# very stiff brake pedal, but still stops and functions great?



## WeeBeDubbin (Dec 28, 2012)

Ok like the title says, my brake pedle is very stiff, as in hard to push in. however i dont hardly have to push it in far for the brakes to work, and work well.

i have slotted and drilled rotors all around on my corrado. the front rotors are dual disk rotors, but i am unsure of the title. this is the first set of slotted and drilled rotors braking system i have ever had so i am unsure if the brake eddle is supposed to be stiff or not.

i havent checked the brake fluid or bled the lines as like i said earlier in the post, it does stop very well, its just not a soft peddle like my MK4's brakes were.

any insights/ideas?

--EDIT-- i am unsure of the brand, not the title:laugh:


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## albinorineo (Feb 25, 2012)

Too much (Over max line) brake fluid?


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## c0r3y.af (Oct 8, 2009)

^Sounds like that might be it. Too much fluid would probably do that. Or maybe it has stainless lines? (that would be nice:thumbup


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## WeeBeDubbin (Dec 28, 2012)

albinorineo said:


> Too much (Over max line) brake fluid?


hmm ill have to check that lol. i just know it stops great dont get me wrong. its just very stiff at the peddle. can too much brake fluid hurt it?



c0r3y.af said:


> ^Sounds like that might be it. Too much fluid would probably do that. Or maybe it has stainless lines? (that would be nice:thumbup


There is a good possibility it has steel braided lines, as like i mentioned it has drilled and sltted rotors all around, with dual disk rotors in the front, which is most deffinetly not stock even for corrados. 

i didnt know steel lines can make the brake peddle more stiff?

--EDIT-- for spelling of disk....lmao


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## c0r3y.af (Oct 8, 2009)

WeeBeDubbin said:


> i didnt know steel lines can make the brake peddle more stiff?


That's actually the entire point. With rubber lines, when you apply pressure to the brake pedal, the lines can expand which creates the spongy feel that most stock cars have. With steel lines, they don't expand giving you a stiffer feeling brake pedal. Check it out and let me know. Sounds like that might be the case, in which case, :thumbup: to you haha. Saves you like $100 on upgraded brake lines.


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## albinorineo (Feb 25, 2012)

WeeBeDubbin said:


> can too much brake fluid hurt it?



Engineers do not arbitrarily add minimum and maximum lines to anything. When brake fluid gets hot, it expands. The extra room between the min and max is for this expansion.


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## WeeBeDubbin (Dec 28, 2012)

c0r3y.af said:


> That's actually the entire point. With rubber lines, when you apply pressure to the brake pedal, the lines can expand which creates the spongy feel that most stock cars have. With steel lines, they don't expand giving you a stiffer feeling brake pedal. Check it out and let me know. Sounds like that might be the case, in which case, :thumbup: to you haha. Saves you like $100 on upgraded brake lines.


Hell ya awesome! Im out of town my buddy has my car I'll have him check an let ya know!


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## germancarnut51 (Mar 23, 2008)

Sounds to me like your vacuum booster is not working.

Look for a leaking vacuum hose on the vacuum booster, or a defective check valve in the vacuum booster hose, or your vacuum booster may be defective?

Trying getting an assistant to step on the brake pedal while the engine is running, and listening under the hood for vacuum leaks.


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## WeeBeDubbin (Dec 28, 2012)

germancarnut51 said:


> Sounds to me like your vacuum booster is not working.
> 
> Look for a leaking vacuum hose on the vacuum booster, or a defective check valve in the vacuum booster hose, or your vacuum booster may be defective?
> 
> Trying getting an assistant to step on the brake pedal while the engine is running, and listening under the hood for vacuum leaks.


i will check this as well, thank you for the heads up! :thumbup:


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## franciscomk3 (Feb 27, 2012)

albinorineo said:


> Too much (Over max line) brake fluid?


 :screwy:


c0r3y.af said:


> *^Sounds like that might be it. Too much fluid would probably do that. *Or maybe it has stainless lines? (that would be nice:thumbup


 :what:


albinorineo said:


> Engineers do not arbitrarily add minimum and maximum lines to anything. When brake fluid gets hot, it expands. The extra room between the min and max is for this expansion.


 :thumbup:


germancarnut51 said:


> Sounds to me like your vacuum booster is not working.
> 
> Look for a leaking vacuum hose on the vacuum booster, or a defective check valve in the vacuum booster hose, or your vacuum booster may be defective?
> 
> Trying getting an assistant to step on the brake pedal while the engine is running, and listening under the hood for vacuum leaks.


 :facepalm:

he said he car brakes perfectly.
if the booster didnt work, pedal would be rock hard and the car would not stop without standing up on the pedal




there is no issue here guys, OP you have the perfect setup many of us wish to have,

a firm, responsive pedal.


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## VWBugman00 (Mar 17, 2009)

With the aftermarket brake stuff on this car, I'd be willing to bet that it does have the stainless brake lines. My brake pedal is also very stiff after upgrading my brakes and lines. As long as your fluid isn't too full/not full enough, roll with it.


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## WeeBeDubbin (Dec 28, 2012)

franciscomk3 said:


> he said he car brakes perfectly.
> if the booster didnt work, pedal would be rock hard and the car would not stop without standing up on the pedal
> 
> there is no issue here guys, OP you have the perfect setup many of us wish to have,
> ...


Thanks! i was just hoping that there wasnt anything wrong with my brakes you know? they are very firm, it is stiff but i hardly have to push it in to stop. 

like for instance, on my MK4 GTI, when i need tht hard stopping power i can push in my brake pedal a good 3-4 inches it feels (give or take 3 inches really) and it also stops well. Where as my Corrado, when im pressing the brakes hard, my peddle depresses maybe an inch total, but it deffinetly stops. i just wanted to make sure it was working as intended and that i didnt have a possible future problem on my hands
:thumbup:


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## germancarnut51 (Mar 23, 2008)

WeeBeDubbin said:


> Thanks! i was just hoping that there wasnt anything wrong with my brakes you know? they are very firm, it is stiff but i hardly have to push it in to stop.
> 
> like for instance, on my MK4 GTI, when i need tht hard stopping power i can push in my brake pedal a good 3-4 inches it feels (give or take 3 inches really) and it also stops well. Where as my Corrado, when im pressing the brakes hard, my peddle depresses maybe an inch total, but it deffinetly stops. i just wanted to make sure it was working as intended and that i didnt have a possible future problem on my hands
> :thumbup:




You need to get your story straight.

First you wrote that the brake pedal is hard to push. If the pedal effort is high (as in hard to push on the pedal), then there might be something wrong with the vacuum booster (which assists you in pushing the brake pedal down).

Next you wrote that the brake pedal doesn't press in far and the the car stops. Nothing wrong here. Why would you want a mushy brake pedal, or expect a mushy brake pedal to be normal?


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