Corvette C3 Forum 1968 through 1982

Brake Problem

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  #21  
Old 11-06-2007, 09:55 PM
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Default RE: Brake Problem

Believe it. You can even buy tapered shims to help correct out-of-spec runout.

I think your headlites use starting fluid (ether).
 
  #22  
Old 11-06-2007, 10:00 PM
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Default RE: Brake Problem

ORIGINAL: 73shark

.........I think your headlites use starting fluid (ether).
Wouldn't it be Lighter fluid"?
 
  #23  
Old 11-06-2007, 10:42 PM
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Default RE: Brake Problem

ORIGINAL: blueshark

ORIGINAL: 73shark

.........I think your headlites use starting fluid (ether).
Wouldn't it be Lighter fluid"?
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  #24  
Old 11-06-2007, 10:57 PM
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Default RE: Brake Problem

Hi again, your on the right track now. Bleeding the brakes is the place to start, it's not a hard job but if you never did it before it can seem hard, just ask and someone will talk you thru it.
Corvette brake pistons will draw air into the system if the rotor or the bearings are out of spec. The amount of air is small, not a teaspoon full but just a little, is enough to give you a spongy pedal or even no brakes at all, and the pistons don't leak, so that makes it harder to figure out which one is bad.


While you have the wheels off the ground to bleed the brake system you can check the bearings. Grab the wheel at 6 and 12 o'clock and if you have more than 1/16 of an inch, the bearings may have to be adjusted or replaced.

If you can't figure out if the bearings have too much run out or not, then go to an alignment shop. They will check the bearing for you, and tell you if any of the suspention parts are worn. They will do this for free before they start the alignment.

You may have two problems here, is it the rotors or the bearings, or both, that's what were trying to figure out. PG

 
  #25  
Old 11-10-2007, 06:04 AM
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Default RE: Brake Problem

How "exactly" is this air getting by the seal? Is it from very rapid "in and out" (pumping) movement of the piston? Does the out-of -wack rotor slightly **** the piston in the hole?
I just can't imagine someone being able to feel a "squishy brake pedal" and not feeling some indication of a terribly "out-of-wack" rotor long before the "squishy brake pedal." / If indeed this situation can occur, would your brake system not give you "serious" indication, long before, of a terribly "out-of-wack" rotor?
 
  #26  
Old 11-10-2007, 10:28 PM
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Default RE: Brake Problem

Hi Texas Jim, I'll try to answer your question first, if you go to http://www.idavette.net and go to Corvette Technical Information, then go to "Corvette Articles" then go to Vette Magazine Big Block from hell Part 12 you'll find an article by Hib Halverson called "Most everything about Brakes" then scroll down the article to "Air Pumping", he explains it better than I can.

Dar332, bleed the brakes again. You said your mechanic bleed them and they were good for a short time. If you bleed them again and they work, and then they fail again and you have more air in the system then this is the problem.

Not sure if this "is" the problem but you can bleed the brakes for "free" and you can inspect and repack the bearings for "free".

Hope this helps, PG.
 
  #27  
Old 11-11-2007, 02:32 PM
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Default RE: Brake Problem

bled the system (this time with a friend and myself) and sure enough there was air in the rear. Hugepedaldifference. Surebeats taking it back to the vette shop where i'm sure it would've beenanother 150 bucks. mypal hates mechanics and realizes they'll keep charging you even when they don't get things right. bearings are fine too. let's see if the problem comes back as pg mentions. rotors look good. pads look good. calipers are delco, maybe original.

upon removing the wheels, i noticed a rubber bushing in the wheel wheel that i think prevents the body from bottoming.looks like it could use replacement. anybody know what that's called?

Thx.
 
  #28  
Old 11-11-2007, 04:17 PM
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Default RE: Brake Problem

It has a very technical name. It is called a "Bump Stop".

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  #29  
Old 11-11-2007, 04:23 PM
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Default RE: Brake Problem

Glad the hear that you got it to stop again.

The rubber parts could be the Control arm bumpers. PG.
 
  #30  
Old 11-11-2007, 06:55 PM
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Default RE: Brake Problem

ORIGINAL: pg

Glad the hear that you got it to stop again.

The rubber parts could be the Control arm bumpers. PG.
pg - you wuz right!

http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...p;dept_id=1807

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