Brake Question......Please HELP!!!!!

[Shoboy3]

I am near losing it over this car and the mechanic. After $600 worth of rear braking componets which included:

--New proportioning valve
--New rear calipers (both)
--New brake line(s) (the ones which broke)
--New pads
--Parking brake cables (all)

I had previously done rotors and pads then found out the other componets were messed up.

Now it seems I have the same problem as before. Which is the rear brakes do not seem to be working (much at all). I am very ******* the brakes (50 mph between stop signs) and everything else...after doing this the passenger rear brake in particular do not appear to be clearing the rusty haze off the rotor but it "seems" like the driver's side is. Neither rear rotor is hot to touch (the driver's side is a tad warm---NOT MUCH) and the passenger is cold. I called the mechanic and let him know I would be stopping by and he said that the proportioning valve must need further adjustment, he said they had the brakes working good when it was on the lift.

Ok, I am not mechanic but shouldn't the brakes be working rear good when there is a load on the suspension, and not when it is on the lift? To me it sounds like my mechanic has this ass backwards. Can anyone tell me how to adjust this myself so I have rear braking action.

P.S. I made a point of mentioning to him before the repairs that the driver's side "seemed" to work enough to clear the rust off the rotor, but the passenger side did not even do this. I had blamed it on a bad caliper but it seems to still do the same thing with the new caliper. He blamed it on the proportioning valve being stuck in the off position.

 

[89 Gary]

Look,how a so called "mechanic" can put all these parts on your sho and then not to work is actually OK! WHY,because he is not DONE YET! Take it back and tell him to finish the job. No more money either-the ***** put in the new prop. valve yet doesn't know how to adjust it? Is there air in the system? Do you have a hard brake or does the pedal go halfway down to the floor? You should look at the piston on the rear brakes and see them fully clamp down hard when someone pushes the pedal down. Don't let him screw you-wish you were down here and I would back you up-Sorry.

 

[Shoboy3]

Well I just got back from beating the **** out of it and the brakes. The driver's rear rotor was hot, but the passenger's rotor was barely warm. Boy this ****** me off....

Can anyone tell me what this means? I doubt a mis-adjusted proportioning valve would restrict flow to just the one caliper! Ideas anyone????????

<small>[ March 25, 2002, 09:17 PM: Message edited by: Shoboy3 ]</small>

 

[jcostantino]

You can just remove the actuator for the rear brake valve to give full flow to the rear brakes.

Also, is your SHO lowered? The brake valve works when the left-rear suspension lifts up under braking and the actuator releases pressure on the proportioning valve. If your car is lowered - it's possible that the valve needs to be adjusted (or removed) to allow fluid to flow to the back brakes.

I've been meaning to rip mine out and see what happens, probably this weekend.

Jeff