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brake issues and very disheartning

674 views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Presto 
#1 ·
Hi all

When i apply my brakes hard as to immitate a emergency stop or sometimes less effort needed(hard quick touches etc)
I get this wierd feeling transfer through the brake pedal which feels like ive just locked the wheels and im driving on the rim of the brakedisc?

feels like a metal rod being pushed into your foot ..

I replaced the brake pads and it still does it,i did notice on inspection last week that the brakepads where being filed at the top of the pad but they where intact and ok so i reseated them and added abit more copper grease to stop the squeal id picked up from the new pads(very minor noise really )

anyone know of any reason id get this issue as i replaced lots of parts under the front end(arms/balljoints etc etc)

a garage told me it was the abs kicking in but is it supposed to be that odd!?

first car with abs but im sure it shouldnt feel and sound like ive just driven on the disc!!!

ive gotta sort a front mount bush very soon but it cannot be related as its not crunchy and knocks only while im pulling a slow turn!

any help would be taken and appreciated:D

other than afew niggles its a damnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nice car and im well and truly converted from volvo to saabs
 
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#4 ·
i always thought the abs system acted in pulses and eased the brakes which made it anti skid(or something to that fashion)

mine is harsh and it sounds like im doing damage to something but i have seen no real damage around the discs or pads that would do this

i did notice a downward scuff on the driverside brake pad though but nothing i know could have caused?but the car brakes fine in reality but this is annoying and im sure is not usual unless abs is supposed to be harsh!?

abs virgin maybe but im very funny about little discrepancies even funny about squeaks and rattles which are practically non existant bar the squeak on the passenger seat plastic:evil:

dispite the small bits i love my xs and im more than glad i did a straight swap for it with my old landy disco v8 3.5 although it was a beast!:cheesy:
 
#6 ·
Well thats why you need to force it and feel what it is really like. I have a couple other cars that do pulse the pedal heavily when abs engages, but on my 9-3 I don't feel it much, now that being said, it's still possible that I have something unknown wrong with it and makes it feel a bit strange, but I doubt it, it seems to work as it should.
 
#7 ·
mine seems to bypass the pulsing part and go straight to the weird feeling part

very bare kind of feeling through the pedal like your pushing a bare rod with no pedal top.

most times its a pedal but when this noise and feeling kick in its back to pushing a bare rod which results in a spine churning grind noise and the feeling your running on the front discs alone..

normal traffic driving is fine and it even stops harshly without this wierd business happening,but when you push it just a tad more' it goes into some wierd zone!

does abs stop skids completely(stupid question i suppose ):cheesy:

i had 2 lock ups in damn weather and it was while it was in the ZONE if you get me!(nasty annoying zone)

im just gonna put this down as abs and try and forget it as it doesnt seem to leave damage anywhere and the brakes stop me!so il just keep tabs on for now:D

atleast i know the brake system is sound,i cleaned the calipers of rust and lubed the things up where possible and fitted new pads/stabaliser pins and then i inspected the discs and cleaned the rust away watching for any chunks that fall behind the heat shield,copper grease the pads and installed.

even the front arms where easy and cheap from a scrappers yard

tricky little metal shim was a pig but once id pulled the scrap arm off id learnt it backwards.

dream buy right now for my trusty saab would be some aftermarket alloys so if any of you have any nice alloys id love to see what differance its made to an already great appearance!

gotta get ideas(dream cough cough)oneday!!
 
#8 ·
As the others said it's probobly the ABS. I would say that I find the feed back of my Saab to be on the harsh"er" side, audible but not noisy, and infrequent in activation. My Acura (long gone and no love lost) was down right miserable! It activated (too) often and would literally push your knee into the steering wheel or your hand in an agressive brake turn situation in gravel. Push back was hard enough to leave bruises....... :x
 
#9 ·
sounds similar:cheesy:

im feeling better already and il put this down to abs but ive got my eyes on it:cheesy: lol

its amazing the differance in noise inside the cab of my saab to my dads vw old golf(nice mk1-2 i think)

his is very noisey and he loves it:cheesy: old git!!:cheesy:

thanks all:D
 
#10 ·
abs

Mine feels as you decribe. I hill climb my 9-3 and when using the brakes hard it just seems to go to the harsh feeling.

As for aftermarket wheels to give you a larger choice Vauxhall Vectra/Astra fit straight on, hub centre, offset is identical. I have Holden Vectra 17" on mine. For that matter calipers, pads, discs and I think hubs are the same.
 
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