Hard brake pedal: Will an IX booster help?

[RenaissanceMan]

A little background:

I'm on my 2nd M5x - swapped E30, and what both cars have had in common is an issue with a really hard brake pedal with seemingly very little, if any boost assist. I can stop the car, but it takes a lot of pedal effort and there is very little modulation with braking power. With my last E30, in an effort to correct the exact same issue I went through several E21 and 944 booster swaps, swapped abs pumps, new brake lines, swapped proportioning valve, and new master cylinder. As the car was eventually built into a GTS2 racecar, I ultimately did a BBK front and rear and this restored and augmented all the braking power I was missing. However, it bothered me that the original issue was never really solved.

Now that I have my 2nd E30 which currently has stock brakes, I'm dealing with the same hard brake pedal. There is currently an E21 booster in the car. Are any of you dealing with the same problem? Did you end up solving it? I just ordered an IX booster in hopes that I will get added boost and improved pedal effort. Have any of you improved a hard pedal by moving to an IX booster?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks-

[grinchxvx]

A little background:

I'm on my 2nd M5x - swapped E30, and what both cars have had in common is an issue with a really hard brake pedal with seemingly very little, if any boost assist. I can stop the car, but it takes a lot of pedal effort and there is very little modulation with braking power. With my last E30, in an effort to correct the exact same issue I went through several E21 and 944 booster swaps, swapped abs pumps, new brake lines, swapped proportioning valve, and new master cylinder. As the car was eventually built into a GTS2 racecar, I ultimately did a BBK front and rear and this restored and augmented all the braking power I was missing. However, it bothered me that the original issue was never really solved.

Now that I have my 2nd E30 which currently has stock brakes, I'm dealing with the same hard brake pedal. There is currently an E21 booster in the car. Are any of you dealing with the same problem? Did you end up solving it? I just ordered an IX booster in hopes that I will get added boost and improved pedal effort. Have any of you improved a hard pedal by moving to an IX booster?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks-

In for answers, I run the 944 booster and my pedal is the same way. I have bled the brakes a shit load of times and it hasn't gotten any better. Also clutch pedal feels amazing so I believe the booster just isn't up to par.


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[grinchxvx]

In for answers, I run the 944 booster and my pedal is the same way. I have bled the brakes a shit load of times and it hasn't gotten any better. Also clutch pedal feels amazing so I believe the booster just isn't up to par.
Note: I know the booster is working because if I hold the brake and turn the car on it gets easier with the added vacuum but it's not great still

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[digger]

Ix should provide slighty more assist i don't expect it to be that much as the 944is not much smaller than stock 325i. I've heard good things about Clio one

[sweet3]

This might be an unnecessary question, but did you make sure that you had a brake booster 'one-way' valve on the hose coming from the booster to the intake? I had forgotten to put mine back on. The moment I turned my car off, the brake pedal went completely stiff.

[pazi88]

This might be an unnecessary question, but did you make sure that you had a brake booster 'one-way' valve on the hose coming from the booster to the intake? I had forgotten to put mine back on. The moment I turned my car off, the brake pedal went completely stiff.

Or have you checked that the one way valve or even the booster works? My one way valve gets stuck once in a while and it makes the pedal very stiff. And if the booster itself leaks it will also affect the booster performance.

[grinchxvx]

Hard brake pedal: Will an IX booster help?

This might be an unnecessary question, but did you make sure that you had a brake booster 'one-way' valve on the hose coming from the booster to the intake? I had forgotten to put mine back on. The moment I turned my car off, the brake pedal went completely stiff.

Mine definitely doesn't have one inline on the hose but where it clicks into the booster looks like it maybe, can anyone confirm?


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[RenaissanceMan]

This might be an unnecessary question, but did you make sure that you had a brake booster 'one-way' valve on the hose coming from the booster to the intake? I had forgotten to put mine back on. The moment I turned my car off, the brake pedal went completely stiff.

Yes, have a check valve installed and both it and the booster are working properly.

[RenaissanceMan]

Mine definitely doesn't have one inline on the hose but where it clicks into the booster looks like it maybe, can anyone confirm?

Yep, you have a check valve installed at the booster opening in your picture.

[grinchxvx]

Yep, you have a check valve installed at the booster opening in your picture.

Ok that's what I thought, maybe it's just bad? Maybe I'll try hitting a parts store and trying another


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