Front brake caliper pressure

[patrickt]

I just came back from a ride and I thought I would test the brakes out as I have no idea what the PSI is on the brakes when you're standing on them. The test I've always used is that, after everything is nicely warmed, say after a half hour or more of spirited driving, you should be able to lock the brakes up so you hear and feel a little tire noise, and you should be able to do that without a mountain of muscle in your leg and while still retaining reasonable leg modulation. That means I can take the braking up to the skid point, by pushing harder, and then back off when I just begin to hear or feel a little skidding noise, and then hold it there or below. If you lock everything up and just skid completely you're not going to stop as quickly as if you do it properly. I have 12.2" rotors, Sierra dual piston calipers up front, with Hawk #HB101F.800 pads on them, and on the back I have the ERA outboard braked rear, which uses the old PBR calipers that were on the 1993-97 Camaro, Firebird, and some Corvettes. The pads are nothing special, just Bendix #SBM413. Fresh DOT 4 ATE Super Blue fluid (and it's really blue, not amber). This is how I would test your car's brakes if I was behind the wheel.