Calipers don't line up with the spindles

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Early Classic Enterprise 2.5" drop spindles and Centric Semi-Loaded Calipers. I see I went cheap on calipers, couldn't tell you. Not sure the calipers are the problem though. Maybe I should have fit them before I spent hours to paint em There's a lot of finish on both. The spindles were powder coated and four coats of POR-15 product on the calipers..............YIKES.

Should be flush top and bottom, it aint. Anyone experience that, remedy?

Any help/suggestions appreciated. Thanks


Edit: Doubt I'll attack the spindle. Thinking about going more spendy on improved calipers, pre-finished. There goes $100 with paint, and 4 hrs. labor, I brushed em and the finish would far out last the core For what it's worth, it doesn't budge with a rubber mallet. I believe there's too much finish, because you can square it up but it isn't going in. Suppose I could strip the calipers where it contacts the spindle, fit (maybe) and touch-up after assembly.

Ever tire of learning something new? It's nice but man, so much sometimes. First time out this stuff can be a pain. Suggestions welcome, including replacement calipers. I have common "1.25"" rotors...........I've mentioned before I'd never so much as replaced brakes coming into this project. Four years in and still haven't installed front brakes

[Mike C]

I’ve never looked at the relationship of the top of the caliper and the mount on the spindle. If the bolt goes in and everything looks square I don’t see why it would matter? I would want to make sure the entire pad contacted the rotor.

[clay68c10]

Originally Posted by Mike C

I’ve never looked at the relationship of the top of the caliper and the mount on the spindle. If the bolt goes in and everything looks square I don’t see why it would matter? I would want to make sure the entire pad contacted the rotor.

X2. If the bolts are in, you’re fine.

[Grumpy old man]

When coating/painting the surfaces of the spindle and caliper that mesh you have to have a clean metal surface for them to be able to slide in and out as the brakes are applied . With those surfaces coated your reducing the clearnce and adding to the possibility they will stick resulting in brake drag ,Premature pad wear or failure to release . The caliper have to slide without resistance. I masked the "friction surface" of the spindle/caliper to prevent this from happening . You may have to remove some of the coating in the same area for yours to "slide" easily in and out .

[Jrainman]

[QUOTE=Grumpy old man;8496914]When coating/painting the surfaces of the spindle and caliper that mesh you have to have a clean metal surface for them to be able to slide in and out as the brakes are applied . With those surfaces coated your reducing the clearnce and adding to the possibility they will stick resulting in brake drag ,Premature pad wear or failure to release . The caliper have to slide without resistance. I masked the "friction surface" of the spindle/caliper to prevent this from happening . You may have to remove some of the coating in the same area for yours to "slide" easily in and out . [/QUOT

This is good advice that grumpy gave you , I do have one question or maybe somthing you might want to check , that you have the correct bearings installed

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

The picture in the OP is with the bolt holes lined up (no pads). It doesn't fit right. Grumps is correct, its because the contact points are finished. I'm considering CPP calipers anyway.

The Timken bearings are "universal" and applications aren't listed, but they fit.

Picture of correct fit:

[Steeveedee]

Did you try your old calipers to see if they fit?

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Did you try your old calipers to see if they fit?

Dem are long gone. The core charge was more than the new calipers. Not sure if I'm using them, but I'll take the paint of the new ones and report.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Took off enough surface on the caliper to see it's definitely not the paint. If the caliper is squared up to the spindle I can see it will never sit right. The caliper would be off by a bunch, and you'd never sink the bolts anyway. Maybe they work anyway, but someone's casting is wrong, and I sure hope it's not the spindles, oh joy.

Any thoughts on replacement calipers appreciated. Preferably pre-finished. 2.5" Early Classic drop spindles, though I'm not sure that matters. Shame I don't have the old calipers.

[Warrens69GMC]

Stupid question. Did you buy calipers for 1" rotors?

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by Warrens69GMC

Stupid question. Did you buy calipers for 1" rotors?

Don't think so. It doesn't say, but "stock replacement". That's not it anyway, if it were to square up the caliper would contact the rear of the rotor. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/c...del/c10-pickup

I sent a question and pic to Early Classics, see what they think. Other than that caliper, wow, front brakes really are easy Come to think of it, I have my old spindles. I'll break em out this weekend, see if these calipers fit. Gosh I hope not

[camtoys1]

your fine looks good to me run with your over thinking it

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Broke out the old spindles. While not quite like the old calipers, the new calipers fit nicely.

So, it's the drop spindle. The caliper brackets aren't like the old ones from start, they're 1.7/8" wide, which is primarily the outer portion of the brackets. Waiting to hear back from Early Classics, maybe there's a better fit caliper, or maybe their spindle is "by design". Wouldn't be the spindles are supposed to take a 1" rotor is it? Yikes.

On a side, that Por-15 concoction is nice. Bullet proof as most finishes go.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Spoke with Jeff from Early Classics. He's real helpful, has guided me before. In a nutshell that's just how their spindles are casted. They're tested using OEM calipers, which is what my replacements are.

For what its worth, appears that 1971 C-10 calipers are casted 5471172-3, as mine were. My replacements are 5474176-7, which per Cardone are for 1972 forward. Probably the same castings. EDIT: Incorrect, the castings are different....It just clicked. 1971 calipers and hoses might be one year only. They may be the same on a 72, info. varies. Regardless, the brake hoses available through part houses are the later type.

http://www.cardone.com/find-parts/ve...ckup&year=1971

http://www.cardone.com/find-parts/ve...ckup&year=1972

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Well, @ 57 I can no longer say I've never replaced brakes. Easy once done, though I can't say I quite know how to bend the ears on the outer pads to hug the calipers.....................It's in the repair manual, but I don't get a clear picture. I bent the ends of the ears some, came out decent on the 2nd side but probably not quite there. The fit on the old discs were even less, they didn't even bend em.

I'll have the pros check em when it comes time to run.

Thanks for the help.