The great brake mod will soon begin..
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 446
Likes: 14
From: Huntsville, AL
The great brake mod will soon begin.. COMPLETED!
I am still waiting on a few parts to come in today. But I plan to start the brake mods this week. Powder coated calipers, new rotors, pads, and braided brake lines. I have read a few of the threads and think I have a good plan. Are there any pearls of wisdom out there before I start. Some 'things not to do" anyone can share. I do have one concern, and that is with the steel braided brake lines, and the possibility of throwing codes. I might beat that out of the box, and put some liquid electical tape on, prior to install.
Thoughts??
Thoughts??
Last edited by hp_therapy; Jul 23, 2006 at 09:30 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,762
Likes: 2
From: Murphy TX
Don't put the calipers on upside down 
Don't let any young children, and maybe even your wife around when you are undoing the 21mm caliper bracket bolts. No children should hear that kind of language (they're a PITA)
Don't let any young children, and maybe even your wife around when you are undoing the 21mm caliper bracket bolts. No children should hear that kind of language
(they're a PITA)
Team Owner
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 34,551
Likes: 505
From: Auburn Hills MI
Go buy a small 3/8's impact gun.
Takes my caliper bracket bolts off in a few seconds.
The smaller ones will fit easily on the upper bracket bolt no problem and you'll need a swivel for the lower.
I bought my 3/8's specifically for this task.
Takes my caliper bracket bolts off in a few seconds.
The smaller ones will fit easily on the upper bracket bolt no problem and you'll need a swivel for the lower.
I bought my 3/8's specifically for this task.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 1
From: Morganton, NC, USA
On the front wheels, you can get good leverage on a breaker bar by turning the front wheels so that the caliper swings to the outside. Since the rear wheels do not swing, the only way to get good leverage on a long breaker bar is from the bottom, like when the car is on a lift, which is typically beyond the means of the average C5 owner. You have to use a shorter breaker bar, and unless you're built like Swartzenegger used to be, you won't be able to generate enough torque to break the caliper braket bolts loose. What worked good for me was using a standard home propane torch and putting the flame on the knuckles that the caliper bracket bolts to. Slowly count to 60, and you should have heated up the bolt enough to melt the Loctite, letting the bolt break free with a lot less torque. Watch the flame as the whole area is surrounded by plastic panels and a rubber brake hose.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,171
Likes: 0
From: TN
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Originally Posted by NoOne
Go buy a small 3/8's impact gun.
Takes my caliper bracket bolts off in a few seconds.
The smaller ones will fit easily on the upper bracket bolt no problem and you'll need a swivel for the lower.
I bought my 3/8's specifically for this task.
Takes my caliper bracket bolts off in a few seconds.
The smaller ones will fit easily on the upper bracket bolt no problem and you'll need a swivel for the lower.
I bought my 3/8's specifically for this task.
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Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
brakes
I have had SS lines on my vert for some time now and no codes. I would recommend a good box socket wrench and a 3-5 lb hand held sledge hammer for the caliper bolts. They are really on there and with a couple of good whacks against the side of the wrench they loosen up enough to be taken out easily, and you skip the skinned knuckles.
"ear muffs" thats awsome!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
I'm far from Arnold's size/strength being 22yrs old 5'10" and a buck fifty i simply placed my car on regular jack stands and got a regular breaker bar... which was about 18" long... the torque wrench i used to reinstall them was about 22" long which made things even more difficult - so PITA is right... but completely possible on jackstands... You may have to put yourself in some weird positions alongside the car to get enough weight on the bar... (and i will admit my shoulder was a little sore the next day from removing and tightening all these bolts at or over 100 lb-ft of torque..)
GL i just did mine last weekend and I LOVE how the Cross Drilled & Slotted Rotors w/ Red calipers look now!!!
Dan
GL i just did mine last weekend and I LOVE how the Cross Drilled & Slotted Rotors w/ Red calipers look now!!!
Dan
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 446
Likes: 14
From: Huntsville, AL
The last of the parts came in last night. The Brown Santa, because it's like Christmas everytime the UPS truck pulls up, delivered the ceramic pads and Mag red paint. Now all I have to do to finish the prep work is paint the hats of the rotors mag red, hit them with some high temp clear coat....and game on.
Team Owner
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 34,551
Likes: 505
From: Auburn Hills MI
Nuts,
My $79 Harbor Freight 3/8's takes them off no problem after being torqued to 125ft lbs with loctite.
I do it often.
Brakes are easy, not sure what the voodo behind them is. Fluid pushes the pads. If you learn a bit about how the system works you should avoid any problems and make sure you TEST the car before driving it, keep it slow enough that you can either use the park brake or put it in a gear and shut the car off.
Once you learn to do it its a 5 minute job for pads, 10-15 for rotors.
My $79 Harbor Freight 3/8's takes them off no problem after being torqued to 125ft lbs with loctite.
I do it often.
Brakes are easy, not sure what the voodo behind them is. Fluid pushes the pads. If you learn a bit about how the system works you should avoid any problems and make sure you TEST the car before driving it, keep it slow enough that you can either use the park brake or put it in a gear and shut the car off.
Once you learn to do it its a 5 minute job for pads, 10-15 for rotors.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 446
Likes: 14
From: Huntsville, AL
OK, finally finished the job. But I think they turned out looking pretty good. A little impact engineering here and there...and they are on. I also painted the rotor hats with color matching paint, after a few coats of silver heat paint.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 534
Likes: 0
From: was Brookline MA but now San Antonio TX
Originally Posted by LF97C5Vette
I'm far from Arnold's size/strength being 22yrs old 5'10" and a buck fifty i simply placed my car on regular jack stands and got a regular breaker bar... which was about 18" long... the torque wrench i used to reinstall them was about 22" long which made things even more difficult - so PITA is right... but completely possible on jackstands... You may have to put yourself in some weird positions alongside the car to get enough weight on the bar... (and i will admit my shoulder was a little sore the next day from removing and tightening all these bolts at or over 100 lb-ft of torque..)
GL i just did mine last weekend and I LOVE how the Cross Drilled & Slotted Rotors w/ Red calipers look now!!!
Dan
GL i just did mine last weekend and I LOVE how the Cross Drilled & Slotted Rotors w/ Red calipers look now!!!
Dan