we did it quite thoroughly)
b) is it just my braking style
c) need bigger MC or something else?

Thanks all

**trism** · 11-06-2011 02:54 PM

there isnt suppose to be braking from the rear.

the bias is about 75-80% front, the rest in the rear.

air in the lines would result in a spongy pedal, which you said it doesnt have

you dont need a bigger MC because you havnt put massive front calipers on it

its just how the car brakes.

**MikeyG** · 11-06-2011 02:58 PM

plus its a cxi dude.. not one of the best brakes.. i would suggest if you have the money to upgrade all round to ek4 brakes

**rubixcube** · 11-06-2011 04:01 PM

there isnt suppose to be braking from the rear.

the bias is about 75-80% front, the rest in the rear.

I kinda suspected this, as is the case with most FWD cars..? Bigger/vented rotors on front = logically more braking force sent there (didn't think it was that much)

plus its a cxi dude.. not one of the best brakes.. i would suggest if you have the money to upgrade all round to ek4 brakes

what are the calipers/other parts needed for this swap? I've got 7CLP14S calipers on the rear, and as I have just been reading, EK1's seem to be mix and match for the front. Some have 262mm rotors (which apparently means the front brake setup is the same as an EK4), others have 240/242. From this thread. So I guess I'll just have to verify my front setup?

**dougie_504** · 12-06-2011 03:30 PM

But at least the car pulled up alright and you didn't hit him, right? You were going downhill too.

A good set of pads and tyres is really all you need IMO. Good tread is one thing, but what tyres are you using to begin with?

And ABS is overrated. You won't pull up as fast with ABS, it's just that you can keep steering a little better and avoid flat spots if you lock up.

**trism** · 12-06-2011 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by rubixcube

I kinda suspected this, as is the case with most FWD cars..?

Its the case with all cars, not just fwd

Sent from my custard cannon like Peter North.

**rubixcube** · 12-06-2011 04:04 PM

But at least the car pulled up alright and you didn't hit him, right? You were going downhill too.

A good set of pads and tyres is really all you need IMO. Good tread is one thing, but what tyres are you using to begin with?

Yeah man, she pulled up alright. Errmmm forget the exact model, but they're made by Zetum (owned by Kumho) - I didn't have any choice in this really, as when I got my tires fitted up in Hervey Bay, they only had 2 types in stock. One was $135 each, the other was something like $300 and I was low on cash so I got the zetums. The size I need to be legal is 205/40R17 which AFAIK is an 'in-between' size, 215/40 are far more common and I would've had a much wider choice but Bob Jane wouldn't let me fit them.

edit: found a pic of my tyres. http://imgur.com/xRGZq.jpg