Sully1882

I have had my car for a little over 5 years and the brakes have never been great. I figured 40 year old car with a leaky master. So post external repaint, new carpet and redyed the interior I installed a new master and booster from Vette Brakes and Products. Then the " while I am at it bug" got to me and I decided to paint the calipers and rebuild the rears. The front calipers look fairly new in comparison. So last night I started pulling the rear calipers off. The passenger side wasn't too bad coming off. Lots of dirt and grime. Pads weren't too bad but when they came out you could see some crusty stuff that I figured was where the seal had been leaking. Got the halves taken apart and then the seals and pistons... and OH MY GOD..... it looked as if I had pulled the caliper from a creek bed. I mean the fluid was muddy and dark and dirt all in all pistons. I will get pics of the driver's side when I pull it but really how does this happen? The fluid from the line is nice and clean so I am guessing the seals were shot and allowing dirt inside the caliper. Would that be a good guess? Anyhow, I have the total rebuild kit from VBandP.com and now I am thinking I will go ahead and pull apart the front calipers too. No freakin wonder my brakes weren't very good. So totally going through the whole system, paint the calipers, reassemble the calipers, reinstall calipers and bleed the whole system with the motive bleeder... sound good?

I guess I was just so surprised at how much dirt and grime was inside the caliper!

Thanks Sully

Marlin

Yea sounds like little driving + leaky seal + plus no brake fluid changes = a big mess.

The first things I did to my car was upgrade the tires/wheels and brake system (full rebuild plus performance pads). Does not matter hopw much power your car makes if you can't stop it safely.

Sully1882

I'm with you on the speed vs. stop issues! I have not been able to drive the car very much at all since I got it b/c I have been doing work on it and wasn't to sure about the braking system at all. So I am just going to do as planned and go through a rebuild on the whole thing. I already have the new master and booster in, new rubber hoses for front and back and rebuild for the calipers on the rear too. I may go ahead and rebuild the fronts depending on what they look like when I take them off the car.

Sully

7T1vette

I'm crossing my fingers that you have changed out ALL of the flexible brake line hoses at each caliper. From your description, I think the rear flexible lines are completely deteriorated (on the inside) and won't really pass any brake fluid to those rear units.

Looks like you get to do a full rebuild on the rear units, too. So, replace all of the old flex hoses and perform a complete purge and cleaning of all the brake lines. Leaving that murky crud in the brake lines will just contaminate any new fluid you put into them. The easiest methode to purge them would be with additional brake fluid. There are probably other fluids that can be used to clean the lines, but those fluids must then be eliminated before filling with clean brake fluid.

Sully1882

you got it! I have four new flexible lines for all four calipers that I purchased from VBandP when I got the caliper rebuild kit! I plan on purging the whole system many times. I was glad to see that when I disconnected the hard line to the caliper that the fluid was clean and clear but then my heart sunk when I pulled the caliper off and turned it on it's end and saw the greyish nasty stuff start coming out. I think that they will clean up nicely after I polish the sleeve with brake fluid and a scotch bright pad.

Sully

joewill

how about the brake lines..

Sully1882

Joe, I have physically gone over the hard brake lines and inspected them. Everything feels intact and solid, so for now I am not changing them out. That is the only thing not getting changed.

Sully

7T1vette

Inspect the fluid that comes out of those brake lines when you purge them. If you see significant amounts of rust...or rusty colored fluid...you might want to reconsider using those brake lines. The original DOT 3 fluid had an affinity to absorb water. If some water had been absorbed by the fluid before it was stored for a long period, then that water could have "worked" on the inside of those lines. No way to know for sure what the internal condition of the lines are like. But, rust-colored fluid should give you pause to consider that option.

Sully1882

when I flushed it 2 years ago it looked nice and clean and then yesterday when I removed the line from the caliper again nice and clean. But for sure when I flush the system again I will watch the fluid levels and see.

Sully

7T1vette

Sounds like they should be 'good to go'.

Sully1882

I sure hope so... I hate to damage my pretty new paint job!

Sully