87 Vert Brake Job

[Jeb]

I'm about ready to replace the pads on my '87. Is there anything out of the ordinary I should know about this job? It looks pretty straight forward but if any of you guys have any suggestions, now's the time to tell me.

Thanks.

 

[WhalePirot]

Straight forward, if you know the ropes.

Are you going to 'true' the rotors or replace?

Clean, clean clean!

Disc brake grease for the sliding parts?

Check/change fluid?

No-squeak on the back of the pads?

 

[Jeb]

Straight forward, if you know the ropes.

Are you going to 'true' the rotors or replace?

Clean, clean clean!

Disc brake grease for the sliding parts?

Check/change fluid?

No-squeak on the back of the pads?

Depending on what I find when I open it up, probably all of the above. If the rotors need truing, that's what I'll do if they're within spec.

Oh..fluid. I will probably remove most of the old fluid and replace it with new. I am going to try not to have to bleed the system if at all possible and consistant with a good job. I'm a one-man-show and bleeding brakes makes me get my better half to help and......

well, I'd rather have a colonoscopy. :eyerole

Right now, I'm planning on using OEM parts.

 

[WhalePirot]

Pumping the pedal is no fun for anyone. I use a pump for my one-man-brake-shows.

 

[tomtom72]

a thought about bleeding & old fluid

Hi Jeb, I'm new to the C4 ranks but I just did a brake fluid exchange on my 90. I got a MittyVac at sears & it worked great. I'm a one man show also so I hear ya about recruiting help. It was smoother than I expected & I'm sure I wasted more fluid than I needed to. The fliud in my 90 was the color of coffee & there was even some particles, like small coffee grinds, in the bottom of each M/C reservoir. If you go slow you can get the reservoirs empty but it is possible to leave enough fluid to keep the orifices to the M/C bore filled with old fluid so not to put alot of air into the system. Then I used a shop rag to wipe up the dirt in the reservoirs. I cut the rag up into small pieces & used a needle nose to hold the pieces & soaked up the last fluid in the plastic part & wipe up the dirt that was left behind. I sucked the reservoirs down till I just had fluid sitting in the orifice depression & the dirt was left on the plastic. I cleaned it up with the rag & filled with new fluid. It was my first time doing fluid this way & I went slowly & probably took more time than needed but the results were very good. The key I think is not going too fast so you can leave enough old fluid in those orifices and then clean up the dirt and then fill'em with fresh fluid & pump till it comes clear in the discharge hose. At that point after both reservoirs were cleaned and filled with fresh fluid I re-did the manual's bleeding sequence for air & to make sure I got all the old stuff out. I emptied the stuff doing the rears first & then the fronts cause I figured all I was trying to do was get the reservoirs empty. Sorry this is sooo long but I figured I'd pass it along. Tom.

 

[Jeb]

I've swiped SWMBO's turkey baster to draw the fluid from the reservoir and I'll probably end up doing exactly what you did.

Now, I'm wondering if I should stick with OEM pads or go to ceramic or semi-metalic after-market pads.

Decisions decisions decisions...

 

[tomtom72]

Good idea, thanks!

Jeb, I'm going to remember the turkey baster! Thanks! It wasn't too bad without it though. I just was over cautious about air getting in the sys. I could have been quicker but the first time I go slow, haste makes for mistakes. My car only has 9553 miles so I still got the OE pads & I'll probably go to them when I do the replacment thing cause they seem to be fine, no AutoXing for me or drags. I like the low level of dust & they stop just fine for my needs. In time I'll learn more & probably change my mind but for now I care about the dust more till I learn how to drive this car! I'm gonna get a baster! I can think of a few uses on my car for it. Thanks! Tom

 

[WhalePirot]

OEM pads or ceramic or semi-metalic

For the street, I am happy with the stockers. The higher the metallic content, the faster the rotors wear away; plus, they need to be warmed up. Unless you have a heat fade issue, the stockers should do ya fine.

I have used a plastic pump (kit) for years until the handle broke. I was lucky enough to find a metal replacement, which is nicer than a baster, as it catches fluid in the reservoir.

Also, our turkeys now taste better!:L

 

[Jeb]

For the street, I am happy with the stockers. The higher the metallic content, the faster the rotors wear away; plus, they need to be warmed up. Unless you have a heat fade issue, the stockers should do ya fine.

I have used a plastic pump (kit) for years until the handle broke. I was lucky enough to find a metal replacement, which is nicer than a baster, as it catches fluid in the reservoir.

Also, our turkeys now taste better!:L

LOL

I've decided to go with semi-metalic pads and I'm going to replace all four rotors while I've got it apart. The car has 97,000 miles on it and these are the original pads. I know I have to replace the RR rotor (which mandates the LR also) and because rotors are cheap, I'm going to replace all four with OEM rotors.

I'd like to paint these rotors (the non-business parts) before I install them. Will some decent semi-gloss black Bar-B-Que paint work ok or should I opt for something else? All I want to do is dress them up a little and try to reduce rust for a couple of years. I'm using original sawblade wheels so you really can't see them from the outside.

 

[So Bay Vetter]

Jeb-
I replaced my brake fluid before a recent track day. I used the turkey baster to remove old fluid from the reservoir, re-filled with new and bled each wheel with a suction pump from Pep Boys ($28.00). Be sure to completely remove the rubber bleed screw covers before cracking the screws loose. I also re-sealed the threads on the front screws with teflon tape.