LT1 brake problems, calipers
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Greater Cincinnati
LT1 brake problems, calipers I'm have a few issues with the brakes on my '96 Z28. I ordered a new set of cross/slotted rotors and pads from R1 Concepts (I hope they're good). Anyway, both fronts went on just fine and so did the rear driver side. However, the rear passanger side caliper is froze! I cannot get that sucker to do anything. I have the caliper off the old rotor and the rotor off the car.. the caliper just won't slide. The piston looks like it is bent. My patience is wearing thin. Any help appreciated! Thanks
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Greater Cincinnati
To be quite honest with you, my knowledge of auto mechanics is very minimal. I am trying to teach myself by reading repair manuals and working on my own car with help of course..
Anyway, the piston wasn't the problem. There are two pins on each side of the caliper that allow the unit to slide open so pads can be installed. The unit would not slide open because the bolts we're both frozen. I ordered a new caliper and everything with the new unit works fine, I took out the old piston and other misc. parts and swapped them into the new caliper. Now I cannot get the old piston back into the caliper far enough for the brake pads to go on! The only other problem I had was the parking cable bracket. The bolt for that to come off the old caliper is froze also. I had to leave it on the old caliper and take it back to NAPA so I could get my CORE charge. I called the local Chevrolet dealer and they ordered a new one for $18 and it will be in Friday.
Either way, this project has turned out to be a nightmare. I feel like an idiot for not letting my mechanic work on the car and I feel as if everything is being pieced together half @ss and just causing more problems. I need help, I need a lot of help. Money is tight right now because I just made my truck payment this week and I'm itchin to get back behind the wheel.
Anyway, the piston wasn't the problem. There are two pins on each side of the caliper that allow the unit to slide open so pads can be installed. The unit would not slide open because the bolts we're both frozen. I ordered a new caliper and everything with the new unit works fine, I took out the old piston and other misc. parts and swapped them into the new caliper. Now I cannot get the old piston back into the caliper far enough for the brake pads to go on! The only other problem I had was the parking cable bracket. The bolt for that to come off the old caliper is froze also. I had to leave it on the old caliper and take it back to NAPA so I could get my CORE charge. I called the local Chevrolet dealer and they ordered a new one for $18 and it will be in Friday.
Either way, this project has turned out to be a nightmare. I feel like an idiot for not letting my mechanic work on the car and I feel as if everything is being pieced together half @ss and just causing more problems. I need help, I need a lot of help. Money is tight right now because I just made my truck payment this week and I'm itchin to get back behind the wheel.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Greater Cincinnati
I guess you would call it a piston.. or the part that rides inside of the piston. That part will not sit into the hole far enough for the new brake pad to go on. It needs about another 1/8 in. The inner brake pad rides right agains the face of it. It did this on the old caliper and the new unit as well. I'd like to get the car back on the road soon, any help gladly appreciated!
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 1
From: Hartsdale, NY
Take the cap to the brake reservoir off and remove some brake fliud with a turkey baster or similar tool.
Now push the brake piston(s) back into the caliper which will cause the reservior to fill up again with old fliud from the lines. Do this with a c-clamp, or a threaded brake tool specifically made for this purpose. Be careful not to damage the rubber dust shields that protect the caliper pistons.
You should now be able to get the new pads and caliper back on the car. After everything is bolted up, remove all the old fliud from the reservior and refill it with fresh clean brake fliud.
Pump the brake peddle a few times until the peddle becomes firm. Top off the reservior and replace the cap.
Now push the brake piston(s) back into the caliper which will cause the reservior to fill up again with old fliud from the lines. Do this with a c-clamp, or a threaded brake tool specifically made for this purpose. Be careful not to damage the rubber dust shields that protect the caliper pistons.
You should now be able to get the new pads and caliper back on the car. After everything is bolted up, remove all the old fliud from the reservior and refill it with fresh clean brake fliud.
Pump the brake peddle a few times until the peddle becomes firm. Top off the reservior and replace the cap.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Greater Cincinnati
The problem turned out to be a flat spring on the wrong side of the caliper.. the last person who did the brakes had it on the wrong side. Long story short, I had the brakes done about a year 1/2 ago at a place called Aurora Tire.. I was pressured for time and needed a quick brake job on the car 
When I picked the car up the ABS INOP and traction lights we're on. The mechanic had somehow forgot that the ABS wheel sensor had to be plugged in? That way my first tip of a half *** job.
Finally everything is back together, tourqued correctly etc..
New problem, the car requires excessive force in order to stop. The pedal doesn't go to the floor, but it travels pretty far before the pads catch the rotors and slow the car down. Not sure if they need a little time to get seated, or if something else might be wrong. I've only driven the car about 15-20 miles since the job was completed. Need more help!
When I picked the car up the ABS INOP and traction lights we're on. The mechanic had somehow forgot that the ABS wheel sensor had to be plugged in? That way my first tip of a half *** job.Finally everything is back together, tourqued correctly etc..
New problem, the car requires excessive force in order to stop. The pedal doesn't go to the floor, but it travels pretty far before the pads catch the rotors and slow the car down. Not sure if they need a little time to get seated, or if something else might be wrong. I've only driven the car about 15-20 miles since the job was completed. Need more help!
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 1
From: Hartsdale, NY
...air in the system.
Did you remove the caliper from the car or open the bleed screw? ...soft peddle = air in the system...
Wow - you might consider a course - Braking 101.
See Install University for a pitorial on brake replacement. This should not be rocket science. When you understand the basic prinicles, you should be able to do brake jobs with simple hand tools and a few specific tools (piston spreeder, brake bleeder, etc.)
Did you remove the caliper from the car or open the bleed screw? ...soft peddle = air in the system...
Wow - you might consider a course - Braking 101.
See Install University for a pitorial on brake replacement. This should not be rocket science. When you understand the basic prinicles, you should be able to do brake jobs with simple hand tools and a few specific tools (piston spreeder, brake bleeder, etc.)
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 1
From: Hartsdale, NY
I'm not aware of any springs in the caliper and I just did a brake job this weekend. Are you referring to the anti-chatter clips that keep the pads centered?
Are these "springs" located (1) in the top and bottom of the brakets that house the pads, or (2) on the inside top of the caliper?
Some new pad sets include new anti-chatter clips and others do not so sometimes you end up re-using the old clips.
Are these "springs" located (1) in the top and bottom of the brakets that house the pads, or (2) on the inside top of the caliper?
Some new pad sets include new anti-chatter clips and others do not so sometimes you end up re-using the old clips.
So the first issue was a stuck caliper guide pin? That's pretty common. I keep them clean and lubed every year now. I'd do it at least every other year if I were daily driving the car only. If yours is or was stuck then you could replace the caliper bracket and pins.
If your caliper was the problem, you can pick up replacement calipers at autozone for 40 a piece. They are 40 + 40 dollar refundable core charge after you give them your old caliper. They come with the caliper, piston, and bleeder screws all assembled. I use them to autox so I can say they work pretty well. I had stuck bleeder screws in the front and it cost me less to just buy new calipers than to force the bleeder screws out.
If you replaced your calipers or piston, you will have to flush or bleed the air out. Air should be completely sealed off from the hydraulic brake system. The reason why you have to brake harder than before is that instead of having all fluid, now air is being used to compress the piston, and air will compress while your fluid won't which equals no force on your piston to apply force to the brakes. Get some new fluid and flush out all your old fluid, it's a good time to do it.
Don't sweat the job man. Next time you do it you will have it nailed. Paying for overpriced labor that is often half assed is never the best way to go
If your caliper was the problem, you can pick up replacement calipers at autozone for 40 a piece. They are 40 + 40 dollar refundable core charge after you give them your old caliper. They come with the caliper, piston, and bleeder screws all assembled. I use them to autox so I can say they work pretty well. I had stuck bleeder screws in the front and it cost me less to just buy new calipers than to force the bleeder screws out.
If you replaced your calipers or piston, you will have to flush or bleed the air out. Air should be completely sealed off from the hydraulic brake system. The reason why you have to brake harder than before is that instead of having all fluid, now air is being used to compress the piston, and air will compress while your fluid won't which equals no force on your piston to apply force to the brakes. Get some new fluid and flush out all your old fluid, it's a good time to do it.
Don't sweat the job man. Next time you do it you will have it nailed. Paying for overpriced labor that is often half assed is never the best way to go
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Greater Cincinnati
I guess, it's hard for me to describe what I'm doing, what parts go where etc.. I have done brake jobs before, never on a Camaro. This simple job happened to turn into a complete nightmare having to replace a caliper, bleed the lines etc.. I have all the tools, some knowledge, but no patience. Everything is done by the book (Haynes manual) and works 100% great! except for the excessive travel of the pedal. I'm bleeding the lines all the way around tomorrow, hoping that will solve the problem. Thanks for all the help, I really needed it.
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 1
From: Hartsdale, NY
See the Install University piece.
Lubricate the caliper pins with grease or vaseline. bleeding air out is tricky so be careful. I use a Mytivac unit but your can bleed with two people, if necessary.
Lubricate the caliper pins with grease or vaseline. bleeding air out is tricky so be careful. I use a Mytivac unit but your can bleed with two people, if necessary.
