Brakes salvageable?
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: NY
Brakes salvageable?
Just took off the wheels to see why the parking brake got stuck up about a year ago and even though I'm still not very experienced with cars, to me it doesn't look very good. Do you think these brakes (if able to be fixed) are good enough to at least move the car out of the garage? Or should I just get started on replacing the entire thing?
Sorry if the pictures arent the best I wasnt really sure what exactly to take a photo of haha
Sorry if the pictures arent the best I wasnt really sure what exactly to take a photo of haha
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,427
Likes: 1,560
From: mount holly NC
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Time to remove and replace...
Looks like the calipers and rotors are the original ones your Vette left the factory with.
You will have to drill out the rivets and replace all of that.
Better take a close look at the trailing arms too.
You will have to drill out the rivets and replace all of that.
Better take a close look at the trailing arms too.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
The rotors and calipers appear to be original. The rivets are still in the rotors as Pete stated. Exhaust and shocks are not original. Frame does not look bad from what I can see. Trailing arms may have never been apart but could have been disassembled without drilling out rotor rivets. Reuse of rotors may come down to condition of inner hub where the p-brake shoes ride. Mine were worn in this area due to wear from bad p-brake parts. Rust in the metal of the trailing arms may prevent their reuse but you will not know for sure until they are cleaned up. Take the calipers off and split the halves. Look for stainless steel sleeves in the piston bores. If the bores are pitted and a dark gray color then they have not been SS sleeved. If bright metal and smooth after cleaning as I did in the following link then they are sleeved. Good luck with it. The guys here can get it back on the road. mike...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...-calipers.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...-calipers.html
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,842
Likes: 230
From: SANTA CRUZ CA
You will be happier, but more importantly, much safer, if you replace rotors, calipers, pads. maybe even hubs.
Not really a great expense, especially if you do the work. A speed bleeder can be rented, borrowed, or purchased.
Once the four wheels are in the air, it is just time consuming, not labor intensive, or lack of access to the work area.
An air wrench helps, especially with the caliper bolts, but a breaker bar will suffice.
Certainly look at replacing the lines and hoses, booster, maybe even the master cylinder. I would imagine the cylinder bores are completely corroded. If you were building a replacement engine, would you consider attaching any part that was in the condition of the brake parts?
Not really a great expense, especially if you do the work. A speed bleeder can be rented, borrowed, or purchased.
Once the four wheels are in the air, it is just time consuming, not labor intensive, or lack of access to the work area.
An air wrench helps, especially with the caliper bolts, but a breaker bar will suffice.
Certainly look at replacing the lines and hoses, booster, maybe even the master cylinder. I would imagine the cylinder bores are completely corroded. If you were building a replacement engine, would you consider attaching any part that was in the condition of the brake parts?
Last edited by don hall; Jun 20, 2013 at 10:05 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Shearwater Nova Scotia
You will be happier, but more importantly, much safer, if
you replace rotors, calipers, pads. maybe even hubs. Not really a great expense, especially if you do the work.
Once the four wheels are in the air, it is just time consuming, not labor intensive or limited access to the work area. An air wrench
helps, especially with the caliper bolts, but a breaker bar will suffice.
A speed bleeder can be rented, borrowed, or purchased.
you replace rotors, calipers, pads. maybe even hubs. Not really a great expense, especially if you do the work.
Once the four wheels are in the air, it is just time consuming, not labor intensive or limited access to the work area. An air wrench
helps, especially with the caliper bolts, but a breaker bar will suffice.
A speed bleeder can be rented, borrowed, or purchased.
You can salvage the brakes - but you will be better off in the long run to spend your current efforts on a replacement/upgrade.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,404
Likes: 1
From: Ansonia/NYC CT
Open up the master cylinder...what does it look like in there? Black, funky goo? The worst part for failures aren't in the stuf you can see...if that M/C is full of crap, you need to replace it, and run new ss lines. The rotors are fine, they have plenty of life left in them. But check all four, make sure they all are equally worn. Same with the pads when you get those calipers off. Any uneven wear is another sign of brake trouble.
Take the bleeder nipples off, and rub your thumb roughly over the holes...does the metal rub off, chip, etc? Those calipers look awefully old, and brake fluid eats metal like flies eat crap.
You might have to replace all four. Likely. A kit for all four will set you back around 400 bucks. You'll want to replace the hoses, too, another 20-30 bucks, give or take. The stainless lines will cost, maybe, 20 bucks? A new M/C we'll cost about 30 bucks. So, all day, brakes will set you back about 500. A good investment, IMO.
Take the bleeder nipples off, and rub your thumb roughly over the holes...does the metal rub off, chip, etc? Those calipers look awefully old, and brake fluid eats metal like flies eat crap.
You might have to replace all four. Likely. A kit for all four will set you back around 400 bucks. You'll want to replace the hoses, too, another 20-30 bucks, give or take. The stainless lines will cost, maybe, 20 bucks? A new M/C we'll cost about 30 bucks. So, all day, brakes will set you back about 500. A good investment, IMO.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,503
Likes: 33
From: McGrady NC
St. Jude Donor '15-'16
Agreed is so many ways. Doing that very thing to a 77 now that sat for an extended period. Not too expensive, but can be labor intensive and very frustrating at time. But it has to be done for the car to be safe to drive. Buy good parts and drive it occasionally to keep everything working correctly.
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Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 217
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From: Shearwater Nova Scotia
Drain all the fluid and remove the pistons - look inside the chambers/bore and check for scoring/pitting. If you are good there a $30 rebuild will be enough. Better than a $150 Master Cylinder bill.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 28
From: Burkburnett TX
Rebuild kits are great, just make sure your bleeders come out first, and have new ones to put in there. Once you break a bleeder off in the caliper, things change. You can get all four rebuilt calipers from your local parts store for about 250 bucks.
oh yeah, a new casting, never rebuilt master cylinder is very inexpensive on amazon.com. Mine is working great so far.
oh yeah, a new casting, never rebuilt master cylinder is very inexpensive on amazon.com. Mine is working great so far.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Race Director
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Pro
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Tampa FL
Brakes
Just food for thought:
A Car that won't start is annoying, a car that won't stop can kill you.
You have to decide what makes sense to you, I know what I have done with my cars.
Good luck either way and once they are cleaned up, everything looks so much better.
Joel
A Car that won't start is annoying, a car that won't stop can kill you.
You have to decide what makes sense to you, I know what I have done with my cars.
Good luck either way and once they are cleaned up, everything looks so much better.
Joel
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 49
From: Bridgewater nj
I'm a cheap bastard but the age and the rust you will save yourself a big headache by purchasing the brake kit that many venders have 
you can tell by looking that those rotors are way to thin anyway....
Another note is that exhaust is trick!!! Get some more pics of that
someone spent a lot of time and money on that set up....
you can tell by looking that those rotors are way to thin anyway....Another note is that exhaust is trick!!! Get some more pics of that
someone spent a lot of time and money on that set up....
