My brother just replaced all of the above mentioned this past weekend.
My question is, after bleeding the brakes twice they still seem like I am putting the brakes to the floor to stop. I don't recall it being like this before. My brother is experienced in this but it seems that they should be a lot more responsive. They should be like before, right?

Another question, I have to have the EGR valve and Axles replaced. I am changing both front axles cause the boots are ripped and have 216K on the car. Where is the best place to take this without getting raped pricewise? I already have the axles that I bought prior. Being a woman, I am extra cautious.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Brakes:

If they still feel mushy then they probably werent bleed properly, or all the air was gotten out of the system. Dont forget to brake in the new rotors and pads.

raxles has good prices and quality axles. I would like to hear some arugments agains local part store axles.

 

 

Why does the order of the brake bleeding matter? It sounds like the process that we took.

Any EGR experts out there with a 96 maxima? What is the typical problem with this code appears? Should I go right to changing the EGR valve?

I got my axles from a catalog that my brother recommended. I don't remember who. It's been a few months. He has experience with them. Otherwise I would have gotten them from Raxles.com.

 

What EGR code are you getting? 0302 maybe?

If thats the code, then get the EGR port on the plenum and the EGR guide tube that runs from the EGR valve to the plenum port cleaned out... the port and tube are probably clogged.

 

That sounds right. I don't have the paper in front of me.

 

i've NEVER bled my brakes in that order...i was taught to bleed them in order of farthest away from the master cyl...it'd be RR, LR, RF, LF for us, i think...

axles are fairly easy, i've done quite a few, but there are a few little things that could completly ruin your week...try to find a local member to help ya

 

I found someplace that will replace them for $75 each and use the axles that I already bought. I am going to go with that and call it done. I'm tired of ***** footing around!

 

Another good shop is in Madison, Wi. Accurate alignment, his name is Jim...and his shop is always booked. One needs to call a week and half early to schedule appt. He is like that because he is really THAT good.

His phone is 608-271-6591 if you decide to go there.

 

I'm heading over to Midas on 76th and Layton. It was the cheapest in the area. I know of a place in Verona, WI that would be cheaper but you have to take a day off of work and it takes longer. Worth it though if you're short of cash. He changed $100 for exhaust from the CAT back. No place around there could touch that. Granted it was all custom bent. No prefab stuff here. It worked for me.

 

Disregarding how the pedal feels, does your car stop as quickly or quicker after the brake job than before? Can you put depress both the brake pedal and gas at the same time and use the brakes to keep the car from moving?

If the answers to these questions are all "No," then you have a real problem. If the answers are all "Yes," then do not sweat where the pdeal goes. Don't confuse pedal responsiveness with braking ability.

On another note: when was the last time you replaced the brake fluid? If you have never done so, you need to, as soon as possible. I recommend using a synthetic brake fluid.

Brake fluid loses its ability to function properly with age.

Lastly, did you properly "break in" or "bed in" the rotors?

 

What do you know, I need that sooner or later and I am going to Madison this weekend, so could you tell me the name of the shop? I supposed Verona near Highway 151?

BTW, there is another great place here at Oklahoma and 27th St. Ken Imports?I forgot the actual name, never had stuff done there (do maintenance/servicing myself) but I have heard great things about that place.

Another place would be O'Reilly's Motor Cars here in Milwaukee downtown. I go there for engine oil change only, since for $20 (bringing my own oil and filter) they would replace the oil and do a GREAT wash/wax afterwards. However, they are kinda pricey...... rivaling that to Nissan dealerships for services (sometimes even Nissan would be less than those guys).

I have never taken my car to Midas, but let me know what you find there.

BTW, I have bled my brakes more than 2 times recently, and it did not change pedal firmness. Granted, the brakes seems "slippery" for a couple of miles, but after that everything returns to normal.

 

What's the name of this place in Verona? I live near there and need my axleback put together.

 

Max's Muffler. I think it's on PD just north of Verona. I only really know how to get there. He may do some Gerry rigging of somethings but he get's the job done and the price is definitely right. My brothers swear by him. They have been taking cars there for years. It's out in the country.

Yes, we replaced the brake fluid when we did all of the work last weekend. The brakes actually seem to have gotten back to normal since I first posted this. Part of the problem, I'm sure was that the pulsating was so bad on them for so long that I didn't know what was normal. I feel better though now that they don't go all the way to the floor. And yes, the car stops quickly.

What do you mean by "break in" the rotors?

I have gone to this Midas before and there prices have always been reasonable and they seem to do good work without ripping you off. Plus, they take competitor coupons and are always willing to look over the car without charging you. I don't have any complaints, yet.

 

Breaking new brakes (new pads, new rotors, or both):

4-5 times light application, brake from 60mph to 45mph, with increasing pressure each stop.

Then 7-8 times hard braking application, brake from 60 mph to 10mph, each followed with normal acceleration to 60 mph.

Finally, after the 8th stop, continue driving in normal speed and avoid using the brake for 10 minutes.

Thanks for the direction, I know where it's at. I would stop by there this weekend to check it out McKee and Highway 18 to CR PD. I will check that Midas as well.....interesting places.....

 

Good to hear that. I expected that was the case.

Ardika gave a good example of how it is done..although you may find variations to these procedures depending on who is providing them. The basic idea behind this process, though, is to lay down an even layer of brake pad material on the surface of the rotor. Doing so prevents uneven braking and overheating.

What often happens after someone gets their brakes & rotors replaced is to overheat them by initially braking them too hard and then coming to a complete stop while the rotors are still hot. As a result, a big, glazed patch of pad gets laid down on one portion of the rotor which can lead to future rotor warping and uneven pad wear.

This is the reason why you do not come to a complete stop when you are breaking in your rotors and why you need to let them cool down first before you do.

 

Bleeding sequence- I believe the Max has dual diagonal brake systems. Each of the two separate master cylinder pistons is pressurizing fluid connected to diagonal wheel cylinders, left front and right rear on one, the opposite on the other. Bleeding them in a proper sequence gets one system free of air, then the other.

Brake fluid is hydroscopic, it picks up moisture from the atmosphere over time. Change brake fluid every 2 years by bleeding all 4 wheels until clear clean fluid comes out. The moisture in brake fluid will vaporize (turn to steam, a compressible fluid) at high temperatures (usually when you need to use brakes frequently and hard) which drastically reduces braking effectiveness just like air in the lines. Moisture also causes acids and corrosion which pits the cylinder bores in master and wheel cylinders. The pitting then abrades the rubber cups on the pistons and fluid leaks by, causing the pedal to slowly sink toward the floor and for braking effort to reduce under constant pedal position. Feels like a pin hole leak in a brake line. Then you have to replace the master cylinder and the wheel cylinder.

Same thing applies to hydraulic clutch actuator.

Clean dry brake fluid is essential to this. Buy sealed can and use it all, throw away the residual unless you intend to use it very soon. Caps are not always seal tite.