Brake issues and Upgrade

Have some questions about how to achive better handling and stopping power using different springs, upgrading to coilovers, questions on swaybars, bushings, different rotors, pads, ect... Having any steering problems or questions about steering racks, tie rods, tie rod ends, ect... ask these questions here.
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jacoblindsay
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Brake issues and Upgrade

Post by jacoblindsay » Sun Mar 17, 2019 5:08 pm

So I am the third owner of my neon and when I got it I noticed that when I went hard on the brakes the front driver side would lock the wheel up easily. This would be the only wheel that would lock up. I have gotten up to 100 mph or so and stood on the brakes and still the only wheel that would lock up was the driver side front. Does any one know what might be causing this? I've replaces the rotors, calipers, switched between different material pads and flushed and bled the brakes. I also want to upgrade to a bigger brake kit up front and rear disc brakes. What upgrade kits are available for an 02 dodge neon on stock wheels? I want to fix the brakes before I upgrade.

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JeremyJ
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Re: Brake issues and Upgrade

Post by JeremyJ » Mon Mar 18, 2019 12:30 pm

I'm not sure what's causing your lockup issue, but there aren't any upgrade kits for your car unless you swap to a set of PT Cruiser or SRT-4 knuckles. Then you have access to a couple of BBKs, primarily the Wilwood kit.
02 base -> 05 SRT ACR -> 96 sedan -> 99 R/T coupe -> 02 R/T -> 03 SRT

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occasional demons
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Re: Brake issues and Upgrade

Post by occasional demons » Mon Mar 18, 2019 12:40 pm

The opposite brake hose might be collapsing internally to some extent, putting the brake bias onto the other wheel.

A tire that is not the same model as the other can do this too.

Can't say I recommend hard braking/locking a front tire at high speed though. Might earn a Darwin award.
Bill
Olha Koba, a psychologist in Kyiv, said that “anger and hate in this situation is a normal reaction and important to validate.” But it is important to channel it into something useful, she said, such as making incendiary bombs out of empty bottles.
2000 Neon MTX swap with '02 R/T PCM
1999 neon coupe 2.4 swap
2021 Forester

jacoblindsay
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Re: Brake issues and Upgrade

Post by jacoblindsay » Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:36 pm

Brake lines were the next thing I was going to look at but I planned on doing that with the BBK. Is it any year pt? And what else has to be changed with it? You don’t really every trust your car fully until you brake hard at high speed😂

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JeremyJ
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Re: Brake issues and Upgrade

Post by JeremyJ » Tue Mar 19, 2019 1:21 pm

I believe any PT cruiser knuckle will bolt up. You want to find an early PT with steel wheels (super base model) to maintain your tuning radius. The upper level PTs and SRT knuckles are identical and they provide a pretty terrible turning radius. You should have some new wheel bearings and hubs pressed in before installing the knuckles. Maybe freshen up your ball joints and tie rod ends as well. Basically everything that attaches to the knuckle is a maintenance spot. Might as well make everything nice and new while it's all apart.
02 base -> 05 SRT ACR -> 96 sedan -> 99 R/T coupe -> 02 R/T -> 03 SRT

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jacoblindsay
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Re: Brake issues and Upgrade

Post by jacoblindsay » Fri Mar 22, 2019 3:19 am

Does anyone know of any cheaper BBKs? I’m not really looking to drop a grand on brakes right now

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JeremyJ
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Re: Brake issues and Upgrade

Post by JeremyJ » Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:12 pm

PT cruiser brakes can be pieced together for well under a grand and they make a good upgrade over the factory brakes.
02 base -> 05 SRT ACR -> 96 sedan -> 99 R/T coupe -> 02 R/T -> 03 SRT

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occasional demons
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Re: Brake issues and Upgrade

Post by occasional demons » Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:36 pm

Re purposing compatible factory parts, is about as close as you will get to anything even remotely affordable. It just requires some creativity in some cases.
Bill
Olha Koba, a psychologist in Kyiv, said that “anger and hate in this situation is a normal reaction and important to validate.” But it is important to channel it into something useful, she said, such as making incendiary bombs out of empty bottles.
2000 Neon MTX swap with '02 R/T PCM
1999 neon coupe 2.4 swap
2021 Forester

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