from a past thread i was rebuilding my rear set and having problems bleeding the brakes and getting pressure. well a week ago it just clicked with me and i bled them and pressured them no problem. i took it out for a pass up and down the street today to test the brake and it wont lock up? i can feel it slightly slowing me down so its doing something but i push hard and it wont lock the tire. the brake pressure feels the same as it did prior to this problem so i wana think its pads or the rotor? im confused

 

it not locking up is a good thing lol, you do not wanna lock the rear brake!! But yea it should be able too. Only thing I can thing of is to bleed it again.

 

Yeah do them again it sound like there is still air in the line, also if you took the pads out, just double check that you have reinserted the anti rattle clip(s) correctly (not getting in the way of the pads.
Something else worth mentioning, the bleed valve has a very fine point & sometimes a to zealous application tightening can blunt it, so the valve is not sealed

 

i dont intentionaly want to lock it up but as you said it should. i shouldint have to put full force on the pedal to get it to barley slow down.

you may be right about the bleeding again. when i was bleeding it for the last time i actually pumped an entire brake resivor of fluid through it then topped it off. but the fluid coming from the valve had very small bubles in it. it looked like when you squeeze out honey and theres tiny tiny little bubles in the stream. i guess all those tiny little bubbles could make a difference under that amount of pressure but i pumped the **** out of it so i thought that was not considered a big deal.

 

yup all those tiny lil bubble will merge n create bigger bubbles

I'm gonna assume you are just testing the rear brakes out to insure they are working properly n use the front for your main braking

 

I agree bleed the system again, use a vacuum bleeder if you can find out. Makes it easier and faster

 

+1 most auto part stores rent them

tho what I do is use a jar half filled with clean brake fluid, attach a small rubber hose or clear vinyl tubing, to the bleeder n stick the other end in the jar of brake fluid. Fill the res up n pump til you see no more bubbles.

 

i tried that hose trick the first time i ever attempted this. i noticed that i would get barely any fluid. i learned that when the brake lever is on its way back up it breathes trhough the bleeder bringing in air and ofcourse not letting fluid out. so now i push the pedal down, crack the valve, tighten the valve, and then release the brake until its all clean. is that the same step with the hose and jar? whats the benefit of this method anyway if you dont mind me asking?

 

This is where I would start

-Check interferance with the pads moving in toward the rotor
-Check interferance with the caliper cylinder moving outward
-Check interferance with the brake pedal being able to stroke fully.

If that's ok then you're looking at a strictly hydraulic problem.
-Check leaks
-Let the system gravity bleed. (Fill the reservoir up and just crack the bleeder on the caliper and just leave it sit, while making sure the reservoir stays full. Do this until you've ran twice the fluid capacity of the system through it.

After all that, if you still have problems it can be only three things:
Collapsed brake line (probably not)
Bad caliper (probably not)
Bad master cyclinder (probably)

Enjoy

 

I bleed normally as you described except with the jar, it helps ensure air doesnt get into the system and gives you a visual on the air bubbles. Have to make sure the hose/tubing fir tight enough on the bleeder tho.