Here is my setup:

1990 Honda Civic Hatchback DX

11" cross drilled slotted discs with Wilwood Dynalite 4 piston calipers in front
11" cross drilled slotted discs with stock 91 CRX Si rear calipers and Hawk pads in rear

9" 91 Civic EX sedan brake booster
15/16 91 Civic EX sedan master cylinder
Motul RBF 600 DOT 4 Brake fluid

In my car orinally was a 2530 proportioning valve which operated the stock 9" front discs and rear drums.

I put a 4040 in instead of the 2530 and now the rears lock up before the fronts do. Obviously I like the way the brakes feel under normal braking, but under emergency or spirited driving the rear is locking up under weight transfer and too much fluid going to the rears. I called Brian Hasty of Fastbrakes who sold me the kits and he is saying to go back to the 2530 proportioning valve and that would work fine. Just trying to get a concensus on what I should use before I go taking it apart again. I have heard of a 3040 that I think was a stock piece on the 91 CRX Si with rear discs but I'm not sure. Any input would be appreciated. Trying to get the car ready for opening day at Watkins Glen.

 

Not knowing offhand the size of the brake pistons, I'd defer to the manufacturer. In general, rear drums use more fluid than disks, so the prop valve tends to make the rear brakes lock if you don't change from the stock prop valve. But with a change in calipers in the front, that could sway it. The best of all worlds is an adjustable prop valve routed inside the cabin.....but that's a bit of work short-term.

The other wild card is pads. You can go to harder rear pads and more agressive fronts and leave it as-is. The goal, is....of course.....to get near balanced braking at threshold in the conditions the day you're at the track.

Once the rotors fry, replace them with solid vented rotors without slots or holes. Sorry.....over 20 years on the track, I've tried everything. It's what works.

jack

 

you didnt specify what pads youre using. whats up front? what kind of Hawk pads in the rear?

whatever they are, i think you shouldnt be using anything but stock pads in the rear. you generally dont ever need to upgrade the rears anyway.

also how does the brake pedal feel? i wonder if you completely bled the fronts.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
also how does the brake pedal feel? i wonder if you completely bled the fronts. </TD></TR></TABLE>


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jack ffr1846 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> The goal, is....of course.....to get near balanced braking at threshold in the conditions the day you're at the track.
jack</TD></TR></TABLE>

unless this car is for track only,i would go back to stock,i mean the setup sounds good even with the stock prp valve. plus in an emergency situation or even racing your probably have more exp. with your sock prpvalve. unless you practice threshold braking like a religon.

 

what about a 4040 valve on a stock all wheel disc ef? has anyone tried it? are there any gains?

 

sorry it was a quick post before heading out the door

Pads: Front - Polymatrix Q
Rear - Hawk HPS

About the bleeding, the brakes were thoroughly bled. I work as a service technician at a Honda dealership and have been for 5 years. I'm not boasting just stating the fact so that any people thinking I don't have the knowledge to correctly bleed the brakes knows. The pedal feel is great, much better than before when it was just the front brakes upgraded. Pedal moves about 1/2 inch before getting inital pressure and then its nice and hard, no mushiness at all. It took roughly 1 hour to bleed the brakes and I used 2 .5 liter bottles. Started at the pass rear then to driver rear, then to pass front and then to driver front. Bled until I got clean fluid and then bled each wheel until no bubbles. Struck the front calipers with a rubber mallet while bleeding to free up small bubbles and then after I got no more bubbles I bled each wheel a further 3 times to make sure. Then I drove up to a street where I always bed in new pads/rotors and when to 30 mph and slowed almost to a stop 5 times then to 50 and slowed 5 times then 65 3 times and then i let them cool for about a 3 mile drive and then i tested out the limits of the brakes on a straight road to see which would lock up first and consistently the pedal had good feeling, no fade but at the threshold of lock up the rears consistently locked up just a few seconds before the fronts did causing the rear of the car to slide right or left and causing me to input steering to counter the slide. I'm inclined to do what Brian Hasty said to and put the stock proportioning valve back in to test that out. I know the braking setup is way beyond what is needed for everyday driving but some of us live to higher standards. I have invested rediculous time and money into this car as many of you can appreciate. I just strive to get it to work correctly before I boast about the performance of the parts and then watch them completely fall on their face when asked to do the job I expected. Thanks in advance for all your input. Later in the week after I bring it in and do an alignment on it when I get a free minute I'll switch the proportioning valve back and test it out. I'll let you know what happens.

 

take the rear pads out for stock. theres no need for them.

or put the old prop valve in.

or both.

whatever works.

 

i believe fast brakes makes a prop to solve that problem with their brake upgrades, check with them.

 

i'd listen to brian..he knows his stuff. usually a 4040 valve would be used with a stock rear disk conversion (si rears, eg rears, etc)