What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

brake caliper help

73redblaze

73redblaze

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Posts
3,409
Reaction score
4
Location
Aptos ca
Got my new hubs, rotors, seals, bearing in without a hitch. Put new brake pads in my new calipers and something aint right. I had the free floating type of calipers with the bolts and these new ones are the slide on style. I looked it up on the brake bible and I’m missing the support key. the thing that I’m confused about is the brake caliper only fits right with the brake line on the bottom instead of the top. Could I have the piece that holds the caliper on the wrong side? Or is that just how it works? Any ideas where I could get a support key? AutoZone, Napa and Kragen doesn’t have them.
pic for referance

calliper.jpg
 
My guess is you have a caliper that belongs on the opposite side of the truck,thats why the brake hose is on the wrong end....(A right caliper on the left side?)..I dont know why a good auto parts store dont stock the support keys,a GM dealer could supply one if no one else can probably...never had any trouble buying them here..
 
Probably on the wrong side. If you need the key, try a Ford dealer. That is a 79 Ford caliper.
Don't know when they went to the ones on my '89, but they suck. I wish I still had one like that.

You can check under this category at Rockauto.

1979 FORD F-150 5.8L 351cid V8 : Brake/Wheel Hub : Disc Brake Hardware Kit

You will need the caliper bolt also for each side. A very light coat of good grease on the sliding surfaces and top of the leaf spring will make the pads wear more evenly.

Edit: Where is the bleeder screw? If its on top, then its right.
 
Unless the bleeder is straight up at the highest spot on the caliper,youwont be able to bleed it....you may have to take it off,and put a wood block in the pads (to mimic a rotor) and then hold it hevel with the bleeder pointing straight up while its being bled (ya,you'll need a clamp or a helper).....I remember a friend of mine and I spent a week in hell replacing every hydraulic component on his Jeep CJ's brakes,and we pumped a gallon of brake fluid thru it,and we did get a good pedal,but let it sit a few seconds and pump it again,it would go right to the floor again!....we gave up,I limped it to a "real" brake shop---where the mechanic took off the calipers and shoved a 2x4 between the pads after removing the caliper and putting the bleeder screw up straight--he thought we swapped the calipers side to side,but we had taken care to match them to the originals....it had a great pedal in a matter of 5 minutes and never gave any grief after bleeding them again....I felt kinda dumb,because I should have caught that......:doah:
 
Then I guess its OK. I didn't know that GM ever used that style. I liked them on my old Ford.
After about 50K, they would develop a slight rattle, but you could either replace the leaf spring, or put it in a vise and gently bend the arch back and usually be good for another 50 or so.

I suppose they might be slightly different than mine, but they sure look the same. Check out that Rockauto listing, or a Ford dealer.
I think they were used up to about 1985 according to Rockauto.
 
First off, what year and model axle are you working on? The only axle that i've seen of GM that used that style mounting for t he caliper is a D60. If you are working on a D60 I think I have an extra set of those "support keys" in my tool box.
 
4X4HIGH said:
First off, what year and model axle are you working on? The only axle that i've seen of GM that used that style mounting for t he caliper is a D60. If you are working on a D60 I think I have an extra set of those "support keys" in my tool box.
Click to expand...

What puzzles me, is how he went from the GM bolt type to the slide lock type. I never compared them, but I didn't think the mounting bracket would work on both.
 
My '91 Dodge Dana 60 has that style of brake mount. The bleeder screw is on top for proper bleeding. Don't know if that helps you find the right part, but thought I'd throw it out there.
 
Fordum said:
What puzzles me, is how he went from the GM bolt type to the slide lock type. I never compared them, but I didn't think the mounting bracket would work on both.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing he swapped axles from a D44 or 10 bolt to a D60. You are correct that you can't swap one style for the other on the same axle.
 
4X4HIGH said:
I'm guessing he swapped axles from a D44 or 10 bolt to a D60. You are correct that you can't swap one style for the other on the same axle.
Click to expand...

That is what he did.
He bought a D60 now but he used to have a D44.
 
I got my caliper hardware stuff in Soquel at Winchester Auto...down the street from Aptos...maybe try there...
 
all these parts are from a 60, im running a 60. it was a drw i swaped the hubs on, but that shouldnt screw me up like this should it? now that i think about it, the axle may have used this style brake calipers before. if i put the rotor on banjo up, the piston housing hits the knuckle. can anyone snap a pic of their brake caliper from the inside out, like from under the wheel well?
 
well i watched this video and it looks like the banjo bolt is hitting the knuckle and thats just how it was designed. but my support screw is on top and in the vid it is on bottom. maybe i do have it upside down?
 
73redblaze said:
well i watched this video and it looks like the banjo bolt is hitting the knuckle and thats just how it was designed. but my support screw is on top and in the vid it is on bottom. maybe i do have it upside down?
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have the caliper brackets installed on the wrong sides as that would make the plate on the top rather than the bottom where it needs to be.
 
I just went through this, 8 months since tearing the axle down, wrong side for the caliper bracket and my banjo bolt as hitting the caliper bracket.
And the bleeder is on top, the inboard pad sets in the caliper bracket with the anti-rattle clip on the bottom. When I bought my new pads, napa had the hardware kit as well napa #UP 82135A.
 
yea swaped sides and that fixed it. the spindle is stripped badly on the end so i will try to cut the end off and see if that works.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom