Rear Brake Caliper Adjustment

Ever since converting to four wheel disc brakes, I have never been able to lock the rears and only just lock the fronts under hard braking. The Chev has always felt like it stopped well at low to medium demands, but hit the brakes hard and it would continue on further than I would have thought it would and certainly further than I like.

Time to try this: "Right Stuff" Rear Disc Installation Support

Up on stands, rear wheels off and pull the emergency brake actuation levers apart...




The rear discs didn't look like they had seen much use. Cross-hatching still visible....




Adjusting the emergency brake actuation... the right rear was pretty good, though the left rear could be wound out a turn and still have the lever placed against the end stop...




Back together and go for a test drive. Much better!

The pulls up quicker and the brake balance is good. I managed to lock the right rear under hard braking on the way to the servo with an empty petrol tank. Once filled, the extra weight at the back meant all four tyres would be on the verge of locking under heavy braking, with a front locking preferentially.

No brake fluid escaped during the adjustment, but the pedal does get harder after one pump so a bleed wouldn't go astray.

I'll also double-check that I have adjusted the emergency brake correctly, so there is no slack in the emergency brake system when released, but the caliper actuation lever is still on the end stop.

J

Finished?

So with templates in hand, it was off to Brake Pro in the morning and a 15 min meeting to go through the requirements (I think they understood everything ;-)

Done and picked-up by lunchtime...




Miscellaneous saddles and 2 x blanking plugs for the existing distribution block...




Fast forward to the evening. JtC came up and the new hard lines went in like a dream; it all looks pretty darn neat...




We retained the original distribution block for the existing front-to-rear line, then blanked off the old ports to the front brakes and fed the block from the rear master cylinder circuit.




While JtC was bolting up hard lines, I set to work pumping 2.5L of diff oil into the 12 bolt.

A once over the car to check all nuts were torqued up and it was time to bleed!

Though it soon became apparent that no fluid was coming out of the master front circuit...




After some choice words and head scratching for half an hour, it was time to hit technical assistance. We soon found this...
Right Stuff Detailing - Tech Centre - Trouble Getting Pressure To Brakes

Sounded like our problem - and answer 2 seemed the most likely culprit...
"The most common issue is the rod that comes out of the front of the brake booster and pushes the piston of the master cylinder. (NOT the booster rod that goes to the pedal, the opposite side.) This rod is often slightly too long and causes a pre load on the master cylinder. This pre load generally prevents fluid from flowing properly out of one of the master cylinder ports".

So we set to work and cracked the nuts holding the master to the booster. A couple of 3 mm thick spacers went in and the nuts re-torqued... success! Fluid exiting the master on the front circuit!

Note the master mounting nuts reversed and square spacers between the master and the booster...




We gave the brakes a bleed to see if we could get brakes - and we can - the Chev has operating disc brakes!

Technically we could throw the wheels on and go for a drive, but it was almost 23:00 so the decision was made to up-stumps for the night. Removing the temporary spacers and shortening the booster-to-master push rod would have to wait till next time.

Sooo close!

John out

Arts and Crafts

Saturday was another working bee; the goals being:

• bolt up the master
• connect the brake pedal and - perhaps most importantly -
• form some templates for new hard lines, ready to take to Brake Pro on Mon for them to make up.

Some pics...




Organised chaos...




Booster/Master/Combination Valve assembly in place...






We salvaged old brake line that was lying around to bend into shape and use as templates...




Detailed instructions...



(and by 10 mm we mean 3/8").

Done! Next stop, the brake shop.

John out

Booster + Master

Old booster and master off. Cleaned up nicely...




New brackets from the two kits... different!
Ones on right are from replacement kit, ones on left are damaged booster kit...




Ooo... instructions say "Bolt booster to four studs on firewall"...



...but there ain't no studs!

Ok, so we buy bolts... but the bolt pattern of the brackets is different!
Maybe centres are diff for manual brake car?


Plan B: slot lower holes with a rat's tail file to fit 87 mm centres and voila!



Bed time.

J

Finishing the rears and onto the front

New rear brake lines made-up. Photo showing new vs. old...




Let's get them in!









Sweet as a nut!

Handbrake was then hooked up. The supplied centre cable was the wrong part (too short), so we reused the existing one. Both rear handbrake cables finish slightly further toward the rear of the car than the originals, so we had to make-up a passenger side handbrake mounting hook extension to get it all to fit.

To the front of the car now. The drums came off easily enough and it was time to dummy-up the kit's brackets...






The bottom bracket picks up the steering arm connection bolts and the brackets as-supplied both need a bit of relieving to clear the steering arm. That will be a job for next time.

J

Getting close now...

JtC made the trip out to see if he could crack the thread on the brake line at the rear of the car. Success!

It wasn't long before the new hose was in place.




A quick bleed of the brakes and job is done!

Now to order some tyres... something I have been putting off for too long, knowing the cost to come!

Front Suspension Done!

Finally, the front suspension and steering is back together after another productive Saturday!






The keen-of-eye will noticed I hit the UCA with gloss (in lieu of satin) to match the rest of the suspension.

Brakes are bled too.

Aim to change oil, oil filter and transmission fluid tomorrow. Bolt the wheels up and drop it on the deck for the first time in a couple of months.

Need to swap the sway bar D-bushes for the correct ones. These have the right ID, but are loose in the shackle.

Also, after closer inspection, we need to replace a brake hose at the rear.

To-Do List is updated... kicking goals people, and another BIG thanks to Joe the Champion!

HUGE Day of Progress

Where to start!

JtC had set aside all day and night to kill as much work as possible. Thankfully on Friday we were able to source all the rigid brake line, brake hoses and brake hardware required to get stuck into the brakes today (see previous post).

Joe cleaned the the front cross member and hit it with a bit of black acrylic. While that dried, the LHF stub axle assembly was assembled... so that means all front brake slave cylinders are in, all front wheel bearings are in and both front brake/stub axle assemblies are complete.






With the brake lines out of the way, a quick clean of the steering box was prudent. Now it looks a treat!




Next, the long rigid brake line was installed. A bit of fine adjusting in the bend department got it settled in the locating clips on the cross member and lined up with the distribution block on the LHF and brake hose on the RHF. With the RHF hose attached, the brakes look brilliant! Definitely starting to come together now.

Out came the compressor which was used to blow-out the brake distribution block.

The next part was the concern leading into today; installing the front springs and getting the base of the spring engaged with the lower control arm (LCA). At full sag, the bottom coil remains caught on a boss on the LCA with a bow in the coil (see previous post: "Spring Compressor"). We would need to compress the spring slightly and bend the base of the spring to engage the boss on the LCA.

Using the jack, we compressed the spring and retained it in a compressed state using the spring retainer we bodged up earlier. Drop the jack away, bolt up the LCA, then moment of truth... can we flex the base of the spring - while compressed - to mate up with the LCA?

Piece of cake! We were worried about nothing... bonus!

Managed to forget to install the ball joint into the LCA, so went to bolt it in and the holes wouldn't line up .

Out the LCA came and "massaging" of the LCA and ball joint mounts on the bench soon ensued. Levering and hammering did the trick and soon the ball joint was in. So... back under the car, bolt up LCA to the chassis, bend spring to LCA, marry LCA and spring, jack up the LCA until the drum assembly could be installed and the ball joints done up... nice!

But of course, one of the lower ball joints had a long bolt head to act as a steering bump stop - and the other didn't. Did we pay attention and get them around the right way? Nooo...

At this point I departed with Kath and the kids go out to leave Joe to keep at it.

He swapped the bolts over, then stuck in a K-Mac shock absorber from his Monaro which means the RHF is done (aside from nipping up some bolts that need the car dropped on the ground)!



He even attached the restraining wire rope to catch the engine in the event that an engine mount breaks...




JtC continued to install the short LHF brake line, the brake line to the MC and the LHF brake hose. All that is needed now brake-wise is connect the LHF hose to the LHF slave cylinder (when the LHF stub axle is installed) and bleed away!

The last task of the evening was bolting in the centre link to the pitman arm and idler arm. Phew!

HUGE thanks to Joe once again for a massive effort and I was glad to pitch in a lot more than I have been.

Next:
- Shock absorber bolt (one has gone missing)
- Black paint (we are out)
- Tie rod end boots
- Paint LHF upper cntrl arm
- Fit LHF upper ball joint
- Paint sub frame RHS (mask spring/shocker)

Front Brakes

Another short stint from JtC saw the short front brake line removed and both front brake hoses. One hose was a smidge perished in one place and since the short brake line to it was well rusted in place, the decision was made to replace the lot (both front brake hoses to the slave cylinders and the short line from the LHF hose to the distribution block).
It was the LHF drum assembly's time to come apart. The old bearings came out of the hub and new inserted. So all front wheel bearings are done!

Assembly time and an Email from Joe...

Hey so I lost a bloody brake part when I was trying to put those stupid spring retainers in. The ones that hold the linings against the backing plate.

Anyway, the circular disc retainer that sits on top of the spring and the long post with the flared end sits in – it dropped on one of my attempts to install it when working at the vise. It dropped and diappeared. Have looked everywhere.

So for now, I grabbed one from the other side just to get that RHF assembly finished – it’s all done.

In this image, the bit missing is the circular disc, third in from the left – does that make sense?
http://www.impalas.com/brakes/1963-1970-chevy-impala-front-drum-brake-hardware-kit/h7017.html

We can grab one from ANY HOLDEN with drum brakes. Maybe a trip to George’s? Maybe there are some at Dad’s place??

Bloody annoying!

PROGRESS:

• Dist block is cleaned, both front hoses are now out.
• RHF stub axle assembly is complete, ready to install. Next to tool box.
• LHF stub axle assembly is torn down, the wheel bearing cups are pressed in, almost ready for reassembly.

If you could clean up the backing plate (both sides of it please!) and then do your trick painting the back of it like you did on the RHF, that would be a huge help. Don’t use tape to cover the tapers this time, just those nuts if you like.

I will be up again on Saturday morning, will stay all day and night.

So we need:

• 2 x brake hoses
• 1 x little metal brake line to be made up (LHF – it’s still connected to the brake hose) Parts in bucket on ground under car.
• 1 x bottle of brake fluid
• WIRE BRUSHES!! We really need some!! Get em from Bunnings I guess.
• Please set up the air compressor. Pump up tyres to 40psi for starters, then we can change the fittings so I can use the air line blower on the brake lines/dist block.

How does all this sound?
Joe

Success!

Joe the Champion (JtC) came around for a short stint this morning. Within 15 mins he had the long front brake line out of the car... excellent and scum all rolled into one!

After a short phone-around, Brakepro Thornleigh had the best price for a replacement so I ran the old line up for them to duplicate. 45 minutes and $33.55 later... done!

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Joe whipped the RHF drum assembly apart, drifted the old wheel bearings out, punched in the new ones and we then packed them with grease...






Voila!




Some boring reference shots to help guide reassy...






In the evening I hit the back of the drum backing plate with a wire brush, degreased it and hit it with a layer of black acrylic.




Brake hardware in bits c/w new slave cylinder, ready to go back together...




More to follow!

Front Brake Wheel Cylinders

Have arrived!