Brake problem....help!
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
From: RiVA
Brake AND window problem....help! Im driving on interstate headed towards Virginia Beach and I start hearing i scraping sound coming from the left front section of my trans am. After pulling over and not noticing any damage or deflated tires, I kept on trucking. Still same noise kept scraping right along. After getting home, I took the left front wheel off and low and behold the caliper is sitting there un-bolted from the rotor/shoe/whatever it is. The top bolt on the caliper is completely gone and the caliper had begun scraping against the inside lip of my rim's wheel wall. Nothing seems to be structurally damaged but theres a pretty noticeable amount of scrapage inside the rim itself but not on anything that could seem to effect how it drives. Anybody ever heard of the caliper bolt coming undone completely like this? I hope the solution is just to get a new bolt and presto, all done. Anyone know the size of this bolt? If I'm not making sense (which I might not be) just let me know, I have no idea how to describe this. I'll try to get pictures tomorrow to make better sense of this. The caliper was literally loose and I could have slid it off the rotor had I pushed it enough.
Second problem -- I drive a CETA firebird.....but my calipers are grey and not black. Wtf mates?
Second problem -- I drive a CETA firebird.....but my calipers are grey and not black. Wtf mates?
Last edited by Bones87; Mar 9, 2008 at 01:10 PM.
TECH Resident
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 807
Likes: 1
From: Toronto
my buddy is a GM tech and said this same situation happened on a vette one of his co-workers was workin on. long story short, guy got about 25 clicks away and the same thing happened(i cant remember if the bolt had sheered - i believe that was the case or the bolt wasnt torqued properly). had your brakes been worked on recently? might be a good time to slap a coat of paint on while your there!
There are four bolts. Two that bold the caliper bracket to the suspension and two that bolt the caliper to the bracket.
I assume the bolt you lost was one connecting the caliper to the bracket? If so, these bolts come from the factory with tread locker on them. (The tread locker helps keep the bolt from vibrating out.) If you have had your brakes changed in the past, they were probably put back on with out the thread lock.
I assume the bolt you lost was one connecting the caliper to the bracket? If so, these bolts come from the factory with tread locker on them. (The tread locker helps keep the bolt from vibrating out.) If you have had your brakes changed in the past, they were probably put back on with out the thread lock.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
From: RiVA
Well here's my situation, I bought the CETA from CarMax in January with 38,000 miles on it. So I have no idea what has happened to it from that standpoint. I've had it pointed out to me by some other CETA guys that my calipers are grey and not black which come standard on my car. So to me, someone either had brakes and calipers changed and didn't use thread-lockers to put them back on. And yes, its the caliper to the bracket bolt that is missing. Anyone know the size of the bolt I need to get? Where would I find a threat locker for this too?
Thanks guys, this is pretty helpful.
Thanks guys, this is pretty helpful.
Any auto parts store will sell the bolt that connects the caliper to the bracket. I think they usually come in the pin kit. (Comes with the pin that fits inside the bracket and the bolt goes in to the pin.)
You just need red thread locker. (Its a liquid, sold in auto parts stores where the glues and another small tubes of "stuff" are.) They may also have the same thing in a paste, which comes in a chapstick style tube. (I like this version as I find its a little less messy.) If you've never used it before, the guys at the counter can show you how.
You just need red thread locker. (Its a liquid, sold in auto parts stores where the glues and another small tubes of "stuff" are.) They may also have the same thing in a paste, which comes in a chapstick style tube. (I like this version as I find its a little less messy.) If you've never used it before, the guys at the counter can show you how.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
From: RiVA
Great, that sounds like a good deal to me. My granddad and I installed 2 bolts today with lock washers, so hopefully that will be fine til I can get to an autoparts store. BOTH the bottom and top bracket bolts were gone -- which kinda scares me a little bit but so it goes.
Today just must not be my day -- my drivers side window now is stuck half-way open, it won't budge either way up or down. I'll go ahead and admit that I might not have been thinking because I turned the car off, rolled the window up, and it quit working half-way. ARGH. Help....again?
Today just must not be my day -- my drivers side window now is stuck half-way open, it won't budge either way up or down. I'll go ahead and admit that I might not have been thinking because I turned the car off, rolled the window up, and it quit working half-way. ARGH. Help....again?
Read on through the site and you'll see volumes of postings regarding window motors going bad.
Your motor is probably on the way out. When your engine is off, the motor gets less power and isn't as strong. Turn the engine on and the window will probably go up. If not, the motor is now bad. You can tug up on the glass (give it a little help) while you try to put the window up - which should get it up for you until you can make a permanent repair.
The main culprit is bad power being delivered to the motor, (hence, the power drop when the engine is off makes things worse) so when you get in there to replace your motors - I'd suggest installing the relay kits folks talk about on the site.
Your motor is probably on the way out. When your engine is off, the motor gets less power and isn't as strong. Turn the engine on and the window will probably go up. If not, the motor is now bad. You can tug up on the glass (give it a little help) while you try to put the window up - which should get it up for you until you can make a permanent repair.
The main culprit is bad power being delivered to the motor, (hence, the power drop when the engine is off makes things worse) so when you get in there to replace your motors - I'd suggest installing the relay kits folks talk about on the site.
