close call with brakes
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 807
Likes: 2
From: VIRGINIA BEACH VIRGINIA
close call with brakes
Had a close call with my brakes on my 79. I decided to replace all the calipers, pads and rotors (first winter project) and was a bit surprised. The two front calipers each had two pistons that were stuck out and I could not even hammer them back in with a hammer. One rear caliper was missing the rod and cotter pin that hold the brake pads and the other rear caliper had two bad seals.
Wow, just had the car inspected last month and I had all the brakes off last year and they were working fine. I am not sure how old they were but they are going bye bye. Never had a problem stopping but then again, I don't really drive it that much.
Check your brakes if they are original or very old!
Dan
Wow, just had the car inspected last month and I had all the brakes off last year and they were working fine. I am not sure how old they were but they are going bye bye. Never had a problem stopping but then again, I don't really drive it that much.
Check your brakes if they are original or very old!
Dan
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 807
Likes: 2
From: VIRGINIA BEACH VIRGINIA
I couldn't tell if the rotors were warped by looking at them but I changed them just to be sure. I am trying to find out where I can get rotors for the rear now, Advance did not carry them here. They appear to be the original (rivets drilled out) and I am sure it is time to replace them.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,030
Likes: 17
From: White Pine / Dandridge TN
At the start of one driving season I was a little too excited to take an early spring drive with my son. Got on the blue ridge parkway for a mountain drive. Was driving around 50 mph when I came around a corner and went to hit the brakes. Car barely slowed down. I had to press with all my weight to get the car to stop. Pulled off the road and checked the master cylinder. The front reservoir was completely dry. Oh sh*t I said. Turned around and headed home down the mountain driving very slow, lots of distance from the cars ahead of me and downshifting to help stop the car as needed.
Lesson learned about always checking my brakes at the start of the season.
Jim
Lesson learned about always checking my brakes at the start of the season.
Jim
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
At the start of one driving season I was a little too excited to take an early spring drive with my son. Got on the blue ridge parkway for a mountain drive. Was driving around 50 mph when I came around a corner and went to hit the brakes. Car barely slowed down. I had to press with all my weight to get the car to stop. Pulled off the road and checked the master cylinder. The front reservoir was completely dry. Oh sh*t I said. Turned around and headed home down the mountain driving very slow, lots of distance from the cars ahead of me and downshifting to help stop the car as needed.
Lesson learned about always checking my brakes at the start of the season.
Jim
Lesson learned about always checking my brakes at the start of the season.
Jim
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,030
Likes: 17
From: White Pine / Dandridge TN
I bet you had tons of FUN and brown stains in your britches coming OFF that parkway, at the southern terminus of it, we missed the turn off the freeway, and the signs got confusing at top of the mountain coming from the west, and so we got trapped on the road for some ten? miles going straight down hill on the eastern mountain side....finally found a turn around spot, but the brakes on our little Escort were certainly hating life, strong smell....it's a great road for a Fall Foliage tour, which is the reason wife and I went up to that road, we drove clean to Pa on that and Skyline drive....
