1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
I spent a day recently rebuilding my front brake calipers, specifically the older pre-88 style. I had to do it because the left side parking brake mechanism was sticking and causing the caliper to overheat and smoke up while driving a few times. The problem began shortly after I replaced the brake pads. Because I've had luck with good used parts, I opted to find two good used replacement sets in a local J yard and use the best parts from all four calipers to build two good ones. With the left side caliper removed it was obvious what may have caused the pistons to seize - the rubber protection seals on both sides had ruptured, allowing dirt, water and mud from this past winter's rainy season to foul up the works. The entire caliper was covered in a light coating of dried mud. When I seperated the two pistons from the caliper, I saw that a dirty, rusty corrosive ring had developed on the inner piston surface along where the caliper seals contacted the piston, especially after installing two new pads when the caliper is adjusted to it's most extreme inward position. The parking brake mechanism was also gummed up, the combination of both issues making the PB release spring ineffective toward easing the pressure of the pads off of the rotor.
Using the best parts from both sets, I spent a good amount of time scouring and cleaning the calipers inside and out, paying attention to any and all corrosion, then using solvent to clean out the internal PB mechanism, used a high temp grease to line the interior and piston seal surfaces, plus the exterior caliper/yoke track and PB internal mechanism, then rebuilt (including good rubber protective boots for the pistons) and installed, making sure to follow the proper proceedure for setting the parking brake. A thorough bleeding of air from the system was in order, after which I gave the "new" calipers a test drive. The results? Wonderful, solid, noise free braking. And I have parking brakes that don't stick! I now understand the importance of thorough brake system maintenance, including a periodic caliper overhaul and rebuild.
posted by 207.200.116...
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