Brakes Again!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 525
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From: Charlotte N.C.
Brakes Again!
Hey fellow members, I've had a ongoing problem's with my brakes. After driving approx. 100 miles my break light comes on, took it to midas they said front calipers, replaced them 100 miles later brake light comes on again! I've put new master, new brake lines, new front calipers, and brake light still comes on. And if I continue driving soft pedal eventually to the floor. I went for a drive today drove for about hour and a half, and you guessed it break light come on. I looked underneath and saw backwash on the inside of the tire(rear passenger). Could this be a rear caliper leaking, I know I'm getting air in the system. I've got to find out where through the process of elimination. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank's in advance Mark.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,135
Likes: 3,939
From: Connecticut, USA
Mark,
Your system is leaking and sucking in air. Are you able to do this work vs having a chain shop handle it?
You have to check on the leak, if you have original calipers then you'll probably need SS lined ones. Most of the vendors use Lonestar calipers and they are pretty good but there are other shops doing calipers out there. Not sure if there are as many as there were but some rebuilt calipers do have issues and leakage is one. Check to see if it's the caliper or rubber hose. If the hoses have not been replaced they should be by now.
Check the rotors for runout, if the runout is over .005 then you're going to have the air issues you have- even with a sealed system and all new calipers and lines.
The problem you may have had is your chain shop may not understand early corvette brakes and might not have checked the runout.
Again if this is something you can do then you may be better off. A Motive bleeder is highly recommended as well.
Good luck
Gary
Your system is leaking and sucking in air. Are you able to do this work vs having a chain shop handle it?
You have to check on the leak, if you have original calipers then you'll probably need SS lined ones. Most of the vendors use Lonestar calipers and they are pretty good but there are other shops doing calipers out there. Not sure if there are as many as there were but some rebuilt calipers do have issues and leakage is one. Check to see if it's the caliper or rubber hose. If the hoses have not been replaced they should be by now.
Check the rotors for runout, if the runout is over .005 then you're going to have the air issues you have- even with a sealed system and all new calipers and lines.
The problem you may have had is your chain shop may not understand early corvette brakes and might not have checked the runout.
Again if this is something you can do then you may be better off. A Motive bleeder is highly recommended as well.
Good luck
Gary
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Brake shops like midas and others are THE worst place to take your Corvette. They want to turn rotors and replace parts. They dont understand a thing about the problems associated with turning rotors on assemblies that were machined as a unit from the factory to solve this exact problem. You will find that one or more of the rotors has excess runnout, probably the rears. Have someone that knows, work on your car, not the kids at Midas or Sears.
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 525
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From: Charlotte N.C.
I absolutely agree, when I bought the car a year ago I thought service tech's at local shop's would know what to do. Boy, was I wrong! I't seem's when they see you pull up in a vette, they really stick it to them, and still can't fix the problem! From now on any problem's with my 82 I'll try to work on myself. Any major problem's we have a guy in Charlotte that has his on shop and work's on older vette's. He comes highly recomended in the surrounding areas and that's all he does for a living. Will definitely look into a different approach when it comes to working on my 82. Thank's for everyone's help! I really appreciate it. Mark
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
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From: Ann Arbor Michigan
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I absolutely agree, when I bought the car a year ago I thought service tech's at local shop's would know what to do. Boy, was I wrong! I't seem's when they see you pull up in a vette, they really stick it to them, and still can't fix the problem! From now on any problem's with my 82 I'll try to work on myself. Any major problem's we have a guy in Charlotte that has his on shop and work's on older vette's. He comes highly recomended in the surrounding areas and that's all he does for a living. Will definitely look into a different approach when it comes to working on my 82. Thank's for everyone's help! I really appreciate it. Mark
Like Duke said its usually the rears that suck air as you drive (especialy if you drive fast) but its fairly easy to find out where your air is.
Just do a gravity bleed and watch which caliper most of the air comes out of.I would bet that after bleeding and after driving around again and then another gravity bleed you will find the same caliper with air in it again.You cant really screw up a gravity bleed as long "as you keep the master cylinder FULL of fluid".All you have to do is fill the master cyl. and then open each bleeder and moniter where the air comes out.You'll notice each one will have a tiny bit of air that comes out but you will have 1 or 2 that has a bunch of air -that will be the culprit.Dont worry about air going back in the system thru the bleeders when gravity bleeding-that only happens when your using the pumping the brake pedal method.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 34
Likes: 1
From: Gardner Kansas
I also have had this problem. I am currently replacing the calipers with a new set of S/S sleeved ones from SSBC. The original calipers were in TERRIBLE condition. Rotors in the rear have had the rivets drilled out. I assume they've been replaced at some point. I am sure runout is a problem but I can't get the rotors off the car to replace them.
I don't mean to hijack this thread but I could use some suggestions on how to remove the original rotors.
Thanks
I don't mean to hijack this thread but I could use some suggestions on how to remove the original rotors.
Thanks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 0
From: Leander Texas
I also have had this problem. I am currently replacing the calipers with a new set of S/S sleeved ones from SSBC. The original calipers were in TERRIBLE condition. Rotors in the rear have had the rivets drilled out. I assume they've been replaced at some point. I am sure runout is a problem but I can't get the rotors off the car to replace them.
Thanks
I don't mean to hijack this thread but I could use some suggestions on how to remove the original rotors.
You might have to back off the parking brake adjuster wheel. There is a hole in the front of the rotor to access the adjuster.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 1999
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From: Foxfield CO 1970 Convertible
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,246
Likes: 4
From: Bay Area CA
I also have had this problem. I am currently replacing the calipers with a new set of S/S sleeved ones from SSBC. The original calipers were in TERRIBLE condition. Rotors in the rear have had the rivets drilled out. I assume they've been replaced at some point. I am sure runout is a problem but I can't get the rotors off the car to replace them.
I don't mean to hijack this thread but I could use some suggestions on how to remove the original rotors.
Thanks
I don't mean to hijack this thread but I could use some suggestions on how to remove the original rotors.
Thanks
I would suggest returning the kit from SSBC and going with a O-ring kit from VBP, I used the SSBC kit and there lip seal calipers really suck air like crazy, ended up replacing the rears with O-ring ones and they don't suck air. Just a heads up, save you some trouble.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I would suggest returning the kit from SSBC and going with a O-ring kit from VBP, I used the SSBC kit and there lip seal calipers really suck air like crazy, ended up replacing the rears with O-ring ones and they don't suck air. Just a heads up, save you some trouble.
Also when you drive along slow are you getting a squeak squeak squeak from the rear-this would be the front edge of the pads working back and forth on the caliper and will stop as soon as you apply a light brake pedal.Just curious-thanks.