Destroying my brand new caliper (Page 5/6)
Patrick AUG 20, 11:18 PM

I'm trying to help a guy out here. My suggestion is called "Mickey Mouse"... and I pick up a neg for my efforts. Nice.
Doggo AUG 20, 11:37 PM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

Did you try tightening it?



This is with two per side. I’m asking hypothetically if I don’t put 3 on what other options are there. When I get out of class tomorrow I’m gonna throw 3 washers on each side and see where that gets me. I’ll keep you updated! oh btw what are your thoughts on bench bleeding the master I see some people say it’s absolutely essential and some people skip it entirely.
Vintage-Nut AUG 20, 11:43 PM

quote
Patrick:
I'm trying to help a guy out here. My suggestion is called "Mickey Mouse"... and I pick up a neg for my efforts. Nice.



Hmmm, can I suggest that you look back on your negative 'statements' on this thread....or do you really only see 'your help'?

[This message has been edited by Vintage-Nut (edited 08-20-2024).]

Patrick AUG 21, 12:09 AM

quote
Originally posted by Vintage-Nut:

Hmmm, can I suggest that you look back on your negative 'statements' on this thread....or do you really only see 'your help'?



What... you figure you can go out of your way to ridicule my suggestion... and you don't expect any push-back?


quote
Originally posted by Vintage-Nut Here:

IMHO - Using three brake crush washers is SO "Mickey Mouse"




You instigate a silly little scuffle, and then you neg me. Class act.

[EDIT] And then you edit your post to add the quote from cartercarbaficionado... so as to try and make it look like your comment had nothing to do with my post, which was the first post in this thread to mention using more than two crush washers on the banjo bolt. Cute.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 09-10-2024).]

Patrick AUG 21, 12:28 AM

quote
Originally posted by Doggo:

This is with two per side. I’m asking hypothetically if I don’t put 3 on what other options are there. When I get out of class tomorrow I’m gonna throw 3 washers on each side and see where that gets me.



The worst that can happen is that it still leaks. Just make absolutely sure that the bolt is going in straight.


quote
Originally posted by Doggo:

what are your thoughts on bench bleeding the master I see some people say it’s absolutely essential and some people skip it entirely.



I don't know if a brake master cylinder that's allowed to run dry is as "empty" as a new master cylinder or not. Probably wouldn't hurt to "bench bleed" the master cylinder again while it's still mounted in the car... but see if you can get your slave cylinders leak-free first. Otherwise you may need to go through the whole "bench bleed" procedure all over again.
Doggo AUG 21, 11:20 PM
Well, if it wasn’t toast before, it is now. I was trying to put three washers on it, tightening it righty tighty until it suddenly became righty loosey. Took out the bolt and sure enough it was covered in caliper shavings. All part of the learning process, I guess. Thanks for trying to help me guys I really do appreciate it. I don’t know what I’ll do now but probably end up just buying another one. This time from rock auto so when I break it it’ll only be a $50 mistake. Can I use my driver side fiero store caliper with a rock auto one or do I get two new rock auto ones?

[This message has been edited by Doggo (edited 08-21-2024).]

cartercarbaficionado AUG 21, 11:28 PM

quote
Originally posted by Doggo:

Well, if it wasn’t toast before, it is now. I was trying to put three washers on it, tightening it righty tighty until it suddenly became righty loosey. Took out the bolt and sure enough it was covered in caliper shavings. Thanks for trying to help me guys I really do appreciate it. I don’t know what I’ll do now but probably end up just buying another one. This time from rock auto so when I break it it’ll only be a $50 mistake. Can I use my driver side fiero store caliper with a rock auto one or do I get two new rock auto ones?




it's the same caliper as stock so it should be fine. (unless fiero store is selling a grand am caliper?)
I dont see a passenger caliper listed so maybe ask fiero store to do a return or swap? or I can pull you one and rebuild it from my stash or from a local yard around here (I do have access to a whole clubs parts atm)

[This message has been edited by cartercarbaficionado (edited 08-21-2024).]

Patrick AUG 21, 11:45 PM
When I'm tightening a bolt into aluminum, I'm always very careful not to overdo it. I'm not saying you necessarily overtightened the bolt, but you just want to make sure that you don't have this same issue with the next caliper.


quote
Originally posted by Doggo:

My roommate finds it imperative that I unleash onto you a barrage of photos of the caliper threads that he took. Do you guys need to see more angles of the threads?



We never did see any of those images. I'm wondering if the threads in this re-built caliper were already half-way stripped before you even started this odyssey.

[EDIT 1] Did some quick research and found this post by Dennis from five years ago. It's quite apropos!


quote
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua Here:

Rebuilt calipers won't take 33 ft lbs on the banjo bolts to the calipers. Those caliper housings have been cleaned with strong solvents, sand blasted and painted. Some calipers have been rebuilt many times. I tighten to 20 ft lbs and if I get leakage just use a bit more force until it stops. Once the copper washers are crushed the seal should be there. If the threads strip out then the piston must be removed, the bolt hole drilled and a Helicoil inserted.



[EDIT 2] I did some further research, and the banjo bolt torque into aluminum calipers on a Subaru is 13 ft lbs. That to me makes a whole lot more sense than 33 ft lbs!

I've never had this problem of stripping the calipers, as I've never used a torque wrench on the banjo bolts (or bleeders). I've always felt that the Fiero factory torque specs were awfully high for aluminum calipers.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 08-22-2024).]

Doggo AUG 22, 12:23 AM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

When I'm tightening a bolt into aluminum, I'm always very careful not to overdo it. I'm not saying you necessarily overtightened the bolt, but you just want to make sure that you don't have this same issue with the next caliper.



It's funny, It never dawned on me that the now 40 year old calipers that have been cleaned used and painted over and over again would probably not be quite as tough as a brand new one off the line in 1985. This time, the bolt was going in smoothly, until probably like 15 ft lbs. out of the 20 I was trying to put into it with my torque wrench. I just stopped feeling resistance. I'm 96.5% sure that it wasn't cross threaded either. It was probably still upset at me about the time I tightened it to 34 ft lbs. Oh well.

Oh, here's those other pictures, some of which look weird because he uses a mirror:











[This message has been edited by Doggo (edited 08-22-2024).]

Doggo AUG 22, 12:29 AM

quote
Originally posted by cartercarbaficionado:


it's the same caliper as stock so it should be fine. (unless fiero store is selling a grand am caliper?)
I dont see a passenger caliper listed so maybe ask fiero store to do a return or swap? or I can pull you one and rebuild it from my stash or from a local yard around here (I do have access to a whole clubs parts atm)



I would try to get in touch with the fiero store but they added a tag to the caliper that basically says hey don’t over tighten or cross thread the bolt because you won’t get your money back

If you would be willing to rebuild and sell to me that would make a guys day.