A couple of nights ago I followed the procedure on Fierosparks to adjust my rear parking brake.
Basically removing the park brake lever, backing the actuator screw till it overrides then re tightening till it locks the rear wheel, then back it off 1/3 of the brake lever travel, if the lever will not fit at this position try again. For some reason though, the hole in my right hand lever is not hex it's 12 point, so I could wind the actuator screw in then back it off slightly and fit the lever back on. Job done? No!
I did this on the right hand side 2 nights ago, seemed to have improved the clamping considerably, but I came to do the left hand side last night and noticed some fluid on my right hand rear rim. It is of course brake fluid, and on closer inspection, my piston is now leaking (out of the front face I think).
What did I do wrong? Or is this just coincidence? I'm thinking maybe after adjustment I pulled the parkbrake handle too far up and ruptured a seal or something in the caliper.
It was just coincidence. You can't ruin the seals internal to the piston by applying the brakes too hard. Often by fixing one part of the brake system, you reveal the next weakest link, which was just waiting to happen. Your only recourse at this stage is to replace the caliper and hope you get one that's well built since you can't buy the internal piston seals, nor can you buy rebuilt pistons only.
Yes, It was just coincidence. Seal barf likely because hole or screw has corrosion. Just moving the screw normal wreck the seal.
12 point hole on level is bad. Get a new one or weld and file a hex hole. Make it a mirror of other side.
Sorry, Fierosparks method is bogus. When that method seems to work really means piston is bad. My method can work but in most cases you need to repeat that every 6-12 months... Means piston is bad. See my Cave, Rear Brakes
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
RE: A1 Cardone vrs Centric, yes I believe A1 Cardone is about the best available, but that's if it's "A1 Cardone." "Cardone" seems to be bandied about rather freely without meaning much. I don't think I've actually seen an A1 Cardone, but the cheap ones I got say, "Cardone."
The concept of mail order core returns needs work. Even locally it hardly makes sense to be shipping all that metal back and forth. I bought my calipers local with the lowest core charge I could find. The fronts were discountinued so there was no core charge.
Rebuilt caliper quality can vary widely. I saw at least three when I bought the two rears. One was covered with metal flakes like someone had worked very hard to get it somewhere it didn't belong. One I kept has two different caliper pin hex drive sizes. One has a very fine-ground hose attachment surface, the other is relatively rough. One has 10.9 pins and banjo bolt. If you can get them directly or return them if you're not happy you may be much better off. The "A1 Cardone" name may be worth the extra money in that regard.
Tomorrow ("Thanksgiving", a holiday for nearly everybody) I hope to work on the Fiero brakes and/or watch UK who-done-its all day. A local public television station runs a 'mystery marathon' to raise money on such holidays. I just love trying to follow and figure out things like what an "A to Zed" is. It always throws me when the actors walk to a car and the driver gets in the wrong side!
By the way, I like to look at RR's on ebay, many of which are right-hand drive, something that generally means about a thirty percent discount. It looks to me like the post war models up until the Shadows were designed to be relatively easy to change over. The symetrical dash for instance - it looks like you could easily switch the speedo and guage cluster and the glove box and map pocket, and a few switches. My guess is the steering box is similarly easy to move to the opposite side, leaving only the floorboards that might need to be replaced. Would you know anything about that?
[This message has been edited by 85 SE VIN 9 (edited 11-21-2012).]
My Finale was converted over to RHD, the receipt was in with the paperwork. Pontiac-Jeep UK carried out the conversion it cost £1600 iirc so about $2000.
I actually work at Bentley Motors in Crewe England, the RR is not built here anymore as it was sold off to BMW, we're now owned by Porsche/VW. I'm pretty sure the RRs would have been built to market spec ie. LHD or RHD.
I purchased a Raybesto caliper in the end, it was listed as professional grade, and cost me £103 delivered, this includes a deposit incase customs tax me. Seems like everything I buy ends up costing £100
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05:37 PM
Nov 23rd, 2012
85 SE VIN 9 Member
Posts: 690 From: Harwood Heights, IL, USA Registered: Apr 2010
Jeez, that was a lucky shot! Yeah, I know about not being Crewe-built anymore, in fact I assumed the Bentley was make in Germany. The guy who's putting the 12-cylinder BMW in his Fiero switched sides while he was at it, no big deal. After I wrote the last post I thought of the BMW mini as another example of a symetrical dash perhaps meant to be easy to convert. And of course, if memory serves, the VW bug. I'm sure most high end cars are still built largely to spec, but it sure looks like that marvelous dash was designed to be used for either side drive without modification. Maybe it was for ease of manufacture rather than conversion, but same difference. By the way, "built to spec" has become perverted to mean "speculative" as in houses "built to spec" that sit empty for years.
Raybestos sounds good, but expensive, as you note. Look over whatever you get before trying to install it. People say to check to see that the rears work right as far as the parking brake goes. People have received them with the wrong pistons so they don't extend when the parking brake lever is pulled. It works opposite on the one side from the other.
When I say built to spec, they're built to customers order, every car is already sold, even dealers pay up front and have to dictate specifications. I would imagine the W12 would rip the Fiero in half lol. The new V8 may fit though ;-)
I carry out the Radio/Sat Nav/Phone/TV/Tracker tests.
Also work on the Wheel Alignment (WAM) and currently training on the Rolling Road. Occasionally chauffeur for other colleagues weddings etc.
As Ogre says two is probably better, although I knew that and used only one of my two reman rear calipers, probably so did the PO. I think the idea is things could pull one way or the other, sooner or later. Take into consideration that I haven't driven the Fiero in almost a year because of brake problems.
I put a lot of pressure on the piston to get it to retract, then after learning you have to back off the parking brake screw before pushing the piston in, I finally get things back together and there is a leak just above the caliper I applied so much pressure to. I think Ogre's right though, that's nothing compared to pressing on the brake pedal with the help of the booster.
There may not be any easy answer to this rear brake issue because (according to some, including Ogre) the pistons are no longer made and cannot be rebuilt. I have to replace the longest brake line before I can see if mine work. I'd say if your old one works it might be worth the risk of the caliper pulling a little to avoid replacing it with one that doesn't work.
So Rolling Road means test driving? Bentley chauffeur sounds incredible. It must take nerves of steel though. I talked to a guy who said he was a Demonstrator. He said others had wrecked them and it was no big deal, but ouch! Like you say they don't even make them without money up front.
Yeah, the Fiero is on the other end of the spectrum in terms of size and weight, not to mention a spare Bentley engine might be kind of hard to find and pricey lol. However, the basic engine was used in the Volkswagon Phaeton pre-Bentley and the BMW 12 two guys are putting into Fieros is the same one used in the new Rolls, minus superchargers, am I right?
What's the brand/model that was converted? Is that the Fiero? Don't recognize that name.
The rolling road is basically running them on rollers doing gear box adaption etc before the road test lads take them out on the road.
I don't get to take them out on the road very often but it's a buzz when I get chance, I wouldn't like to bump one but the wedding cars are just that, they're not customers cars. I drive approx 30 of the continental variants GT/GTC per day and normally 5 Mulsannes.
The Phaeton has the same engine but minus the twin turbos.
The Finale I have which is RHD converted is a Fiero with a rebody. You can see them online just google V8-Archie finale kit. The two halves of the dash are swapped over, the AC is deleted, and the centre console and gear shift stays where it is.
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07:06 AM
85 SE VIN 9 Member
Posts: 690 From: Harwood Heights, IL, USA Registered: Apr 2010
RE: your original issue: It might not be all that bad. If it's leaking from the seal, which is most likely IMHO, it is likely just the result of moving the piston more than normal. I learned this on a Volvo. The seal around the piston is square so that it gets distorted a little when you press on the brakes. When pressure is released the rubber goes back to its normal shape, pulling the piston back with it. It's not much, just enough to create a sliver of space between the pad and rotor. If you really slam on the brakes or otherwise move the piston furthur than normal it may drag the seal out of its groove enough to leak fluid, but it will likely move back in with a few cycles or if you push the piston back in with a c-clamp or something. Basically, a little leakage from the seal is no big deal, again, IMHO and experience.
Has it worked since? Has the leaking stopped? You might be good to go as is. Cheers
Don't know really, I had to put the caliper and wheel back on to move the car out of the garage to put a washer/dryer in the back.
The cable was sticking slightly so I had greased it in a few places where it passes through the sub frame, then I yanked the brake lever up a few times. Thinking about it I was quite rough with it !
In the ogres rear brake info it states that you should not turn the piston and just use a clamp to retract it.
Unfortunately my rebuilt Raybesto caliper has had the piston refitted twisted so the brake pad does not line up with the indents, should I try and carefully turn the piston to line it up? It's probably about 25 degrees off!
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04:21 PM
85 SE VIN 9 Member
Posts: 690 From: Harwood Heights, IL, USA Registered: Apr 2010
Yes. I believe this question has been answered before. Part of a revolution is not a problem; it's multiple revolutions they're worried about, and I don't think even that would be a big problem. The '88's are different, I think those you do rotate, the others you clamp. Just don't clamp on the actuator screw, cover it with a socket or something and clamp on that.
88 doesn't care much. GM tool will turn and push to retract w/o messing w/ brake screw. (Google: Kent-Moore J-36621 ) Hard to do it w/ normal "cube" tool.
Do Not remove iron part to use the clamp. If first remove nut and level from Ebake screw... You can use Pliers like front. If you use a clamp "backward," should clear... Frame part to piston face. Clamp Screw to socket covering brake screw.
So I'm fine rotating it just to get it round to where it should be, then use my clamp to retract it after?
Yes. Back off the actuator screw (opposite direction it would be pulled by ebrake cable) before clamping. This allows it to move in. Other way causes it to go out, of course. It won't go in if you don't back off the screw. Been there, done that. Take off the lever and use a 14mm socket or wrench to turn it a quarter or half turn should be enough, if memory serves. You only need to clamp if pads won't fit.
I'm having big problems with this replacement caliper.
The piston won't go in far enough for the pads to clear the rotor. I can just about get it over but it binds so much it's almost solid.
I have turned the actuator screw back about 20 turns in an attempt to get the piston in, and if I clamp the piston it goes in a little bit but is spongy and when I undo the clamp the piston comes out again.
