THe_DeTAiL3R Posted January 11, 2004 Report Share Posted January 11, 2004 I've gotta change the ball joint on the passenger side - they have bolts on them so I'm assuming I woun't have any rivets to drill. Anyways I'm more worried about taking the brakes off. I want to change the pads so I might get the rotors turned since I think I warped one of them. I've never done brakes so I'm wondering if there is anything I should know. I can't find my Haynes manual for my car so I was reading the one for the Sunfire and it says something about using a c-clamp on the calipers??? Do I need to do this, or do the calipers just come off with the bolts and that it..? If anyone could give a quick rundown of anything special I need to do (like with the calipers) that would be cool. thanks Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey b Posted January 11, 2004 Report Share Posted January 11, 2004 you need a T-60 torx for the caliper brackets- and they are a bitch. You should be able to get new rotors for like 20$ American. So go that route. Luckily your balljoint has been replaced so you don't have to worry bout those damn rivets. Also, the fronts will collapse easily with a C-clamp. It doesn't need that rear turn crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaPaPooh Posted January 11, 2004 Report Share Posted January 11, 2004 ok first support the car do ball joint if you want after that take the cap off the master cyl. for the brakes then go about doing the brakes use something inbetween the c clamp and caliper so you don't mar the caliper pistons im not sure if you have double pistons or not but both have to go in together (you will see what i mean when you get there) good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted January 11, 2004 Report Share Posted January 11, 2004 for the brakes - unbolt caplier from the bracket, support it somehow. the caplier is held on by 2 regular bolts - unbolt the caplier bracket. the bracket is held on by 2 T-60 bolts. not hard to get to, there is enough room for the socket and a breaker bar. you might need a "cheater bar" - a long piece of pipe over the end of the breaker bar to give extra leverage - i did, the bolts were very tight. - then, pull off the old rotor, and put on a new rotor, after spraying it down with brake cleaner. - put the bracket back on, tightening the T-60 bolts very tight, and using lock tite if you want. i don't have the torque figures right now, but just ask and i will look them up - remove the old pads from the capiler, and compress the pistons with a c-clamp. put a block of wood or one of the old brake pads (Thats what i do) between the c clamp and the pistons - put the new pads on - bolt the capliers back on, making sure you used brake caplier grease on the caplier sliding bolts, and they are tight, and the rubber boots are straight go easy on the brakes for a while these cars are horrible on brakes, i've changed my front pads and rotors twice, and i've cleaned the rear hub and sliders of corrosion, changed the slider bushings, and changed the pads and rotors, and the brake pedal still pulsates slightly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
god910 Posted January 11, 2004 Report Share Posted January 11, 2004 IIRC the ball joints ARE riveted. The C-clamp is used to compress the piston back into the caliper, because, as the brakes wear they move inward. IF you change the thinkness of the pads OR rotor (Buy buying new) you will have to press the pistons back into the caliper or IT JUST WON'T FIT. So, new parts= Pistons have to go back in. You only need to open the M/C if there is too much fluid in there. Watch the fluid level while you press the piston back in. DON'T OPEN IT WHILE YOU PRESS THE PISTONS IN. If you do, you will have a big ass mess to clean up. Any time you touch a brake surface (Pads or rotor) you get oil from your hands on it. Even the natural oil that your body produces will effect brake performance. Brake cleaner just makes sure that there is no residual oil/grease/dirt on the pads or rotor. And yes, you need to at minimum take the rotor off, which means the caliper stand has to come off. Beware of many T-60 Torx bits, some won't fit your application. I bought the HUGE one from Snap-On. (1 of 3 things I own that is Crap-On, just too damn expensive for me) Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 Since the old balljoint is garbage, I'm thinking that might possibly be why my brakes were pulsating. I'm gonna wait till I have the new ball joint in then drive the car and see how she feels. If it still pulsates then I'll do the rotors and pads. my brake pedal still pulsates after two sets of front pads and rotors, and 1 set of rear pads and rotors. also, my worn-out tie rods have been replaced, and it has had 2 wheel alignments, and all 4 tires have been balanced after around $500 and many hours inside my cold, cold garage with rachets and wrenches frozen to my hands, i have given up trying to fix my brake pedal pulsation :guns: fuck w-body brakes! :flip: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 well, i hope everything works out for you and your car you know, i love my car, the way it looks, the performance for having 140 horsepower, and the way it drives, but the brakes piss me off! oh well, nothing is perfect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted January 13, 2004 Report Share Posted January 13, 2004 ...brakes? what are those? o.o and 93CutlassSupreme... have you checked your wheel bearings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted January 14, 2004 Report Share Posted January 14, 2004 i've never noticed any grinding, or whining while on the gas, coasting, or not using the brakes. the car shook for a while at highway speeds but a tire balancing and new tie rods took care of that. now, the car doesn't shake, and has never made whining or grinding noises, which i have always been told are signs of bad wheel bearings. if there is something i am missing, or a procedure to check the state of wheel bearings, let me know. also, i am using Bosch lifetime ceramic pads, and Bosch rotors. i bet the lifetime pads already tore up the rotor, because they are hard as hell, sometimes i can feel them grinding into the rotor through the brake pedal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted January 14, 2004 Report Share Posted January 14, 2004 for young males, there is no such thing as affordable insurance i might check out my ball joints, if they solved your brake pulsation problem. my tie rods were bad, maybe they are too, but i think 2 shops would have spotted that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted January 14, 2004 Report Share Posted January 14, 2004 When my car was jacked up and you kicked the wheels they wobbled a little bit.. now they are stiff like they should be. Thats an easy way to test it. yeah, if they tilt up and down, especially... I should check mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted January 14, 2004 Report Share Posted January 14, 2004 alright i'll check mine later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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