Posted on 01/31/2012 9:47:56 PM PST by djf
I have a mid-80's Blazer with disc brakes on the front, one is hopelessly seized and took me about an hour and fifteen minutes to get off... so new calipers on both sides is in the planning stage, but I am wondering. I will be able to almost fill the calipers w/brake fluid before I attach the main brake lines, or I can mount them empty, open the bleeder valve, and fill them from the top.
Which is best? Why?
Luckily No! Redneck spellin, late night and Walmart “reader” my excuses.
Luckily No! Redneck spellin, late night and Walmart “reader” my excuses.
That’s a great idea! Obviously you know what your doing. Pardon my original post, but brake work can be dangerous for the unskilled.
One thing to check, once had a stuck brake and after much troubleshooting found the rubber line to the brake had deteriated and had a flap of hose innerliner that would act as a checkvalve not releasing the pressure.
Got one of the half-axles today.
Thank God it’s not the push-in spring clip type, it’s 6 bolts to a flange that comes out of the transfer case.
Probably have to pull the struts, not a biggie because I can do it without a spring compressor. Might as well replace them while I’m at it.
Other half axle and calipers tomorrow - the whole area I’ll be working in is drenched with de-greaser now and will get hit with the power washer before I start pulling the big stuff...
Sposed to be a stretch of about 5 days of really nice weather starting tomorrow, dam glad I ain’t out there doing it in the rain (or snow!)
Lots of people bitch about those old Blazers, but man, I love working on the stuff! Not to mention my ‘66 Impala Sedan....
Question for anybody who might still be following this thread:
Turns out I need to replace the lower parts of the brake lines (down in both wheel wells) where the brake line is rubber coated.
Is it a good idea to use plumber type teflon tape on those fittings? I don’t want to go through all the work and get it back together and find out I have a leak...
Not sure if brake fluid would eat teflon tape, but those are compression fittings. Compress them with appropriate torque (We allways used the ‘goodentight’ standard), and if they leak a drip, compress them some more...
I know taking them off I had to use a bit of force. Just a slow, steady force where there was no jerking around or anything. Glad they came off clean.
Also, putting the old brake pads in the new calipers and putting them in position on the rotor, I had about 1/8th in clearance. Sound about right?
And the pistons are all the way down in these calipers, not extended at all.
Remembering the last time I worked on mine, that sounds about right. The pistons will stop travelling when the pads contact the caliper. They’re designed that way, and it makes for an adjustment-free service life (check fluid and top off as needed). As long as the pad and piston retract enough (not very much, actually) when you let off the brakes to let the wheel turn freely, you’re in business.
Check the flared part for galling or irregularities, same with the caliper where the lines seat. If they are smooth, you should be okay.
Now about all I need is a 1 1/2 in deep six point 3/4 in drive socket...
More and more of the stuff these days is geared towards doing it impact-wise, but I to do it just me and my skinny lonesome and a 24 in breaker bar!!
Might as well get a good click-type torque wrench!
Didn’t want to waste any more time than I had to, so this morning, I broke down.
Got a DeWalt electric impact wrench and a socket set.
Took the bolts out of the axle/transfer case fine (six each) but STILL did not have enough gumption to remove the main axle bolt.
So I figured that’s ok, I’ll just remove the main wheel hub with the axle attached, and take it down to one of the joints I work with once in a while and they can probably blast it off in no time.
steering tie attachments came off fine, both nuts from the upper/lower control arm came off fine, but the hub is somehow still attached! I can move it every which way from Sunday but it wont simply slide down those bolts (which is what I thought it would do), no way.
Book says there is a tool but I can’t see how the tool would do anything I can’t do with just trying to work them apart.
Frustration level: Very high!!
COMPLETE!!!!!!
New:
Drive axles and CV joints
Brakes
Brake lines
Shocks
Lower ball joints
Everything lubed and torqued to specs.
About 1 15 mile city and country test drive in regular drive and 4wd and it is SOLID AS A ROCK!
Many thanks to all who offered suggestions, in fact we did mount the calipers empty, pumped them full, and bled them good till there were no air bubbles.
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