servicing brakes on a 67

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wickedskills

servicing brakes on a 67

Post by wickedskills »

Hi, being new to the roadster community, ofcourse I have questions (many to be exact !) I'll start with : does anyone know were to get my brakes check/replaced in or around Tracy,CA area;
is it a good idea to take to a Midas or Brake Masters store ?
I want to make sure my wife and I are safe, at least before I start to tinker with the car.
Also I want get the shocks or suspention checked.
Any ideas are welcomed , thanks in advance !!!!
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S Allen
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RE:Brakes and Other Stuff

Post by S Allen »

Any good brake shop should be able to check the braking system over. How do they feel to you? Is it pulling to one side or do you have to pump the pedal repeatedly to get stopped? The stock brakes are great if all is well. A cracked firewall can give you brake problems. There is a brace to fix that for the dual master cylinder cars but not for the earlier single masters. Do a visual inpsection of the three rubber brakes lines. One on each caliper in the front and one in the rear. Do you see any brake fluid leaking from the calipers or rear cylinders? Looking it over first will give you a good idea of the condition of the brakes plus how they feel to you.

Shocks if you cannot do it yourself-buy them from a vendor and take it to a shop to have it done. Most shops have no clue how to get roadster parts. Again, do a visual inspection of the front end. Can you see any damage? With the car sitting flat-grab the front wheels and try rocking them. You should have very little play. Ball joints are pricy. I am sure others will have input. That is my three cents worth. Welcome to the club. Good luck.

Steve
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dbrick
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Post by dbrick »

My 3 cents..Get somebody to find and lube every fitting on the front end, 19 if I remember. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. My lower ball joints still had the factory plugs in them and no grease. At $140.00 or more per ball joint, grease is cheap.
You are at a great advantage being in California. Alot of suppliers are nearby, and people have actually seen a Roadster in the last 25 years, unlike here.

Dave Brisco

Take my advice, I'm not using it"

66 2000 The Bobster
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wickedskills

Post by wickedskills »

Thanks for all the great info guys :D ! I checked the firewall, lines, etc and all look good. What I experience, in more detail, is when I brake I hear and feel grinding (not all the time though- 75%) and also I here a squeeking when when just riding, but when I apply the brakes slightly it goes away. Could it be new pads and rotors turned .. maybe?
And suspension wise, it's a bit bouncy and a squeeking (low noise - best description I can give) when pushing down car or going over small bumps - car does feel solid, just not tight.
after all this I definitely need your help for servicing and tuning -
THANK YOU
wickedskills

Post by wickedskills »

Dbrick,
Would any Lube shop know where all the grease points are ? or do I need to tell them.
thanks
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dbrick
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Post by dbrick »

If they keep looking until they find all 19, you're OK you can look here [url]http://www.311s.org/tech/susp/greasezerks.html
The brake noise sounds like you might be right, pad and clean up rotors,
As far as the suspension, grease it all first, and if the noise is still there, sounds like a "dry" shock absorber, (fluid leaked out).

Someone on the board may know a reputable mechanic in your area. I would find one with grey hair. I have friends who are certified master mechanics (one BMW one Ford), neither can set points.

Or if you got the guts to try it, a good manual, a set of good tools including grease gun and lunch and beverage for your friend who knows about old cars (everyone knows someone) costs as much as having someone else give the car a go over. If you hit a snag, then you can see a pro. It's all common sense, these cars are very simple.

I would find one with grey hair. I have friends who are certified master mechanics (one BMW one Ford), neither can set points.

Dave Brisco

Take my advice, I'm not using it"

66 2000 The Bobster
64 1500 in pieces for sale
1980 Fiat X1/9
2009 Volvo C-70
08 Expedition EL, STUPID huge but comfy
1962 Thompson Sea Lancer, possible money pit
Redtail

Post by Redtail »

My brakes pull to the right and take a LOT of pedal pressure to come to a stop. I ordered new pads and shoes and a front caliper rebuild kit too - do you think a sticky caliper would cause it to pull?
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dbrick
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Post by dbrick »

That would be my guess. I have a set that needs rebuilding if you need spares let me know. The caliper that is not working would be the left if it pulls right. Be sure to change all the brake fluid when you finish.

Dave Brisco

Take my advice, I'm not using it"

66 2000 The Bobster
64 1500 in pieces for sale
1980 Fiat X1/9
2009 Volvo C-70
08 Expedition EL, STUPID huge but comfy
1962 Thompson Sea Lancer, possible money pit
Redtail

Post by Redtail »

Hey guys,
So I tore down my calipers this weekend, and sure enough, the pistons on the driver's side caliper were rusted and frozen in the bore. I bought a rebuild kit with new rubber seals, but I think the cylinders are too far gone for that to work. So my question: can I have them re-sleeved even if both the piston and bore are a bit rusted and pitted? About how much will that run for both cylinders on one caliper, and where can I have it done? Would this work or would it be a better idea to just buy brand new cylinders?
Thanks for any help guys!!!

-Zack
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ambradley
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Post by ambradley »

Yes, you can have them resleeved. Try White Post Restorations, www.whitepost.com. They can rebuild them completely for you, not just resleeve, if you wish. Cost will be higher than buying new parts (yes, they are still available) but the resleeve should last a lot longer, through some rebuilds... this assumes your car has another 20 years left in it. :-)
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