Brake Install From Hell

[BadMojo]

Sooo...went to do rear pads, rotors and brake lines all around today. It was, in short, a disaster.

It was one of those days where everything that could go wrong, did so.

The mailman ran over our tools (don't ask), we broke a plastic hammer trying to free a rear rotor from it's tomb of rust (the poor old was ancient and cracked due to being old and brittle), there was brake fluid everywhere (wheeee!) and best of all, the replacement caliper I had did not work with my parking brake line.

On the plus side, the SPL stainless lines I got look really nice and beefy. Of course, I'll be returning to finish everything up on Sunday. Hopefully every bone in my body will stop hurting by then.

So, yeah, I've discovered that brake work really sucks. Brake fluid is like the Pee of Satan.

[navysnail]

lol, we have all had those days, it sucks but its kinda funny when you look back days, months, or years later.

[BadMojo]

Breaking the hammer and the mailman running over our tools was pretty funny. Hey, Craftsman tools *are* tough, except for their hammers apparently.

I think the worst part about the whole thing was dealing with the brake fluid. I hate that ****. At least nothing has been destroyed (yet) with the exception of the hammer. I *am* going to need an alignment after the hammer incident.

[Hijacker]

brake work isn't THAT big of a PITA.

My friend's MX-6 has turned into a brake horror story. He put goodrich SS lines and cross drilled rotors on the front. Not at the same time either. We spent well over an hour trying to loose his passenger side rotor. We probably used a whole can of penetrating oil and a ball peen before it finally came off.

After all that, his brake master cylinder went out. He finally realized after 2 advance replacements that advance has crap remanned master cylinders. one more brake bleeding job later, and I thought he was done.

He managed to get the entire rear subframe off of a probe GT. Mx-6s and probes use the same chassis, so it was a "simple" bolt on affair. A few stripped threads and a twisting bolt later, it was on. And it was time for yet another brake bleed since he now had rear disc brakes instead of rear drums.

Now he wants to put SS lines on the rear soon. He just doesn't stop!

I told him that when I put my Z brakes on my car next week, he's gonna be doing all the pedal pumping. He owes me a couple.

[Bronze MFP]

i'm glad a hammer got your rear rotors, off. It didn't work for me. but there are two screw holes that are used to push the rotor off the hub... the only thing is, the bolts that I used that were the right size/thread came off my rearl 300zx calipers... i guess i lucked out.Brake fluid is vile, and evil, and better than a pnumatic system i suppose.

[BadMojo]

OK...that sucks even worse than my situation. I always feel a little better when I can say "at least I'm not *that* guy".

And, damn the MX-6 had rear drums? What years? I was horrified to learn that Ford Focuses...Focii have rear drum brakes.

[BadMojo]

i'm glad a hammer got your rear rotors, off. It didn't work for me. but there are two screw holes that are used to push the rotor off the hub...

AFAIK, those bolt holes are only on the fronts. At least on my '93 they were. Ironically enough, the front rotors almost fell right off. Had to break out the *big* hammer for the rear driver side rotor. Poor, poor alignment.

[crzycav86]

Well at least you didnt get sprayed with brake fluid when you bled the abs unit(you might not have abs).

It got me in the eyes too...

[Hijacker]

And, damn the MX-6 had rear drums? What years?.

the first gen MX-6. I think it was 88-93? Anyways, the MX-6 GT of that lineage was the only model to get rear discs. The DX and LX had drums. Same thing for the probe. Only the PGT got the discs

[Dattebayo]

anyone ever get that scary "push the pedal three or four timies to get the car to stop" condition after you thought you bled the brakes enough? :Oy

Brakes are enough to make me wanna quit working on cars, almost.

[Wraith]

So, yeah, I've discovered that brake work really sucks. Brake fluid is like the Pee of Satan.

LMAO!! I feel the same way, the fluid just gets on you and makes your skin crawl (atleast with me it does). Just had to help the bro-in-law with brakes on his 240. Thank goodness wasnt to bad

[IvoryJ30t]

you know what sucks?? when people top off the master cylinder to the point of overflowing, so that when i do a brake job, i need a soda bottle, and some tubing to drain the master cylinder.

see how much you like brake fluid when you get it in your mouth while trying to siphon it.

[Bronze MFP]

it tastes like death, thats why I keep some antifreeze around to get the taste out of my mouth

[Bandit240]

Yall think a Focus having rear drum brakes is bad, try my 620 truck. That ***** has drum brakes all the way around. and i bet they are bigger than a stock hondas tires.

[s13sr20chris]

it tastes like death, thats why I keep some antifreeze around to get the taste out of my mouth

lol

[Chingon]

the only good thing about doing brake jobs the 1st time, is that usually the 2nd and 3rd become easier... and yeah, brake fluid will give you granny hands..

[Hijacker]

Nitrile gloves are awesome for doing any kind of work where you expect to encounter annoying slimy fluids. I use them all the time now, and it almost feels weird not to wear them when I'm doing work on a car.

I'll tell you what gets easier and easier the more you do it. Pulling brake pedals from S13s. After the...umm...4th time. Yeah it's been 4 times now -_-. I've gotten really good at it.