Brake job... **Red Caliper pics 04/26**

[xtremerevolution]

So I did a brake job on my Regal today. I started at 11:45AM and finished at 10:30PM.

 

All I was going to do was the brake hardware kit. Conveniently, I bought a bolt set for only one rear and one front, so I figured I would replace only whatever would be needed.

 

The moment I took off the front brakes, I noticed that the pads were extremely low. These were the Bendix CT-3 pads I put on in October of 2007. I had baked them to all hell to the point where I could pick off the edges of the pad like cookie crumbs.

 

I replaced them with Duralast Gold C-Max ceramic pads for $55. I'm not sure what happened here, but either I have to break these in, or they are simply terrible pads. I went through the necessary steps to bleed my brakes to make sure there was no air anywhere, and the brake pedal is WAY too soft with these. I can floor the brake going from 40 to 0 and smell the pads burning by the time I stop and have nowhere near the amount of power I had with the Bendix CT-3 pads (although those were $85). I'm hoping that I simply have to break these in.

 

While I was at it, I re-drilled my drilled rotors as the holes had become half filled with rust, and painted the calipers red. I'll post some pictures of the end result. I'm very happy with the way they look.

 

Then I moved to the rear brakes. Rear passenger was easy. Replacing the hardware was a piece of cake, so I moved onto the driver side. First thing I noticed was that the lower caliper bolt didn't want to come off. With some persuasion, I ended up breaking the bolt and leaving the thread still stuck in the bracket. Next thing I noticed was that the caliper was stuck, as the upper bolt/sleeve had seized up as well. I managed to get the whole thing off and into a vice, where I clamped down the caliper and hammered down on the bracket to get that sleeve loosened up. Long story short, I ended up getting the bracket off, and bending the bolt. I figured no worries, as I had the old bolts from the passenger side, which were in surprisingly good condition, but that would have been too easy. When attempting to undo that bolt, that also broke, leaving the thread in the bracket.

 

So here I found myself trying to get two broken bolts out of the caliper bracket as it was way too late to go a junkyard and I needed to get home. I figure no problem, I have a reverse drill bit set, a drill, and regular drill bits. So I go through the proper steps, and discover that this isn't working as my drill bits were getting worn to hell. So I get out my dremel with a grinding stone and re-sharpen my drill bits. I drill a bit, then lightly hammer in the reverse drill bit, and attempt to pull it out. No dice. I end up stripping 4 reverse drill bits of different sizes, as the bolts are apparently grade 10.9 hardened steel and stuck beyond anything I could imagine. So I figure, I'll just drill it them out slowly and use my tap and die set to create a thread. I happened to not have the correct drill bit, so I use the smaller ones, and end up breaking them, one at a time. But not being one to give up, I re-sharpen each drill bit and start drilling again. So here's the fun part. After each half inch of drill bit that breaks off and gets stuck in the bolt, I have to A. hammer it through with a center punch, and B. re-sharpen the broken drill bit. I end up denting the center punch, having to re-sharpen that as well.

 

Several hours later, I manage to drill through enough bolt to where I can hammer what's left of it through with the center punch. Worst freakin job ever.

 

Word of warning to anyone who ever has to do w-body brakes on an older w-body. ALWAY use a TON of grease/anti-seize lubricant on EVERY bolt and sleeve on rear brakes, and have them replaced at least every 50,000 miles. I wish I had.

[Venom]

LOL Ive had days like that, a 30 minute job turns into an all day hell. My front brakes need replaced but the bolts wont break loose for me either. Luckily I have a torch now so I hope that helps.

[RobertISaar]

is it odd that no matter what i do, even topping off the washer fluid it turns into an all day ordeal, like xtremerevoltion? whatever, most of the time i think i look for things to do...

[birdman]

sounds like a good time to do the upgrade

[kwk39018]

sounds like me when i did suspension.All 4 corners

[xtremerevolution]

sounds like a good time to do the upgrade

 

Yeah, definitely a good time to replace the hardware. Its amazing how many rear 1st gen brakes I see with seized up bolts.

 

 

I also have pictures up. I'll get some pictures of how they look with the wheels on later.

 

[xtremerevolution]

[xtremerevolution]

God I am so sick of these brake pads. I hope nobody here ever goes to auto zone to buy their craptastic Duralast C-Max ceramic pads. These things don't grip worth a damn and as a result, smoke up pretty easily on hard braking.

 

I went to Kragen auto parts and picked up a set of Akebonos for $75. If these don't work well, I'm ordering a new set of Bendix CT-3's from rockauto. They are by far the best pads I've ever used on this car, and I've gone through many.

 

I'll let you guys know how that goes.

[cutlass1991]

Bummer, I just installed front and rear C-max pads and duralast rotors from autozone on my mom's 06 impala. I will have to check out the braking performance and see if it is as bad as you say it is. I know the braking performance on the OEM pads was amazing...One thing I did notice on the c-max pads - no vent slot. The oem pads did have that slot, and IIRC, the duralast gold pads have them too.

 

 

seized caliper bolts suck, but it did teach me how to use a helicoil kit

[xtremerevolution]

Bummer, I just installed front and rear C-max pads and duralast rotors from autozone on my mom's 06 impala. I will have to check out the braking performance and see if it is as bad as you say it is. I know the braking performance on the OEM pads was amazing...One thing I did notice on the c-max pads - no vent slot. The oem pads did have that slot, and IIRC, the duralast gold pads have them too.

 

 

seized caliper bolts suck, but it did teach me how to use a helicoil kit

 

Honestly, they're not bad pads, but they're also not for aggressive or "spirited" driving. Any hard stop from 40-0 will have you smelling burned brake pads, and keep in mind I'm using drilled rotors. They're very comfortable, smooth, and quiet, but the performance is lacking. Also keep in mind that I'm comparing these to my Bendix CT-3's, which are high performance pads.

[Brian P]

How many miles have you driven on the new pads, and have you done the brake cycling procedure after installing them?

 

I went thru hell and back doing the brakes on both my Camaro and my sister's fiancee's Acura TL this weekend but you went thru more than I did I just had to torch things off.

[xtremerevolution]

How many miles have you driven on the new pads, and have you done the brake cycling procedure after installing them?

 

I went thru hell and back doing the brakes on both my Camaro and my sister's fiancee's Acura TL this weekend but you went thru more than I did I just had to torch things off.

 

100 miles on the pads, and I did break them in the same way I did the Bendix CT-3's. They feel like a brake pad should feel, but they're not worth the $60 I paid for them. My CT-3's were MUCH better. They had a much firmer feel, and much stronger grip.

[xtremerevolution]

Alright, I got the Duralasts off and put the Akebonos on. A WORLD of difference. It was uneblievable. You can't imagine how soggy those Duralasts feel until you try to use them. It feels like you're using rubber for brake pads. I would only imagine that being so soft, they would wear out extremely quickly too.

 

[RobertISaar]

Alright, I got the Duralasts off and put the Akebonos on. A WORLD of difference. It was uneblievable. You can't imagine how soggy those Duralasts feel until you try to use them. It feels like you're using rubber for brake pads. I would only imagine that being so soft, they would wear out extremely quickly too.

 

 

doesn't ridiculous amounts of grip usualy come out to less pad life. then shouldn't those duralasts last quite a while?

[Night Fury]

Well, you pick your favorite and let me know!! I'll need some brake parts eventually.

[xtremerevolution]

I can't comment on the wear life of these new ones, but the bendix CT-3's lasted me a very good amount of time given how much I abused them. I went through 2 sets of rear brakes during the time I had those on the front. they feel about the same performance wise.

[dodgethis]

Well, you pick your favorite and let me know!! I'll need some brake parts eventually.

 

I about swear by Wagner Thermo Quiet's. I never had an issue with them. A new rotor and pads, its a beautiful thing.

[xtremerevolution]

just because you never had an issue with them doesn't mean they're great. the c-max pads I returned were fine and would have been great for my dad, my mom, my sister, or someone's grandparents, but they were way too soft and weak for me. they stopped my car just fine, but not without smoking up, and I pull some pretty hard stops pretty often. if you drive like a grandma, any pad will suit you just fine.