Grinding the calipers for Weld wheels *pics*
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I picked up a used set of Weld Draglites with MT ET Drags the other day. Too good of a deal to pass up. So, of course the calipers need to be ground. I don't mind running spacers in the front, but not the back. Here are the before and after pictures. No spacer on the back and no rubbing. Once both of them are done, I'll go back and fine sand them then a couple coats of paint.
Before:
![](https://www.fototime.com/9145AE8E29DD1A8/standard.jpg)
After:
Before:
![](https://www.fototime.com/9145AE8E29DD1A8/standard.jpg)
After:
![](https://www.fototime.com/B6D6C9A59AA49EB/standard.jpg)
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Jonmoss23 (03-17-2020)
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Yea, it was a big pain in the ***, but once its done its all good.....
My fender walls are slightly cleared out from the process too...
Wish I would of gone bogarts for sure though
My fender walls are slightly cleared out from the process too...
Wish I would of gone bogarts for sure though
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Originally Posted by jaywoo
I picked up a used set of Weld Draglites with MT ET Drags the other day. Too good of a deal to pass up. So, of course the calipers need to be ground. I don't mind running spacers in the front, but not the back. Here are the before and after pictures. No spacer on the back and no rubbing. Once both of them are done, I'll go back and fine sand them then a couple coats of paint.
Before:
![](https://www.fototime.com/9145AE8E29DD1A8/standard.jpg)
After:
![](https://www.fototime.com/B6D6C9A59AA49EB/standard.jpg)
Before:
![](https://www.fototime.com/9145AE8E29DD1A8/standard.jpg)
After:
![](https://www.fototime.com/B6D6C9A59AA49EB/standard.jpg)
Also, what size and BS are you running and what size tire? Any wheel well modification required?
Thanks,
Buddy Heathcock
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Yep, its quite a bit of grinding. The first caliper you do will take forever as you just take a bit off at a time (trying not to go to far) -- but that second one goes by MUCH faster
But again, its really not that much of a PITA, just takes some time.
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Originally Posted by WILWAXU
Did you use spacers? They help keep the grindage amount down.
on the front yes. i also sold them due to the spacers. every set i tried wobbled when i drove it down the highway.
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Originally Posted by JL ws-6
Glad I went with Bogarts after seeing how much grinding really is nessassary. That's gotta be a safety hazard.
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i did the grinding mod on my SS, and funny, i did the first one slow and the next one fast too.......
. a trick i used was when i was getting close to being done, but not quite there, is to paint them, put the wheel on with 3 lugs, spin them by hand, (not easy), and remove the wheels. when removed, anywhere the paint had been scraped off, grind again. the thinnest point was on the first one i did. i stopped when i saw light passing through a pinhole from the shoplight underneath.
the fronts went verry smooth. each side took about 15 minutes and didn't require nearly as much work to get them to fit. i also did the paint check on them too.
for the fronts, you MUST use a 1.75" bs!!! 2.5" will not fit even with a big spacer due to the length of the factory studs. the rears i have are 15x8 with 5.5" bs. guys with 15x10 use 7.5" bs if i'm not mistaken.
later,
Dave
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the fronts went verry smooth. each side took about 15 minutes and didn't require nearly as much work to get them to fit. i also did the paint check on them too.
for the fronts, you MUST use a 1.75" bs!!! 2.5" will not fit even with a big spacer due to the length of the factory studs. the rears i have are 15x8 with 5.5" bs. guys with 15x10 use 7.5" bs if i'm not mistaken.
later,
Dave
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Originally Posted by PRAY HRD
for the fronts, you MUST use a 1.75" bs!!! 2.5" will not fit even with a big spacer due to the length of the factory studs. the rears i have are 15x8 with 5.5" bs. guys with 15x10 use 7.5" bs if i'm not mistaken.
later,
Dave
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Originally Posted by JL ws-6
Glad I went with Bogarts after seeing how much grinding really is nessassary. That's gotta be a safety hazard.
Originally Posted by 2MuchRiceMakesMeSick
That makes two of us ![Cheers!!](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_cheers.gif)
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These aluminum calipers are not all that strong to begin with. Add enough heat and force and bad things can happen. Such as this:
![](http://170.251.196.22/cheyne/brakes/DSCF0383b.jpg)
Yes, I know it's a front caliper and it's a C4 corvette style caliper (both of which makes it stronger than the cast rear you've been grinding on).
There was a time when people only bought wheels that fit their cars. If the wheel didn't fit, they didn't buy them. It was not "standard practice" (anywhere but the LS1 crowd) to just grind the crap out of it until you could get the wheels to fit. This is a safety issue. If you break that caliper, you will very likley have brake failure (if the caliper breaks, it will pop the piston out of the caliper, the pedal will hit the floor). I know you guys are on a mission to be "cool" with your 15" drag wheels, but I do not ever suggest grinding the calipers. I know, I've heard all the excuses "everyone does it", "I've never seen one break", etc. If GM believed that they could use less material (or PBR), they would have. It would save them money and materials. There seems to be a good reason why they didn't do that.
Anyway, I just have safety concerns.
Be safe!
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Originally Posted by trackbird
I know you guys are on a mission to be "cool" with your 15" drag wheels, but I do not ever suggest grinding the calipers. I know, I've heard all the excuses "everyone does it", "I've never seen one break", etc.
Originally Posted by trackbird
If GM believed that they could use less material (or PBR), they would have. It would save them money and materials. There seems to be a good reason why they didn't do that.
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so.. using that as an arguement? Is your car is 100% stock?