Calipers spread, why?
Calipers spread, why? Found out my front calipers were spread when I put new pads and rotors on. It's easy to tell with new rotors because the wheel side of the rotor has maybe a 1" contact mark on the outer edge. The Hawks HPS pads are even thickness all the way accross.
I bought this car with 22,500 miles on it and the rotors were turned at 6,600 miles, at 12,xxx miles the rotors were turned again and the hoses replaced. Since I've had the car they've been turned two more times until the warranty expired and I just drove it with warped rotors.
When I got the car it looked brand new and not abused.
I raced it in the 1/4 mile slowing down from 106 mph maybe 10 times and I've had it up to 145 on the highway and had to slow down fairly quick once.
I don't consider this enough to kill the brakes, but is it?
Anyway my C5 kit will be in soon, this should survive with the above driving style right?
I bought this car with 22,500 miles on it and the rotors were turned at 6,600 miles, at 12,xxx miles the rotors were turned again and the hoses replaced. Since I've had the car they've been turned two more times until the warranty expired and I just drove it with warped rotors.
When I got the car it looked brand new and not abused.
I raced it in the 1/4 mile slowing down from 106 mph maybe 10 times and I've had it up to 145 on the highway and had to slow down fairly quick once.
I don't consider this enough to kill the brakes, but is it?
Anyway my C5 kit will be in soon, this should survive with the above driving style right?
Originally Posted by Dex
Huh? Whats spread?
It's basically where the top and outer side of the caliper flexes causing uneven wear on the pad on the wheel side (not the inner pad (on the piston side). Uneven as in wearing more on the part of the pad that contacts the outer diameter of the rotor.
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 1
From: Hartsdale, NY
this should not happen; are the pins that help the caliper float and stay centered lubricated?
....have owned and driven many f-bodies and I never had a single brake rotor warp but apparently, it happens occasionally.
....have owned and driven many f-bodies and I never had a single brake rotor warp but apparently, it happens occasionally.
Originally Posted by robertbartsch
this should not happen; are the pins that help the caliper float and stay centered lubricated?
....have owned and driven many f-bodies and I never had a single brake rotor warp but apparently, it happens occasionally.
....have owned and driven many f-bodies and I never had a single brake rotor warp but apparently, it happens occasionally.
I read the TSB on this from GM. It says to resurface the rotors on the vehicle and put the old pads back on if they are not worn down. In fact it says if the rotors are worn thinner than spec to replace them and still use the old pads.
I'm guessing by doing it like this the pads would already be thicker towards the center of the rotor and if the caliper did have some deflection or was spread, this would help even out the contact area when the brakes are applied.
Now when I put new shiney rotors on it and pads it's just easier to see the contact area. And since the new pads are nice and flat and the calipers are screwed up it leaves a wear mark mostly on the outer edge.
I just don't think I've driven it hard enough to cause this problem.
But it doesn't matter now, I got the C5 brakes on last night.
The contact pattern is consistant across the rotor friction surface.
My rotors warped in just normal driving before I even made it to the track. I'm an old fart and don't drive all that aggressively. And it's a 6-speed, so don't accuse me of being the old dude driving down the street in an automatic with one foot on the brake and one on the gas with the right turn signal eternally on.
If these brakes weren't underdesigned, GM got a bunch of bad rotors in from one of their parts suppliers. Probably came from China.
If these brakes weren't underdesigned, GM got a bunch of bad rotors in from one of their parts suppliers. Probably came from China.
