The front calipers on my 1992 RS are sticking really bad. In gravel and stuff the car goes sideways when it even moves at all. It pulls realy bad going down the road, with and without the brakes applied. Every time I step on the brakes to slow down they stick real bad, and it smokes the tires like it's got a linelock or something.

I have some good calipers off a 1984 cutlass supreme, and some good calipers off of a 1985 caprice wagon (12" rotor calipers). I am trying to get the car going as cheap as possible. So my question is: will any of those calipers bolt right on? If not, how expensive and difficult is it to rebuild the stock calipers?

 

From what you have told me it sounds as though you need new brake hoses on the front. Sometimes those rubber hoses will split internally. What happens when they do is like having a seperate brake pedal for each wheel. The caliper with the bad hose will stay stuck on or release really slowly. A little piece of rubber inside the hose acts like a check valve and only lets the fluid go in one direction quickly then closes behind it and bleeds it off slowly until there is no more pressure. I would suspect the hoses first. They are pretty cheap. I believe only $25 or so per hose.

If it does turn out to be your calipers though it maybe just the slides are binding up not the actual caliper. When a caliper fails it usually fails permanently. Stock calipers for our cars are cheap to. GM did not change their design in roughly 15 years. Those are about $25 as well for remanufactured pieces. Rebuild kits can be had for $10 or less. It's easy to do with some compressed air and sand paper handy.


Hope this helps.

 

I swapped em out yesterday with the cutlass calipers, but it didn't fix it. I'm not getting any brake fluid at the right rear, and the brake line on the left rear wheel cylinder is leaking really bad too. I think the main problem is the rearend is trying to lock up or something. I can put the car in gear and it won't move till I stomp on the gas. It makes real loud popping noises when driving it. It's basically impossible to take off without spinning the tires and going sideways in it too.

Needless to say, I won't be driving till I replace some stuff and get it safe again. On the other hand, I now know that g-body calipers interchange with f-bodies.

 

Do these in order
Find and repair all leaks
Change your front hoses $15/ each
Change your front calipers $10 + core/ each

Heck you can do a whole brake job for around 100 if you can do the work yourself.

Pads 20
Shoes 18
Hoses 30
Wheel cylinders 26
Calipers 20
Drum brake hardware kit 5
Brake fluid
Turn rotors and drums and flush brake system.

 

^^^^^^^^ Sounds like the plan.

I agree totally. Sounds as though you have some seriuos issues with this braking system.

There are two rules that must be fallowed when fixing a car. Never ever go cheap on brakes or tires. They are the number one most important items on a car!!

 

I'll agree and second Gladstones comments.


As far as no fluid at the rear, it is likely the hoses. If you don't mind bleeding the whole system (including the master cylinder), take off the rear passenger brake hose from the brake line end (not the cylinder end) and with the engine running pump like crazy. Any blockage should come through. Replace the hose and do the same for the rear driver side. Then replace your rear hoses, rear cylinders and consider the drum shoes and turning the drums. Replace your front hoses too, the same thing will eventually happen to them as well.

Now bleed the MC, fill it up with new synthetic DOT3 (or if you like, DOT4). Bleed the living heck out of the system with the engine off, starting with the rear passenger side, continue to bleed until the fluid runs clear. Do the same for the rear driver side, then front passenger, ending with the front driver side.

That should get it working unless there is some *SERIOUS* corrosion in the lines or a bad MC or a stuck valve.

Don't go cheap on the brakes...

 

I probably won't do anymore work on it till I find another rearend or a whole parts car for it. I rounded off the carrier bolt that holds the axles in along time ago when I was gonna replace a leaking axle seal, so it keeps soaking the brake shoes with 90w.

I have bled the whole system a lot over the past few years. Every time I think I might actually be able to fix it for a change. I've replaced the wheel cylinders and shoes 2 different times with no results. I replaced the master cylinder and booster. Eventually I figured it had to be the proportioning valve, so I replaced that and it still didn't fix it.

I haven't drove the car in traffic for at least 2 years now because of the brakes. I only drive it in an empty parking lot next to our house to do burnouts and stuff.

Usually a couple times of year I charge up the battery on it and put it on jackstands so I can work on it, hoping to get it driveable again. Unfortuneately, I never can seem to fix it. I plan on doing all the things you guys suggested, it'll just be awhile before I do because of a lack of funds, so back to the field it goes. thanks for the replies.

 

Is there no way to get that bolt out? How about a bolt grabber. A socket looking tool used to cut into the metal of the bolt head and break it loose. Like an easy out. You can get them at sears. I am assuming you are refering to the 1/4 head bolt that hold the c-clip pin into place?
Just keep at it you'll find a way to get it out.