defiant1

Ok, I am installing a front disc brake conversion kit on the '70 Cutlass. After installing the single piston caliper I notice that the top of the caliper pushes/slides on its bolt bushing in toward the car and the bottom seems in a neutral position (but could be affected by the position of the top end of caliper).

So, is this normal? I pushed the caliper piston inward so there is no pressure being applied to the inner brake pad. But the outer brake pad is resting on rotor.

I am trying to prevent uneven wear and rotor drag. So, should I get a replacement bracket, try straightening it or bleed the brakes and see if the caliper piston levels things out???

I have only installed the passenger side. I will get the drivers side installed (hopefully today) and see if there is any difference between the two.

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joe_padavano

I guess I'm not exactly following your description of the problem. The photo looks correct, but really isn't sharp enough to see the level of detail you describe. Does the caliper have the rubber o-rings in the mounting ears? Usually the caliper is fairly difficult to slide on the pins, due to the friction of the o-rings. Also, be aware that the pads are somewhat self-centering under the force of the caliper piston.

defiant1

The caliper does have the rubber O rings and the bolts themselves were not hard to install. I attached another picture circling the differences in where the caliper is not even when mounted.

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TripDeuces

Is that the bleeder on the lower left on the piston cavity? If so that caliper is upside down and should be on the other side.
Are the pads marked front and rear by chance? Not that they should be but I've seen stranger stuff.

TripDeuces

I think I'm looking st the picture wrong. I guess that's the bleeder up top?

defiant1

Yes, bleeder is up top. Plus the calipers were marked left and right to help alleviate confusion.

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TripDeuces

The bracket seats against a bushing. Were the bushings the same length? The o-ring didn't come out and is making the extra distance?

joe_padavano

That's what you're worried about? Keep in mind that as the piston moves out of the caliper body, the caliper body moves inboard, away from the bracket. This appears to be just normal manufacturing tolerances for Chinesium repro parts (unfortunately). It isn't going to affect how the brakes work.

defiant1

I didn't measure the bushings, but probably a good idea. The O rings are in place.

Okay, thanks. The installation instructions indicated to check for drag after the initial mounting. And of course the way the caliper is sitting the outer brake pad is dragging hard on the rotor. As you indicate, after I get pressure to the piston, hopefully the self-alignment will occur.

defiant1

Well, I installed the drivers side and the caliper had the same orientation as the passenger side. So that shows consistency. The drivers side rotor was able free spun with the caliper mounted. This was contrary to the passenger side as that rotor was it was lucky to move 1 inch when trying to spin with caliper installed.

So, back to the passenger side again. I took everything off and assembled/re-torqued. The only thing different from the drivers side was the outside brake pad had a "shim" glued to the backside where the drivers side did not. I took off the shim before mounting the caliper and everything seem good to go.

Not sure what to think of this "kit"...

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joe_padavano

Those shims are there to prevent brake squealing and should be on both outboard pads. Alternately, get the anti-squeak paste and apply that to the backside of the pads where they sit against the caliper and piston.

Once you get pressure in the system, the rotors on both sides will drag. That's normal.

defiant1

I used the disc brake quiet paste on backside of pads as well. This project is taking longer that I thought. Thanks again for the feedback.

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