The brake proportioning valve is a safety device that is found on nearly all vehicles equipped with disc brakes. It helps to ensure that the brakes apply evenly and stop the vehicle safely. If the brake proportioning valve is not functioning properly, it can cause the brakes to feel spongy or lock up.
In some cases, it may even cause the vehicle to pull to one side when braking. Resetting the brake proportioning valve is a relatively simple process that can be done at home with a few tools.
How To Reset A Brake Proportioning Valve
Here are detailed directions on how to reset a brake proportioning valve:
- Jack up the front of the car and support it on jack stands.
- Remove the wheels, callipers, and brake pads.
- Locate the proportioning valve (it will be on the back side of one of the front struts).
- Using a 7mm hex wrench, remove the two bolts holding it to the strut (one bolt is shown in photo below).
- Pull out the proportioning valve and disconnect its lines from their ports on either side of the strut housing.
- Clean off any dirt or grime from around where you will be connecting your new lines to ensure a good seal when you reconnect them to their ports on either side of the strut housing (see photo below).
- Using some teflon tape, wrap it around each end of your new proportioning valve’s lines and then thread them into their respective ports on either side of your strut housing (see photo below). Be sure that you don’t cross-thread these fittings! It may help to use a wrench or pliers to hold onto each fitting while you tighten down its nut with a 13mm socket wrench (see photo below). Tighten down both nuts firmly using a 13mm socket wrench, but not so tight that they crack or break! I used an adjustable crescent wrench for each nut because my 13mm sockets wouldn’t fit over them easily enough for me to get a good grip with them – this was probably overkill though.
- Reattach your proportioning valve using its two bolts that you removed earlier, being careful not to cross-thread them as well! Tighten them both down firmly using a 7mm hex wrench – try not to overtighten these bolts as well!
- Reconnect all three brake lines back onto their respective ports at each corner of your car’s chassis (see photo below).
- Make sure that everything is connected securely before lowering your car back down onto its tires!
- Finally, bleed the brakes and test them to make sure they are working properly. By following these steps, you can easily reset your brake proportioning valve and improve the performance of your brakes.
What Is A Brake Proportioning Valve
A brake proportioning valve is a device located in the hydraulic brake system that helps to distribute braking pressure evenly between the front and rear brakes. As the name suggests, it “proportionally” regulates the amount of pressure that is applied to each set of brakes, based on factors such as vehicle weight, braking load, and road conditions.
By ensuring that the correct amount of pressure is applied to each set of brakes, the brake proportioning valve helps to improve braking performance and reduce wear on brake components. In some cases, the brake proportioning valve may also be used to adjust the level of hydraulic pressure in order to compensate for changes in vehicle weight (such as when carrying a heavy load).
How do you know if your proportioning valve is bad?
One of the most important parts of your car’s braking system is the proportioning valve. This valve regulates the amount of pressure that is applied to the brakes, making sure that all wheels stop at the same time. If your proportioning valve is not working properly, it can cause your brakes to lock up or fail entirely.
So how do you know if your proportioning valve is going bad? There are a few signs to watch out for. If you notice that your car’s braking performance has decreased, or that one wheel seems to be locking up more frequently than others, it could be a sign that your proportioning valve needs to be replaced.
Another sign is an unusual brake pedal feel; if the pedal feels spongy or soft when you apply pressure, it may be a sign of a problem with the proportioning valve. If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to have your car checked by a qualified mechanic as soon as possible.
