Lugnut

I've got a '75 Corvette I'm storing for a friend in Saudi. I drive it once a month or so. Last time out, I'm getting some metalic dragging noise from the left rear wheel area. While it does not seem to be a stuck caliper, I'm going to troubleshoot the brakes first. I don't have a maintenance manual but am a pretty fair DIY kinda' guy on cars.

Is there a site that will provide pictures and directions for removal and installation of the calipers on a 1975? For maintenance procedures for the 75 in general?

Can the rear caliper pads be removed without removing the caliper by removing the retainer pin and sliding them out in some manner? Reinstalled too?

Must the brake line be removed from the caliper to remove the caliper?

Caliper appears to be held in place by 2 5/8ths bolts? Remove and lift?

Thanks in advance for all ideas and assistance.

Lugnut
Altamonte Springs, FL

daily_driver

there is a documented procedure at http://www.corvettefaq.com

like any caliper, the pads and the caliper kinda press together and you gotta press the pistons in to get the pads and caliper to lift off the rotor... so remove em all together

reinstall them together...theres some installation clips that aid in that process... cost like 5 bux.

the brake line is a metal line that goes to a brake hose... you should not bend it!! usually when u replace calipers, then its a good time to replace the brake hoses and the metal trailing arm lines

yes remove and lift... those bolts are usually torqued to helll.. you might need a breaker bar or you might need to heat em up a bit and rap em on the head with a hammer to try and break em freee.... check the torque value in the haines manual but its really high... like ~90 or soo i forget the #...

427V8

Of course if it's just worn pads you don't need to remove the caliper...
Just do one pad at a time...

Lugnut

thanks for the tips so far. I read the brake articles at http://www.corvettefaqs.com...good stuff. And I understand that I can remove one pad at a time with the caliper remaining on the car...do I need to pry it back with a flat-bladed screwdriver to get clearance?

Update: I pulled the wheel and cannot see any movement in the caliper/pads as the brake is applied. Put it back together and on first test drive brake application got the noise and have to figure it's a sticking caliper as it continued as the brake pedal was released. I can get it to release by dragging the brakes while backing up. But it sticks again on first forward movement application.

Sound like a caliper sticking to anyone else? Ideas? Recommendations?

Thank you!


[Modified by Lugnut, 11:08 PM 12/16/2001]