Caliper Leak
- Sluggo
- Wishin' I was Fishin'
- Location: Portland, Or.
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Caliper Leak
Two days ago I noticed my brakes started to get squishy. Took a look at the brake fluid reservoir and it was empty. Looked under the Bus (which was slightly painful because I'm still recovering from that accident) and noticed fluid all over the back of the right front tire. Upon further inspection I saw that it was all over the inside of the rim and rotor too. I checked and it's not the hoses or solid lines.
So I am assuming this means I need a new caliper.
Problem: I can't do this right now. My shoulder is still a little messed up. I could do it and work through the pain but that would probably make my shoulder worse. Plus if anyone saw me I could ruin my case with the other drivers insurance company.
I wish Colin was around.
And before anyone says it, the brakes were fine and worked great the day of the accident. This started more than a week later.
So I am assuming this means I need a new caliper.
Problem: I can't do this right now. My shoulder is still a little messed up. I could do it and work through the pain but that would probably make my shoulder worse. Plus if anyone saw me I could ruin my case with the other drivers insurance company.
I wish Colin was around.
And before anyone says it, the brakes were fine and worked great the day of the accident. This started more than a week later.
1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
Dual Batteries,
Crunched Slider Door.
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- RSorak 71Westy
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Memphis, TN
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
It would be very strange for a caliper to just start leaking out of the blue. I'm not saying it's not possible, just very very rare. If it's not leaking too fast you can just keep the fluid topped up and keep on goin. Ideally calipers should be replaced in pairs.
Take care,
Rick
Stock 1600 w/dual Solex 34's and header. mildly ported heads and EMPI elephant's feet. SVDA W/pertronix. 73 Thing has been sold. BTW I am a pro wrench have been fixing cars for living for over 30 yrs.
Rick
Stock 1600 w/dual Solex 34's and header. mildly ported heads and EMPI elephant's feet. SVDA W/pertronix. 73 Thing has been sold. BTW I am a pro wrench have been fixing cars for living for over 30 yrs.
- Sluggo
- Wishin' I was Fishin'
- Location: Portland, Or.
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
I think it may have happened because of the accident. It's not too far back from the impact point. Maybe the jarring from inpact did it.RSorak 71Westy wrote:It would be very strange for a caliper to just start leaking out of the blue. I'm not saying it's not possible, just very very rare. If it's not leaking too fast you can just keep the fluid topped up and keep on goin. Ideally calipers should be replaced in pairs.
I figured it should be done in pairs. I should probably do the pads too because they've been coated in brake fluid.
1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
Dual Batteries,
Crunched Slider Door.
------------------------------------------------------
- RSorak 71Westy
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Memphis, TN
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
yes the pad that's fluid soaked is trash. And I can't see the accident causing this either....Calipers are very simple and very robust.
Take care,
Rick
Stock 1600 w/dual Solex 34's and header. mildly ported heads and EMPI elephant's feet. SVDA W/pertronix. 73 Thing has been sold. BTW I am a pro wrench have been fixing cars for living for over 30 yrs.
Rick
Stock 1600 w/dual Solex 34's and header. mildly ported heads and EMPI elephant's feet. SVDA W/pertronix. 73 Thing has been sold. BTW I am a pro wrench have been fixing cars for living for over 30 yrs.
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
Entirely possible if you really stomped on the brakes. If your torsion arms did a quick jerk into the stops, you might also want to run your 11mm wrench over each connection just to make sure that they are snug, You can develop hairline fractures if they are already too tight and the line took a torsional yank.Sluggo wrote:
I think it may have happened because of the accident.
What I would do if I were an injured you is merely check connections and hoses and replace the pads. Are they worn?
Just by having fresh pads with the pistons retracted to a different spot, you may discover that the leak is gone because the seals are in a different location in the bore. Clean everything thoroughly at replacement time. Keep a close eye for a subsequent leak. If one shows up, yank the new pads before they get contaminated.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
- hambone
- Post-Industrial Non-Secular Mennonite
- Location: Portland, Ore.
- Status: Offline
Do front disk brakes require periodic adjusment like drums do?
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat
- Westy78
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Stumptown OR
- Status: Offline
- hambone
- Post-Industrial Non-Secular Mennonite
- Location: Portland, Ore.
- Status: Offline
No wonder people love disk brakes!
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat
- Sluggo
- Wishin' I was Fishin'
- Location: Portland, Or.
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Went & saw Linda Costa (Bob Costa's Widow) and got some calipers. Installed them (with one arm, using my legs for torque) and now I can stop. I got a few questions though.
1. Piston Indentation:
There is an indentation in the lip of the pistons on the calipers. The old calipers had it on the bottom, the new ones have them on the top. Before you say switch sides, they were marked right & left. Were the old ones on wrong or are the new calipers marked wrong?
2. Brake Pad Backing Plate:
There isn't one. Do I need it? Didn't come with the new calipers or pads.
3. Brake squeal:
I got it. How do I get rid of it?
1. Piston Indentation:
There is an indentation in the lip of the pistons on the calipers. The old calipers had it on the bottom, the new ones have them on the top. Before you say switch sides, they were marked right & left. Were the old ones on wrong or are the new calipers marked wrong?
2. Brake Pad Backing Plate:
There isn't one. Do I need it? Didn't come with the new calipers or pads.
3. Brake squeal:
I got it. How do I get rid of it?
1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
Dual Batteries,
Crunched Slider Door.
------------------------------------------------------
- Westy78
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Stumptown OR
- Status: Offline
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
Amazing how this stuff is interrelated isn't it?Sluggo wrote:Went & saw Linda Costa (Bob Costa's Widow) and got some calipers. Installed them (with one arm, using my legs for torque) and now I can stop. I got a few questions though.
1. Indentation:
2. Brake Pad Backing Plate
There isn't one.
3. Brake squeal:
The (1) indentation of the pistons at the leading edge (bottom) is what prevents (3) squealing, the (2) shims locate the piston indentations correctly. (!)
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
- Sluggo
- Wishin' I was Fishin'
- Location: Portland, Or.
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
So basically, I have to pull the calipers again, switch sides (The bags and calipers were marked opposite apparently), and hope Linda didn't return the cores yet so I can get my old backing plates back.Amskeptic wrote:Amazing how this stuff is interrelated isn't it?
The (1) indentation of the pistons at the leading edge (bottom) is what prevents (3) squealing, the (2) shims locate the piston indentations correctly. (!)
What could happen if I leave them as is for a week?
1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
Dual Batteries,
Crunched Slider Door.
------------------------------------------------------
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
The calipers have different size bolt diameters. They can only go on one way. Just rotate the pistons so the indentations are facing down with a little tilt to match the arc of the rotor. If you can view a picture of the pad shims on some vendor site, you can see exactly what the angle is. Rotating the pistons is a little annoying, be careful of the dust boots, but I do it at almost every Itinerant Air-Cooled stop and only the totally frozen pistons are impossible.Sluggo wrote:So basically, I have to pull the calipers again, switch sides (The bags and calipers were marked opposite apparently), and hope Linda didn't return the cores yet so I can get my old backing plates back.Amskeptic wrote:Amazing how this stuff is interrelated isn't it?
The (1) indentation of the pistons at the leading edge (bottom) is what prevents (3) squealing, the (2) shims locate the piston indentations correctly. (!)
What could happen if I leave them as is for a week?
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles