Brake caliper question

[lukecp]

A few weeks ago i put new brake pads on the front of my '72 C10 and got the rotors turned. Well, when i was bolting the passenger side caliper back on, i noticed that it had a little slack in it. It appears that the top of the caliper can move on the mounting bolt.

Anyway, the brakes pulled a little bit, so i didn't worry about it. Well, today i decided to take a look at it. It appears that the little round sleeve that the caliper bolt tightens up against is loose in the bore that it fits in. The other sleeve is tight in it's bore, and i tried swapping them around, and the top one is still loose. Since the caliper bolt tightens up agianist this, the caliper can move a little bit at the top.

I was thinking of installing a washer between the bolt head and the caliper for a temporary fix. Will i need to replace the caliper?

Autozone has rebuilt calipers for $13 +$10 core charge....i know, i usually cuss autozone parts, but O'Reilly's wants $34 for the same part. Anyone used Autozone calipers before? I don't want to spend $26 on crappie calipers, but i don't want to give O'Reilly's $68 dollars either...

Thanks for any help

[jorgensensc]

I used Autozone calipers and had absolutely no problems with them. They came with all necessary hardware and it was cheaper then rebuilding my old calipers. I say go with the autozone calipers!!

[Tx Firefighter]

I just put on a set of AutoZone calipers on my truck last week. No problems at all. Just do it man!

Kevin

[lukecp]

Cool....thanks for the advice

I think i will go ahead and throw on a washer for a termporary fix...then put on the new calipers next weekend (should have the time then)

[JimKshortstep4x4]

I would advise against putting a washer on the bolt against the caliper. The caliper needs to be able to "float" on the pins and if you bolt up a washer against the caliper, it can't move. There should be an "O" ring in the caliper mounting hole and it sounds like it is missing.

Jim

[lukecp]

Well i couldn't find a right sized washer, so i didn't put one on, lol.

I could feel an "O" ring cast into the caliper, but it must be hogged out, since both of the sleeves moved when i put them in.

Thanks for the help

[SLS]

I too just put an Autozone caliper on the left side of my '71.

Great fit. Stops great too...w/new pads.

The caliper came with a little plastic bag that had new bushings/sleeves, new rubber 'O' rings, and a new copper washer for the brake line fitting.


I bought one at Pep Boys (pads too)...and of course they were totally WRONG. The caliper looked identical to the correct one...EXCEPT for where the brake hose attached. The wrong caliper had a round, completely recessed surface where the hose attached (for round-looking brake line fittings)...whereas it correct one was machined flat (w/2 little raised ears) to accept the square-ish looking brake line fitting. I did not realize the pads were wrong too...until I got back to working on the truck.

Pep Boys tried to convince me that my brake lines were wrong ....because they did not have the correct caliper part number in their computer! They could not explain why the pad would not work with the caliper though...... Where do they find such knowlegable counter guys these days????


I walked into Autozone, and without explaining the problem I encountered at Pep Boys, just asked them for a caliper and pads for my particular application....and minutes later I was walking out the door with the correct parts.

[jorgensensc]

I am finding that autozone's parts are becoming better, and there computers and inventory are better at matching parts and applications. Their people seem slightly more knowlwedgable, and even if they don't know wat tey are doing, they can usually use the computer to figure it out.

[lukecp]

I put some Autozone U-joints in my truck this spring....bad move. I think one is starting to clunk already. The one i usually go to has terrible customer service.....i stood there for 20 minutes once trying to get waited on. But, their parts are cheap, and they will match Summit's or Jeg's price for performance parts. For the most part, i have had excellent luck with O'Reilly's. All the guys there are knowledgeable, and i usually don't have to wait forever to talk to someone. They also give me all the free nuts and bolts i could ask for (as long as they aren't grade 8). I guess it takes them longer to ring up then the fasteners are worth, so they just give them to me for free

Autozone calipers are looking better and better....and for $13 you can't complain

[jorgensensc]

Maybe it has to do with region. O'reilly's is part of Kragen auto parts. Kragen ere in SoCal has Horrible customer service and they don't seem knowledgeable. I'm not biased, I used to work for Kragen part time, and I can say that I was te most knowledgeable person there (I'm just a backyard mechanic). If the computer didn't tell them how to do it, they had no idea. That's even if they could figure out how to use all of the computer functions. Not trying to flame Kragen, just tellin like it is.

[lukecp]

Yeah i know....each store in the chain is different.

I've had good luck at the O'Reilly's in my hometown, but most other ones i have gone to haven't been as enjoyable. Proalby because they all know me by name at the hometown one, lol.

I haven't really been to any other ones....the only choices are O'Reilly's and Autozone in and around my hometown, but in the town where i go to college there is also a NAPA. I have heard excellent things about NAPA, but i haven't been in one yet...

[jorgensensc]

Napa is great. They usually have any part you will ever need. They cater to automotive shops, so they can be a little pricey. I go there when no one else has the part.

[lukecp]

Update:

I just got back from a 80 mile trip in the truck, and stragnley the brakes didn't pull at all

Seems to have magically fixed itself....i think i will go ahead and throw on a new hardware kit on both calipers for good measure.

[casey]

some times brakes have to seat them selfves, ofter wise they pull, maybe after your trip there seated now, imagine $13 bucks for a rebuilt caliper, how can they handle it, clean it, rebuild it, package it, and send it back out, for $13 bucks, seems mine boggling, but works for me! Hey SLS that pic in your avatar, makes your truck look like it has a trick grill in it, kind of 67 nova like, is it just the pic, or is it different, I'd like to see some pics of your truck

[lukecp]

You may be right Casey....my front pads and rotor surfaces only have 300 or so miles on them now. I will still throw in a new hardware kit for good measure. I'm still pretty new to working on brakes, so i may have some pretty stupid questions sometimes, lol.

[SLS]

casey,

No trick grill. Bone stock unit. The pic just did that when I reduced it for the avatar.


Right now the truck is all primered...with bed removed. Not much to look at at the moment...but I still love her anyway. LOL

SLS has attached this pic of the 'ugly duckling'..LOL!

[casey]

Its just one stage in the journey to getting there, coming along good, I like your choice of wheels, how did you get the door gaps so good? do you see what I mean about the grill, that looks horny

[jorgensensc]

Hey SLS, I'm ridin around like a redneck without a bed too (in anticipation of the blazer tank coming by the big brown truck). I kinda like the strange looks I get, but then I wish people could see her Done up.

[SLS]

I haven't messed with the doors...yet. The pass. side door is fixable...but I have a driver's side door (from junkyardjohn) sitting in the garage awaiting it's turn. The driver's door that is on it now is gnarly...full of bondo...and gapped like sin.

The wheels were on it when I bought it...tires too. The front tires are brand new Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's (worth about half of what I paid for the truck..LOL!) but the back tires are 1/2 worn-out Maypops. I'm planning on getting 2 more of the Firestone's...and hopefully a nice set of American Torque Thrust wheels. I'm an 'old school' kinda guy..............

I don't drive it (except around the block a couple of time a week) as it has no lights on the back...the cops around here would eat me alive for that...and the cherry bomb symphony is creates, LOL!

I did go to Virginia and pick up a nice SWB fleet bed from billsbowtie a month or so ago...it is 'under wraps' awaiting a date with the media blaster when I round up a couple of good front fenders.


One of these days................