Thanks
My car- '83 with 4-wheel discs that got NEW REAR G.M.calipers 5 years ago, has a problem. A search has goten me more frustrated.
The car has just begun to pull left, during warm/hot braking. (not cold) Quite disquieting at 85 M.P.H.. Manageable at 40. I figured that either the rears are bad again or there is air in the system.
Raised the car, and before bleeding, discovered that the rears have little stopping power at fast idle. Work at slow idle, though. Then I bled the system. So much dirty fluid. Anyway, the rears are still the same, with car raised, but the pulling is much improved. Car does seem to stop well, though. Also, the brake-trouble light is on now, and will not reset.
My questions- Are my rear calipers in need of service, and what is the link to the repair/improvement kit?
ALSO, I need to add this--What is the little recessed rubber-tipped thingy under the front edge of the proportioning valve? It moves like I need to know what it does.
Why is the brake-trouble light on now, as it was not on before? It is logical to assume that the rears are at fault, as it is a pressure warning light. The rears aren't right, are they?
Thank you for the help.
Seth

 

Well, I did a long search and did find a posting with the GM rebuild- kit #. But, I still would appreciate some answers; like, is the o.e.m. caliper the cause of this aggrivation.

Thanks
Seth

 

If your car is pulling you'd better check into the front brakes also, that's usually a sign of bad front brake hoses or calipers. As for the brake light, I don't know.

And fix the rear calipers with the recall kit.

Ed

 

Ed,

I have ordered the rebuild kit from GMPartsDirect. Also ordered a bag of clips to fix the seatbelt retractors. The dealers in Brooklyn wanted much more $$$. If one rear caliper has a bit more grip than the other (and they both do work slightly under hard braking), I am guessing that this can cause the pulling too. I say this because when the car pulls, there is no apparent pulling of the steering wheel, but the car itself simply veers to the left. After the rear fix, if the pulling is still there, I will attend to the front. Already have new hoses and copper washers, but have not as yet bothered to install them, as I hate to screw with the old union nuts, at the end of the brake pipes. And, do you have any ideas on the button on the proportioning valve?

Thank You

Seth

 

Watch out, I just tried to do the job to my 86 Trans Am but just bought complete calipers for $42 each. The calipers were so rusted that they couldn't be disassembled. Now I have new calipers, pistons, hardware, etc all for $40 extra. Saved me a ton of time too.

 

Josh,

You have to stop driving on salted roads.

Seth

 

I just got the car, but its been in new england its whole life so I'm sure its seen quite a bit of winter.

 

Josh,

When I got my '83 Firebird, it was Spring of '99. The old gal had never been out in the rain, as all of the un-painted suspension pieces, including the axle casting, sparkled like pewter. Brooklyn roads are salted after it snows, so I try to avoid using my car in Winter.

Seth