Hi ... I just finished installing new front calipers on my '81. What a job! Had great fun loosening rusted caliper bolts and frozen flare nut at metal to rubber hose junction. If anybody needs help on this email ... I can lend a few tips! Anyways, now I'm at the stage of installing new pads. ANy tips on getting these guys in? I'm can start on one piston but how do you depress 2nd piston, rotate pad and get it in???? There must be a trick here?
Installing new caliper pads on '81 ... help!
- Thread starter rilko
- Start date
Welcome aboard, from Ontario. 
The way I do it is to insert the pads in place in the caliper prior to dropping the unit over the rotor. I squeeze the pads tight against the pistons and ease it all down into place.
The way I do it is to insert the pads in place in the caliper prior to dropping the unit over the rotor. I squeeze the pads tight against the pistons and ease it all down into place.
Mr. Chuck
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2005
- Messages
- 230
- Location
- Southern California
- Corvette
- 1981 Two tone silver / dr grey
Brake Caliper Installation Tips
I have replaced / rebuilt my 81 brake calipers several times over the 26 years I have owned it. Start by loading caliper with both pads, next measure the rotor thickness (space needed to slide the caliper assy in place over the rotor). Make two wood blocks about 1 - 2" wide x 3" long and a thickness slightly greater than the measured rotor thickness, to give some work clearance between the pads and rotor faces, as you slide the caliper in place. With the loaded caliper assy on the work bench, carefully spread the two pads and insert the two wood blocks between the pads ( place each block gerenally inline with the brake pucks). Now the caliper assy can be installed over it's respective rotor. The blocks will slide up and out of the caliper assy as you lower the caliper in place. Repeat the process for each caliper to be installed. You may want to identify the wood blocks for future use and place in you tool box. The width and length of the wood blocks are variable depending on the raw wood stock you have on-hand.
I have replaced / rebuilt my 81 brake calipers several times over the 26 years I have owned it. Start by loading caliper with both pads, next measure the rotor thickness (space needed to slide the caliper assy in place over the rotor). Make two wood blocks about 1 - 2" wide x 3" long and a thickness slightly greater than the measured rotor thickness, to give some work clearance between the pads and rotor faces, as you slide the caliper in place. With the loaded caliper assy on the work bench, carefully spread the two pads and insert the two wood blocks between the pads ( place each block gerenally inline with the brake pucks). Now the caliper assy can be installed over it's respective rotor. The blocks will slide up and out of the caliper assy as you lower the caliper in place. Repeat the process for each caliper to be installed. You may want to identify the wood blocks for future use and place in you tool box. The width and length of the wood blocks are variable depending on the raw wood stock you have on-hand.
- Moderator
- #4
bill81vette
Moderator
WOW!!!!! That is a great Tip!!!! 
Can one of the admins or a mod put this in the 'how-to-section'???
Can one of the admins or a mod put this in the 'how-to-section'???
- Thread starter
- #5
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2005
- Messages
- 274
- Location
- Charleston, SC
- Corvette
- 1981 Dark Blue Metallic, 2003 AE coupe
If I remember correctly, when the calipers are still attached to the system, the pistons are significantly harder to compress by hand due to the hydraulic backpressure, but I have found success by using a C-clamp and a block of wood to get them far enough out of the way to slide the pads in. Once that's done, Mr. Chuck's tip for sliding the caliper down over the rotor seems like it would work well. I'll certainly have to try that next time.
Mike
Mike
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