Why does the GA brakes SUCK?

12-11-2003, 04:15 PM

Hey everyone,

I've had my 1999 Grand AM SE checked out.. the brakes work perfectly fine and was checked out perfectly fine aswell. I was just curious why when you brake it takes a while to push down the brake pedal to make it brake all the way and its kinda hard feeling? You gotta put some pressure to it and it still not as good as other cars... like take Toyota's for example. The camery, echo, etc. They all have fantastic braking systems. They're very soft when you hit the brake pedal and they break right away unlike the grand am does not! I have the PACE 16 inch chrome wheels with low profile tires. can that be the reason my braking sucks? I mean they work good but honestly not good enough on say a short distance where you're going pretty fast and you need to stop right away. Also is there some kinda of brakes I can buy ( maybe new brake pads ) that will make my brakes stop faster? Or is that the way they go for all grand ams.. please let me know.

Thanks,
Gabriel

12-11-2003, 04:39 PM

My brakes have always worked fine. I have had no problem with them since 'Day 1'. Have you ever had the brake fluid drained and replaced with fresh fluid? It may be time to do this, if you have not done it yet. As a side note, I found out at my last brake service, that my car is equipped with PBR brake calipers(Made In Australia). Would anyone know, if they are OEM parts for the '99 GA?

Slim · 12-12-2003, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by KmanGT1
As a side note, I found out at my last brake service, that my car is equipped with PBR brake calipers(Made In Australia). Would anyone know, if they are OEM parts for the '99 GA?

That sure doesn't sound OEM to me. AFAIK our brake parts are made be Delco. Can anyone else confirm this?

mr_eh · 12-12-2003, 06:50 AM

lindsey dawn mckenzie or am i crazy?

tenspeed · 12-12-2003, 07:06 AM

I bought a used set of calipers on Ebay and I think that they are
Australian. I'd check but I have them at work for bead blasting. Getting them ready for when I need them.

Try out the premium brake pads for shorter stopping distances. Dont expect miracles.

djrkd · 12-12-2003, 09:32 AM

ever since I got my grand am I also had a problem, its a 99 GA SE and the breaks work the way GRocks described. would puttin disc brakes in the back make a diff?

fschambe · 12-12-2003, 12:09 PM

First, the SE has drum brakes in the rear... Drum brakes are borderline no brakes at all. Secondly, the braking on our cars is almost a trademark, that's something that would persuade you from one car to another... It is a real feeling of having your foot connected to the brakes rather than just pressing a button on a playstation controller you can feel what's going on...

RAZE · 12-12-2003, 12:35 PM

I've noticed that most cars have more sensitive brakes than the grand am. This doesn't mean the brakes aren't as good as others. They still work okay, and have stopped every time for me....... except once.

djrkd · 12-12-2003, 01:16 PM

it seems like when my car hasnt warmed up the breaks hardly work, I have to push the pedal all the way down to stop.

12-12-2003, 11:36 PM

djrkd,

Sounds like were on the same page here. So does the GT work different the brakes? Also would there be something I can do to get better braking power... maybe after market brake pads would help?

Thanks,
Gabriel

82-T/A · 12-13-2003, 01:30 PM

Sounds like the problem with your brakes is maybe you have old fluid, or air in the system. When was the last time you or someone else serviced your brakes?

If you let ANY air at all into your braking system, it'll cause a spongy feel. Most people who enjoy "spirited driving" prefer some play in their brakes... rather than say, the mundane brakes you get in a Toyota Corolla or something, where you tap the brakes and they engage instantly.

If you really REALLY don't like that, you can switch to a set of Earl's Steel Braided brake lines. THis replaces the rubber lines that go from the calipers to the body brake lines. This will definitely stiffen it up. You can also swap in a brake booster / master cyl from say a Pontiac Grand Prix or Bonneville. (they will fit).

Blackrider · 12-13-2003, 01:30 PM

They suck becasue they are made in Australia

djrkd · 12-13-2003, 06:33 PM

would converting read to discs improve the breaking?

82-T/A · 12-13-2003, 10:44 PM

djrkd, it certainly would. You'd notice a huge decrease in stopping time... it won't change the pedal feel though.

12-14-2003, 11:02 PM

I don't care about the pedal feel. I just want better braking distance to stop quicker. Also the braking fluid is fresh and has been changed a few months ago.

12-14-2003, 11:03 PM

Oh yea,.. sorry for posting again. How much can I expect to pay for better brake pads or something that would fix my problem that you mentioned above? Just curious.

Thanks!

tj19855 · 12-15-2003, 01:10 AM

i think our brakes suck, when im goin above 75mph and i break the car shakes bad till i get to about 55mph

82-T/A · 12-15-2003, 05:25 AM

tj19855... dude, that means there's something wrong with your brakes. If you do a LOT of heavy braking, speeding, etc.. and really slam on your brakes a lot, you'll get warped rotors. What causes a shimmy or major vibrations in the wheels when you brake, are warped rotors. The ONLY thing you can do at this point is to replace the rotors completely... they're probably too far warped to merely grind them down. They shouldn't be too much money, maybe $30 a wheel? If you really do a lot of spirited driving, then you should consider going with cross-drilled rotors.

No offense, but you're only 18 years old. How can you say that the brakes suck? What have you compared them to? How many cars could you have possibly driven in the two years you've been allowed to drive?

The GrandAm has some of the more desireably brakes you can get in a car because it's less digital.. in that, you really do have much much more control in modulating the brake pressure.

dearim · 12-15-2003, 10:50 AM

Funny... Car and Driver rated the GA's and Alero's disc brakes as being some of the best on mid-priced sedans just four short years ago. And my experience coming over from an Integra was one of shock at how good the brakes were and are on my GA. I've driven a couple of SEs, and I didn't think their brakes were bad at all... just not as good as my GT's brakes.

tbone · 12-16-2003, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by djrkd
it seems like when my car hasnt warmed up the breaks hardly work, I have to push the pedal all the way down to stop.

If they stiffen up when you pump them but they still feel spongy you probably have air in the lines or bad fluid. get service asap. will be night and day.... Salt and pepper..... AMD and Intel.... crap and taxes: oh wait thoese are the same thing!

no but seriously we drive bigger cars, the braking performance is pretty good for how big the cars are.

12-11-2003, 04:15 PM	#1
GRocks10 Guest Posts: n/a	Why does the GA brakes SUCK? Hey everyone, I've had my 1999 Grand AM SE checked out.. the brakes work perfectly fine and was checked out perfectly fine aswell. I was just curious why when you brake it takes a while to push down the brake pedal to make it brake all the way and its kinda hard feeling? You gotta put some pressure to it and it still not as good as other cars... like take Toyota's for example. The camery, echo, etc. They all have fantastic braking systems. They're very soft when you hit the brake pedal and they break right away unlike the grand am does not! I have the PACE 16 inch chrome wheels with low profile tires. can that be the reason my braking sucks? I mean they work good but honestly not good enough on say a short distance where you're going pretty fast and you need to stop right away. Also is there some kinda of brakes I can buy ( maybe new brake pads ) that will make my brakes stop faster? Or is that the way they go for all grand ams.. please let me know. Thanks, Gabriel Last edited by GRocks10; 12-11-2003 at 04:17 PM.

12-11-2003, 04:39 PM	#2
MetaGTP1 Guest Posts: n/a	My brakes have always worked fine. I have had no problem with them since 'Day 1'. Have you ever had the brake fluid drained and replaced with fresh fluid? It may be time to do this, if you have not done it yet. As a side note, I found out at my last brake service, that my car is equipped with PBR brake calipers(Made In Australia). Would anyone know, if they are OEM parts for the '99 GA? Last edited by MetaGTP1; 12-11-2003 at 04:42 PM.

12-12-2003, 07:06 AM	#5
tenspeed GAGT - Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Honeoye, NY Posts: 1,734 Vehicle: 02 GA 2.2L, 5 Speed	I bought a used set of calipers on Ebay and I think that they are Australian. I'd check but I have them at work for bead blasting. Getting them ready for when I need them. Try out the premium brake pads for shorter stopping distances. Dont expect miracles. __________________ ~Jim~ www.TeamGI.com - Western New York Cardomain page Click here to see my auctions

12-12-2003, 12:35 PM	#8
RAZE GAGT oldtimer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: NYC - Manhattan Age: 39 Posts: 2,965 Vehicle: 2004 GTO	I've noticed that most cars have more sensitive brakes than the grand am. This doesn't mean the brakes aren't as good as others. They still work okay, and have stopped every time for me....... except once. __________________ Past: 2001 GT1 Coupe 75th Anniversary Edition 8/18/01 - 11/25/03 2000 Supercharged GA: 12/24/03-9/22/05 2004 Impulse Blue GTO 99 Grand Prix GT Coupe - 10/10/08-1/9/10 2010 Black Audi S5 Coupe Current: 2009 Corolla S - Commuter car 2013 Jetta Hybrid - Commuter Car 2005 Metallic Black Pontiac GTO 2014 BMW 650iX M Sport convertible 1987 Fox Body Mustang GT

12-13-2003, 01:30 PM	#11
82-T/A GAGT - Member AKA: 82TA Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Age: 51 Posts: 169 Vehicle: 1997 GrandAm GT 2.4	Sounds like the problem with your brakes is maybe you have old fluid, or air in the system. When was the last time you or someone else serviced your brakes? If you let ANY air at all into your braking system, it'll cause a spongy feel. Most people who enjoy "spirited driving" prefer some play in their brakes... rather than say, the mundane brakes you get in a Toyota Corolla or something, where you tap the brakes and they engage instantly. If you really REALLY don't like that, you can switch to a set of Earl's Steel Braided brake lines. THis replaces the rubber lines that go from the calipers to the body brake lines. This will definitely stiffen it up. You can also swap in a brake booster / master cyl from say a Pontiac Grand Prix or Bonneville. (they will fit). __________________ Todd, 2006 Pontiac Solstice 2004 VW Beetle Convert (Wife's) 2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX-P74 1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6 5-Speed 1984 Porsche 944 1981 Pontiac TransAm WS6 (Olds 455) 1973 Volkswagen Type-2 Transporter

12-12-2003, 06:50 AM	#4
mr_eh Hi. AKA: xxx Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Staten Island, NY Age: 39 Posts: 4,405 Vehicle: 05 Srt-4 / 00GrandAmSE	lindsey dawn mckenzie or am i crazy?

12-12-2003, 09:32 AM	#6
djrkd GAGT - Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Philly, PA Age: 36 Posts: 199 Vehicle: 1999 Grand AM SE	ever since I got my grand am I also had a problem, its a 99 GA SE and the breaks work the way GRocks described. would puttin disc brakes in the back make a diff?

12-12-2003, 12:09 PM	#7
fschambe **** every day! AKA: Fred Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: E Patchogue, NY Age: 39 Posts: 346 Vehicle: 05 Dodge Magnum RT AWD	First, the SE has drum brakes in the rear... Drum brakes are borderline no brakes at all. Secondly, the braking on our cars is almost a trademark, that's something that would persuade you from one car to another... It is a real feeling of having your foot connected to the brakes rather than just pressing a button on a playstation controller you can feel what's going on...

12-12-2003, 01:16 PM	#9
djrkd GAGT - Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Philly, PA Age: 36 Posts: 199 Vehicle: 1999 Grand AM SE	it seems like when my car hasnt warmed up the breaks hardly work, I have to push the pedal all the way down to stop.

12-12-2003, 11:36 PM	#10
GRocks10 Guest Posts: n/a	djrkd, Sounds like were on the same page here. So does the GT work different the brakes? Also would there be something I can do to get better braking power... maybe after market brake pads would help? Thanks, Gabriel

12-13-2003, 01:30 PM	#12
Blackrider Ifeast Upon The Weak AKA: Jordie Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Victoria B.C. Age: 36 Posts: 3,048 Vehicle: 06 GTP 6Speed	They suck becasue they are made in Australia __________________ 60DegreeGTP

12-13-2003, 06:33 PM	#13
djrkd GAGT - Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Philly, PA Age: 36 Posts: 199 Vehicle: 1999 Grand AM SE	would converting read to discs improve the breaking?

12-13-2003, 10:44 PM	#14
82-T/A GAGT - Member AKA: 82TA Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Age: 51 Posts: 169 Vehicle: 1997 GrandAm GT 2.4	djrkd, it certainly would. You'd notice a huge decrease in stopping time... it won't change the pedal feel though. __________________ Todd, 2006 Pontiac Solstice 2004 VW Beetle Convert (Wife's) 2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX-P74 1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6 5-Speed 1984 Porsche 944 1981 Pontiac TransAm WS6 (Olds 455) 1973 Volkswagen Type-2 Transporter

12-14-2003, 11:02 PM	#15
GRocks10 Guest Posts: n/a	I don't care about the pedal feel. I just want better braking distance to stop quicker. Also the braking fluid is fresh and has been changed a few months ago.

12-14-2003, 11:03 PM	#16
GRocks10 Guest Posts: n/a	Oh yea,.. sorry for posting again. How much can I expect to pay for better brake pads or something that would fix my problem that you mentioned above? Just curious. Thanks!

12-15-2003, 01:10 AM	#17
tj19855 Hotwheel GrandAmGT AKA: Tj Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Houston, TX Age: 36 Posts: 308 Vehicle: 2000 GrandAm GT	i think our brakes suck, when im goin above 75mph and i break the car shakes bad till i get to about 55mph __________________ 18" 077 chrome for sale, drilled slotted rotors, mp3 cd player, and others.

12-15-2003, 05:25 AM	#18
82-T/A GAGT - Member AKA: 82TA Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Age: 51 Posts: 169 Vehicle: 1997 GrandAm GT 2.4	tj19855... dude, that means there's something wrong with your brakes. If you do a LOT of heavy braking, speeding, etc.. and really slam on your brakes a lot, you'll get warped rotors. What causes a shimmy or major vibrations in the wheels when you brake, are warped rotors. The ONLY thing you can do at this point is to replace the rotors completely... they're probably too far warped to merely grind them down. They shouldn't be too much money, maybe $30 a wheel? If you really do a lot of spirited driving, then you should consider going with cross-drilled rotors. No offense, but you're only 18 years old. How can you say that the brakes suck? What have you compared them to? How many cars could you have possibly driven in the two years you've been allowed to drive? The GrandAm has some of the more desireably brakes you can get in a car because it's less digital.. in that, you really do have much much more control in modulating the brake pressure. __________________ Todd, 2006 Pontiac Solstice 2004 VW Beetle Convert (Wife's) 2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX-P74 1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6 5-Speed 1984 Porsche 944 1981 Pontiac TransAm WS6 (Olds 455) 1973 Volkswagen Type-2 Transporter

12-15-2003, 10:50 AM	#19
dearim Casual Car Nut AKA: Michael Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Utah Age: 47 Posts: 228 Vehicle: 2012 Ford Focus SEL	Funny... Car and Driver rated the GA's and Alero's disc brakes as being some of the best on mid-priced sedans just four short years ago. And my experience coming over from an Integra was one of shock at how good the brakes were and are on my GA. I've driven a couple of SEs, and I didn't think their brakes were bad at all... just not as good as my GT's brakes.

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