Need pictures of the passenger side rear brake area

[Afubar]

Stupidly I let someone else who said he knew what he was doing replace the brake pads on my 93 Vert. When I took it out for a test drive, within a few miles I got a strange clicking noise from the right rear tire area. The brake pedal continued to be fine and no idiot lights came on. While driving back home, there seemed like a strange noise like something tore loose (?) (Not sure how to describe) and clicking sound stopped. Brought car home and parked it. Today decided to jack it up and pull tire.

 

Since I don't know what I'm looking at and my service manual isn't doing me any good, I have come to you all, the guru's of the W-body.

 

Help.

 

Kaye

[Imp558]

And he used the special little tool to compress the caliper?

[Afubar]

Hey there Imp558, according to him, he had to replace the calipers on both sides. As to whether he used a special tool, I doubt it.

 

One part I'm wondering about is the part that is coming down from the top of the picture, seems to go through the top of the caliper and ends in a spring covered part, the very end of it looks like it's broken off of something, I think.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

[Afubar]

Here's the part I'm wondering about.

[Imp558]

That new caliper looks pretty rusty to my untrained eye, unless I'm missing something obvious like rust colored clumpy paint?

 

The thing with the spring is the emergency brake cable, the lead slug thing is supposed to be where the red dot is.

 

 

[Afubar]

Thanks Imp588, that's exactly the info I needed. I'm guessing that's the part that caused the noise, as right before I started hearing the noise I had reached down and pulled the parking brake handle to ensure it was fully released since I knew he had messed with it.

 

So anything special I should know to put it back in the bracket? Any tips greatly appreciated.

 

As for the color of the caliper, let's just say he will Never be near any of my vehicles again. Live and learn.

 

Thanks again

Kaye

[55trucker]

a lesson well learned.....next time be cautious

 

I see that the inner pads *squeaker* tab has been folded back away from the rotor, it should be a 90 degrees to the rotor surface, the inner pad also appears not to be fully centered over the rotor contact surface (it appears to be hanging over the outer edge of the rotor),

the outer pad is not centered in the caliper, the spring retainer has shaped depressions that are supposed to sit down into the drilled openings in the caliper to prevent the pad from shifting.

 

whomsoever did this didn't bother to dress the rotor contact area, the individual just left it rusty...what an idiot

 

right on with regards to the parking brake cable/lever

 

 

[55trucker]

So anything special I should know to put it back in the bracket? Any tips greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

One has to back off the park brake cable adjuster that is under the floorpan which is under the drivers seat enough to allow one to pull the slug on the end of the cable (with a pair of pliers) over the end of the park brake lever & lock it into place, it can be awkward to do, one has to pull back the spring at the same time to do the job,

 

after the cable is in place then one has to adjust up the park brake cable to the proper adjustment

 

 

.......*if this side looks like this mess .......what does the other side look like??

[Imp558]

Almost looks like the wrong pads, or the wrong year caliper.

[White93z34]

That looks right enough, and the calipers are right for a 93'

 

I would just use a set of vice grips to manually move the park brake arm up enough to slide the parking brake cable back into the arm.

[Galaxie500XL]

That looks right enough, and the calipers are right for a 93'

 

I would just use a set of vice grips to manually move the park brake arm up enough to slide the parking brake cable back into the arm.

That's a little tricky to do, but it's the best way.  Prepare to make several attempts before getting it back on.

 

Additionally, I'd think twice about letting them touch your car again.  Everyone makes mistakes, but leaving the parking brake cable completely disconnected isn't a mistake, particularly for someone that supposedly knows what they are doing.

 

On these cars, if I remember correctly, having the parking brake cable attached is absolutely critical, as the parking brake lever is used to properly adjust the brakes...so it does a bit more than simply allows you to have a working parking brake.

Edited August 9, 2017 by Galaxie500XL

[Imp558]

That looks right enough, and the calipers are right for a 93'

 

I would just use a set of vice grips to manually move the park brake arm up enough to slide the parking brake cable back into the arm.

On an early one is it normal for the inner pad to sit noticeably further forward on the rotor than the outside pad? That picture is like a "find Waldo" full of oddities.

[55trucker]

on a 1st gen rear brake............... both pads when properly installed should be approx 1/8" from the outer edge of the rotor.

 

You can see on one the OP's photos of the rotor the previous outer pad wear was right on the mark, the inner pad as it is at the moment is out of proper location,

 

the inner pad IS longer than the outer pad.

 

 

something else I do NOT see in the photos is the circular retaining anti rattle ring that clamps around the pads steel base to keep the inner pad in place, also the bleeder screw doesn't appear to have been opened for bleeding, the entire area around it should be soaked from brake fluid (even if it was cleaned up), as well the banjo bolt on the end of the flex line also doesn't look as tho it has been moved & there is no sign of a fresh crush washer installed under the shoulder of the banjo bolt.

 

In as much as the calipers were replaced.....hard to offer an opinion on that, from what I see in those photos THAT item must have been exposed to the elements for quite some time to look that rusty,

 

anything new out of a box would be plastic wrapped to shield it.

[Imp558]

Piston looks like dings on it too

[Afubar]

"On these cars, if I remember correctly, having the parking brake cable attached is absolutely critical, as the parking brake lever is used to properly adjust the brakes...so it does a bit more than simply allows you to have a working parking brake."

 

 

I was hoping that leaving the cable not attached would be an option since I never use the parking brake. I guess not. I did try to push the lever up to attach the cable, didn’t use vise grips, wasn't able to do it. Looks like it's time to take car to a brake shop.

 

 

 

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the help.

[Afubar]

Thanks to you guys I gave it one more try.

 

 

I did it!!! Took 3 vise grips, flat head screw driver, and one clamp. Also a little added blood from scraped knuckles.

 

 

Thank you all more than I can say.

 

 

 

Kaye

[GabsOlds]

Yaaay! 

Congratulations! Glad you got it taken care of. Now you can drive safely, and with pride since you rectified it yourself!