No More Rear Brake Squeak
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
No More Rear Brake Squeak
After returning from the NCRS Swap Meet in Old Town last month, I had identified a number of 'gremlins' that I wanted to address:
Rear Brake Squeak
Broken Tach needle, grinding cable, and burnt out dashboard lights
Manual Steering
I've purchased all of the parts (those that I know that I need anyway). Since my return, I dove into the rear brakes. At the time I started, wasn't sure if it was bearing assemblies, scarred rotors (they look 36 years old), weak calipers or parking brake shoes/hardware. So, not being a master mechanic and since the labor (me) was 'free', I chose to attack all but the bearing assemblies. Actually, I tried to start with the bearing assemblies but found a number of stubborn bolts where the half-shafts attach to the assemblies so I shelved that repair (and glad I chose that route).
What I found:
First of all, the calipers appear to have been replaced or repaired. I was at first suspicious since somebody had spray-painted them. I've seen black spray paint applied to the undersides of our cars to beautify but also to 'hide'. Being suspicious, I suspected the calipers were tired but painted. Not true. They are actually in good condition. So, now I have a good pair of rebuilt calipers installed on the vette and a good pair of 'backups' in event I want to sell as cores (not sure if they have been sleeved but if sleeved, probably no core value). They are going in my '69 Take Off' box for now.
Second, the rotors looked very tired. 36 years of age and showing every year. They had alot of marks where the pads appeared to have sat in contact with them without driving (you could see where the pad rivet holes had left oxidation marks where moisture/air had settled around. Not wanting to take any chances, I bought a pair of incredibly priced rotors from Van Steel. Arty and I talked about them. They get them from an outfit in Canada and as Arty says "If there were any problems with these rotors, we would catch them as we install better than 200 of them each month on assemblies we rebuild for others (or that we sell outright)...". $60 each and well worth every penny given Van Steel's customer service and support. The old rotors will go on the work bench and become 'coasters' or something as 'decorative'. Too big for the '69 Take Off' box but I'll hold onto them in event the next owner (if there is one) wants every orig part.
Third, and finally I believe the main problem I had was the parking brake hardware. To say the left rear parking brake hardware was seized would be an understatement. In order to free the slack adjuster, I had to practically destroy it. It would not turn and by the time I broke off 4-5 of the 'teeth' on it, I just decided to dis-assemble the hardware. In the process, I ruined what was left of the two springs and the adjuster. Surprisingly, The 2-piece lever was in very good condition; no bad wear. As it was going to prove a challenge to remove, I just applied some liquid wrench to remove all of the miles of crud on it and replaced the balance of the pieces. I did find that one of the retaining pins (the rear one that appears to be sandwiched between the dust shield and the trailing arm/bearing assembly) was not coming off unless I also removed the dust shield. Tried and nearly stripped out two of the nuts (after applying doses of liquid wrench). So, since the pin was not in bad condition, I installed the spring and retaining cap on it. I essentially replaced all of the parking brake springs and adjuster on the left rear corner. Set up both of the parking brakes at 7 turns 'out' after they held the rotor. I checked out the right rear parking brake hardware. It was all 'ok' and I just applied some brake cleaner to remove the grime. Otherwise it was ok. I'll keep the parking brake hardware for a future replacement on that corner.
One other thing, the brake fluid was HEAVILY contaminated. Took 3 quarts of brake fluid from start to finish to both flush contaminants and then remove air from the system. Granted, I installed/removed the calipers twice during that time due to a couple assembly errors.
What I ended up with:
- Thoroughly cleaned, bled and filled master cylinder, brake lines and front and rear calipers with DOT 3 fluid. For those planning to bleed the calipers (Left rear inner, Left rear outer, right rear inner, right rear outer, left front, right front... according to my service manual for 'Manual Brake Bleeding' procedure). Used my wife as helper to operate the brake pedal as I don't have a 'one man' brake bleeding device. According to my shop manual the step-by-step is: 1) open the bleeder, press and hold the brake pedal, close the bleeder, release the brake pedal and repeat as needed on each bleeder in order. I also found that after cycling through all of the rear bleeders and then the front bleeders, it helped to have my wife pump the brakes up (5-6 applications of the brake) to test for brake pedal firmness. In my opinion, 'pumping the brakes up' is best done once you have 1) completed bleeding of all four rear bleeders and then 2) the front two bleeders as a final verification step. Keep the brake reservoirs at least half-full at all times. That means, don't let them go dry or you will pull air into the system; defeating the purpose of bleeding them. I usually checked filled after 5-6 cycles through one bleeder screw. DISPOSAL: As brake fluid is petroleum-based, I believe you can dispose of it along with engine oil at your local used oil collection center (in my neck of the woods, that is Advance Auto).
- New parking brake hardware on left rear corner. Cleaned parking brake hardware on right rear corner. Adjusted both assemblies per my Service Manual instructions. Parts: Van Steel. NOTE: Van Steel sells a tool that looks like a screw driver but has two 'cuts' in the blade for easing the installation of the parking brake springs. I strongly recommend that tool AND their stainless hardware. Top Quality.
- New rear rotors from Van Steel. Direct replacement with all adjusting holes and rivet holes like original.
- Rebuilt rear calipers from Internet (eBay). Happy with the quality. Purchased the pair for $120 without core charge. Was a bit concerned that they may not be correct or good but they turned out fine. They appear to have a hard epoxy finish and they are rebuilt but not sure of the durability of the rebuild; that is the down-side as the seller did not appear to have info about who rebuilt them or the quality of the rebuild. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably get from Van Steel or Vette Brakes as I have dealt with both when working on my '80 L48.
Still Squeaking? Not a peep. No sounds whatsoever from the rear of the car. Very pleased with the results. Total cost: Neighborhood of $325 for all parts and materials. If I had paid for the labor to do this, it would have easily been double/triple that. BUT, I didn't buy these cars to have others do my chores on them. I bought them so I could have the enjoyment/pleasure (and pain).
CAUTION: Brake fluid destroys car paint and removes the moisture from your skin. Avoid contact. I use a pair of old 'Western Auto' fender covers religiously when working around the engine bay. Also, I keep a container of liquid soap and plenty of cotton terry towels for cleaning of my hands to keep such fluids and oils washed off. Also, it is a good idea to have a set of four frame jack stands and a good 3-ton floor jack. Whenever I am under my vettes, I use a minimum of two stands (at that end of the car, both left and right). I also keep the jack handy and sometimes keep it under one of the two corners as safety measure. I have also read a suggestion to keep the tires/wheels under the points in the frame rails near where you will be working as safety measure in event the car drops from the jack stands; I'd rather crush a rally wheel than ME any day.
Thanks for letting me share!
Next Project: Installation of my Van Steel Power Steering conversion for high performance Small Block (my L46).
NOTE: Please refer to your Shop Manual for the correct procedures. Just wanted to share while the info was fresh in my mind.
Rear Brake Squeak
Broken Tach needle, grinding cable, and burnt out dashboard lights
Manual Steering
I've purchased all of the parts (those that I know that I need anyway). Since my return, I dove into the rear brakes. At the time I started, wasn't sure if it was bearing assemblies, scarred rotors (they look 36 years old), weak calipers or parking brake shoes/hardware. So, not being a master mechanic and since the labor (me) was 'free', I chose to attack all but the bearing assemblies. Actually, I tried to start with the bearing assemblies but found a number of stubborn bolts where the half-shafts attach to the assemblies so I shelved that repair (and glad I chose that route).
What I found:
First of all, the calipers appear to have been replaced or repaired. I was at first suspicious since somebody had spray-painted them. I've seen black spray paint applied to the undersides of our cars to beautify but also to 'hide'. Being suspicious, I suspected the calipers were tired but painted. Not true. They are actually in good condition. So, now I have a good pair of rebuilt calipers installed on the vette and a good pair of 'backups' in event I want to sell as cores (not sure if they have been sleeved but if sleeved, probably no core value). They are going in my '69 Take Off' box for now.
Second, the rotors looked very tired. 36 years of age and showing every year. They had alot of marks where the pads appeared to have sat in contact with them without driving (you could see where the pad rivet holes had left oxidation marks where moisture/air had settled around. Not wanting to take any chances, I bought a pair of incredibly priced rotors from Van Steel. Arty and I talked about them. They get them from an outfit in Canada and as Arty says "If there were any problems with these rotors, we would catch them as we install better than 200 of them each month on assemblies we rebuild for others (or that we sell outright)...". $60 each and well worth every penny given Van Steel's customer service and support. The old rotors will go on the work bench and become 'coasters' or something as 'decorative'. Too big for the '69 Take Off' box but I'll hold onto them in event the next owner (if there is one) wants every orig part.
Third, and finally I believe the main problem I had was the parking brake hardware. To say the left rear parking brake hardware was seized would be an understatement. In order to free the slack adjuster, I had to practically destroy it. It would not turn and by the time I broke off 4-5 of the 'teeth' on it, I just decided to dis-assemble the hardware. In the process, I ruined what was left of the two springs and the adjuster. Surprisingly, The 2-piece lever was in very good condition; no bad wear. As it was going to prove a challenge to remove, I just applied some liquid wrench to remove all of the miles of crud on it and replaced the balance of the pieces. I did find that one of the retaining pins (the rear one that appears to be sandwiched between the dust shield and the trailing arm/bearing assembly) was not coming off unless I also removed the dust shield. Tried and nearly stripped out two of the nuts (after applying doses of liquid wrench). So, since the pin was not in bad condition, I installed the spring and retaining cap on it. I essentially replaced all of the parking brake springs and adjuster on the left rear corner. Set up both of the parking brakes at 7 turns 'out' after they held the rotor. I checked out the right rear parking brake hardware. It was all 'ok' and I just applied some brake cleaner to remove the grime. Otherwise it was ok. I'll keep the parking brake hardware for a future replacement on that corner.
One other thing, the brake fluid was HEAVILY contaminated. Took 3 quarts of brake fluid from start to finish to both flush contaminants and then remove air from the system. Granted, I installed/removed the calipers twice during that time due to a couple assembly errors.
What I ended up with:
- Thoroughly cleaned, bled and filled master cylinder, brake lines and front and rear calipers with DOT 3 fluid. For those planning to bleed the calipers (Left rear inner, Left rear outer, right rear inner, right rear outer, left front, right front... according to my service manual for 'Manual Brake Bleeding' procedure). Used my wife as helper to operate the brake pedal as I don't have a 'one man' brake bleeding device. According to my shop manual the step-by-step is: 1) open the bleeder, press and hold the brake pedal, close the bleeder, release the brake pedal and repeat as needed on each bleeder in order. I also found that after cycling through all of the rear bleeders and then the front bleeders, it helped to have my wife pump the brakes up (5-6 applications of the brake) to test for brake pedal firmness. In my opinion, 'pumping the brakes up' is best done once you have 1) completed bleeding of all four rear bleeders and then 2) the front two bleeders as a final verification step. Keep the brake reservoirs at least half-full at all times. That means, don't let them go dry or you will pull air into the system; defeating the purpose of bleeding them. I usually checked filled after 5-6 cycles through one bleeder screw. DISPOSAL: As brake fluid is petroleum-based, I believe you can dispose of it along with engine oil at your local used oil collection center (in my neck of the woods, that is Advance Auto).
- New parking brake hardware on left rear corner. Cleaned parking brake hardware on right rear corner. Adjusted both assemblies per my Service Manual instructions. Parts: Van Steel. NOTE: Van Steel sells a tool that looks like a screw driver but has two 'cuts' in the blade for easing the installation of the parking brake springs. I strongly recommend that tool AND their stainless hardware. Top Quality.
- New rear rotors from Van Steel. Direct replacement with all adjusting holes and rivet holes like original.
- Rebuilt rear calipers from Internet (eBay). Happy with the quality. Purchased the pair for $120 without core charge. Was a bit concerned that they may not be correct or good but they turned out fine. They appear to have a hard epoxy finish and they are rebuilt but not sure of the durability of the rebuild; that is the down-side as the seller did not appear to have info about who rebuilt them or the quality of the rebuild. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably get from Van Steel or Vette Brakes as I have dealt with both when working on my '80 L48.
Still Squeaking? Not a peep. No sounds whatsoever from the rear of the car. Very pleased with the results. Total cost: Neighborhood of $325 for all parts and materials. If I had paid for the labor to do this, it would have easily been double/triple that. BUT, I didn't buy these cars to have others do my chores on them. I bought them so I could have the enjoyment/pleasure (and pain).
CAUTION: Brake fluid destroys car paint and removes the moisture from your skin. Avoid contact. I use a pair of old 'Western Auto' fender covers religiously when working around the engine bay. Also, I keep a container of liquid soap and plenty of cotton terry towels for cleaning of my hands to keep such fluids and oils washed off. Also, it is a good idea to have a set of four frame jack stands and a good 3-ton floor jack. Whenever I am under my vettes, I use a minimum of two stands (at that end of the car, both left and right). I also keep the jack handy and sometimes keep it under one of the two corners as safety measure. I have also read a suggestion to keep the tires/wheels under the points in the frame rails near where you will be working as safety measure in event the car drops from the jack stands; I'd rather crush a rally wheel than ME any day.
Thanks for letting me share!
Next Project: Installation of my Van Steel Power Steering conversion for high performance Small Block (my L46).
NOTE: Please refer to your Shop Manual for the correct procedures. Just wanted to share while the info was fresh in my mind.
Last edited by TedH; Feb 18, 2005 at 11:55 AM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
A few corrections on my results:
The parking break squeak upon breaking is fixed... First test drive, no squeak. Second, once things warmed up, the squeaking started low and then by the time I was back home, it was noticable again. May be the rear bearing assemblies and/or rotor runout.
Going to call Van Steel to see about having the rotor run out checked/corrected. Travelling this coming week so I'll have to wait until the following week.
Kind of bummed but that is what I get for using the shotgun approach to auto repair; hit or miss. Fixed some of my problems but not all.
Thought y'all should get the whole truth on the repair. Didn't want to lead anybody to believe what I did was the 100% solution...
The parking break squeak upon breaking is fixed... First test drive, no squeak. Second, once things warmed up, the squeaking started low and then by the time I was back home, it was noticable again. May be the rear bearing assemblies and/or rotor runout.
Going to call Van Steel to see about having the rotor run out checked/corrected. Travelling this coming week so I'll have to wait until the following week.
Kind of bummed but that is what I get for using the shotgun approach to auto repair; hit or miss. Fixed some of my problems but not all.
Thought y'all should get the whole truth on the repair. Didn't want to lead anybody to believe what I did was the 100% solution...
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
The squeak I have is a full-time squeak. At first, after it had sat for couple weeks and I test drove it today, it was barely noticable. After driving a second time for 4-5 miles it got louder and more persistent. Really sounds like a bearing; either the bearing assemblies or needle bearings in the u-joints of the half-shafts. I resolved the problem when I'd hit the breaks and I'd get this squeak/rub/tick sound that has now been corrected with probably the parking brake hardware (that seized left rear parking brake hardware was probably the sticking brake shoes).
Just spoke with Arty at Van Steel and I'll be dropping the car off at their shop on the 28th for investigation... may as well do it right. Tried it my way. They've done both bearing assemblies and half-shafts on my L48 and they have remained quiet and reliable. May just have them do the entire trailing arm rebuild and half-shaft rebuild (Left and Right rear) and be done with it. Probably close to $800-900 before considering labor... Ourch! But, if the resistant bolts I encountered when trying to remove the left rear bearing assembly couple weeks ago are any indication, it is better they handle it. Leave that to the pros at Van Steel.
Just spoke with Arty at Van Steel and I'll be dropping the car off at their shop on the 28th for investigation... may as well do it right. Tried it my way. They've done both bearing assemblies and half-shafts on my L48 and they have remained quiet and reliable. May just have them do the entire trailing arm rebuild and half-shaft rebuild (Left and Right rear) and be done with it. Probably close to $800-900 before considering labor... Ourch! But, if the resistant bolts I encountered when trying to remove the left rear bearing assembly couple weeks ago are any indication, it is better they handle it. Leave that to the pros at Van Steel.
