Need some help with my brakes
10-17-2016, 10:40 AM
#1
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Need some help with my brakes Alright, iv honestly never worked on brakes other then swapping out pad before, so im open to any advice. I got 1971 nova that I bought and it was 90 percent restored so it had never driven before, but it has a 4 wheel disk brake conversion on it, not sure what brand haven't seen any labels, looks like a basic kit. Heres my problem... I step on the brakes and it has hardly no brakes, pulls to the right, then the driver side front will drag for 20 sec or so before it completely releases. Seems like your average air in the problem. However I have bleed them for probably 6 hours lol and im getting straight clean fluid out of the rear 2 and the front passenger side, however the front driver there is tiny little air bubbles in the fluid, looks like aerated oil. And its just that one. Not enough bleeding it the world will clear it up. You pump it a few times, it seems to get worse. Everything is new on the system. Is it the master cylender?
10-18-2016, 04:00 PM
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It's a common problem with the Cadillac style rear calipers. 2 things:
First, the adjustment on the e-brake must be properly set.
If using the Cadillac-style caliper follow this procedure:
1. Tighten the rotor against the axle flange.
2. Install the caliper in its mounting bracket.
3. Remove the parking brake return spring.
4. Cycle the parking brake several times. Do this by moving the lever in the
same direction the cable would pull it. This motion would compress the
return spring if it were still installed. Some caliper assemblies may self
adjust by cycling the lever in this way, others may not it; simply depends
on how much internal friction the parking brake assembly has compared
to the friction caused by the piston seal.
5. When the parking brake is adjusted correctly, the lever will only move
1/16" to 1/8" from the stop that limits the lever's movement to the fully
released position (see illustration below). If the parking brake is correctly
adjusted, reinstall the return spring, and finish the installation. If the lever
moves more than 1/8", continue with the adjustment procedure.
6. Remove the nut, lever, seal and nylon washer from the adjusting screw
that secures the parking lever to the caliper assembly. Place them in a
clean location.
7. Temporarily attach the parking brake lever and position the lever against
the stop. Without rotating the shaft the lever is attached to, remove the
lever and mark the position of one of the points on the hexagon shaft.
8. Loosely install the nut back onto the lever shaft. Using a 9/16" open end
wrench turn the shaft in the direction opposite to the direction the cable
pulls the lever. As you turn the lever, the shaft will move into the caliper
housing until the wrench is snug against the nut and the caliper; as you
continue to rotate the shaft, the internal ratchet mechanism within the
caliper will begin to adjust. (You should be able to feel the resistance
increase slightly once the ratchet mechanism begins to adjust.) Once
you have made an adjustment to the mechanism, turn the shaft in the
direction to activate the parking brake. Using the wrench turn the shaft
until the parking brake is applied. Check to see if the mark you made lines
up with one of the points on the hexagon shaft. If not, continue to make
adjustments until the mark lines up with of the points on the hexagon
shaft. Remove the wrench and nut from the shaft. Reinstall the lever in
the correct position to work with the spring and cable. Do not install the
nylon washer or the seal at this time. Further adjustment may be needed.
Using the lever, activate the parking brake. Check to see if the parking
brake is now adjusted. The lever should not move more than 1/8" from
the stop. If the parking brake is not adjusted correctly, make another
adjustment as explained in this step.
9. Once the brake is adjusted, reinstall the seal and nylon washer between
the caliper body and the parking brake lever. Tighten the lever retaining
nut, and reinstall the parking brake return spring.
Second thing is that the calipers sometimes trap air in a little pocket near the bleeder. Try rotating the caliper off the bracket, while still simulating the rotor in between the pads, so that the bleeder is in an exact 12:00 position.
These two items should get you taken care of...
First, the adjustment on the e-brake must be properly set.
If using the Cadillac-style caliper follow this procedure:
1. Tighten the rotor against the axle flange.
2. Install the caliper in its mounting bracket.
3. Remove the parking brake return spring.
4. Cycle the parking brake several times. Do this by moving the lever in the
same direction the cable would pull it. This motion would compress the
return spring if it were still installed. Some caliper assemblies may self
adjust by cycling the lever in this way, others may not it; simply depends
on how much internal friction the parking brake assembly has compared
to the friction caused by the piston seal.
5. When the parking brake is adjusted correctly, the lever will only move
1/16" to 1/8" from the stop that limits the lever's movement to the fully
released position (see illustration below). If the parking brake is correctly
adjusted, reinstall the return spring, and finish the installation. If the lever
moves more than 1/8", continue with the adjustment procedure.
6. Remove the nut, lever, seal and nylon washer from the adjusting screw
that secures the parking lever to the caliper assembly. Place them in a
clean location.
7. Temporarily attach the parking brake lever and position the lever against
the stop. Without rotating the shaft the lever is attached to, remove the
lever and mark the position of one of the points on the hexagon shaft.
8. Loosely install the nut back onto the lever shaft. Using a 9/16" open end
wrench turn the shaft in the direction opposite to the direction the cable
pulls the lever. As you turn the lever, the shaft will move into the caliper
housing until the wrench is snug against the nut and the caliper; as you
continue to rotate the shaft, the internal ratchet mechanism within the
caliper will begin to adjust. (You should be able to feel the resistance
increase slightly once the ratchet mechanism begins to adjust.) Once
you have made an adjustment to the mechanism, turn the shaft in the
direction to activate the parking brake. Using the wrench turn the shaft
until the parking brake is applied. Check to see if the mark you made lines
up with one of the points on the hexagon shaft. If not, continue to make
adjustments until the mark lines up with of the points on the hexagon
shaft. Remove the wrench and nut from the shaft. Reinstall the lever in
the correct position to work with the spring and cable. Do not install the
nylon washer or the seal at this time. Further adjustment may be needed.
Using the lever, activate the parking brake. Check to see if the parking
brake is now adjusted. The lever should not move more than 1/8" from
the stop. If the parking brake is not adjusted correctly, make another
adjustment as explained in this step.
9. Once the brake is adjusted, reinstall the seal and nylon washer between
the caliper body and the parking brake lever. Tighten the lever retaining
nut, and reinstall the parking brake return spring.
Second thing is that the calipers sometimes trap air in a little pocket near the bleeder. Try rotating the caliper off the bracket, while still simulating the rotor in between the pads, so that the bleeder is in an exact 12:00 position.
These two items should get you taken care of...