i just took off my rear wheels for the 1st time(only had the car for a month) to change the rear brakes... i have 4 wheel disks... i came accross something really odd...

on the passenger side.. the rear caliper is mounted on the front of the disk... and on the driver side.. the caliper is mounted on the rear of the disk..

is this normal????? i thought both had to be on the same side??

anyways.. im trying to change the brakes but WHAT B*TCH!!! the passenger side is crazy!!! how the hell do you get the caliper off the assembly?? it looks like i have to drop the control arm to get the bolt out and take off the emergency brake set up just to get the caliper to move off...

is there another way? or is this the way it has to be. also.. how do i depress the piston?? i have a C-clamp but the damn thing does NOT want to move at all. what am i missing?? the hane's manual just says use a C-clamp and compress it... yeah right... thing is not moving. HELP ME!!!

 

Pass caliper is supposed to be mounted as you stated, in front of the rotor.
Control arm and emerg brake do have to be disconnected.
Sucks huh?
There's a tool your supposed to use to "spin" the piston back into the caliper.
The emerg brake actuator rod goes thru the back of the caliper and threads into the back of the piston.
Turning the rod one way makes the piston extend further, turning it the other way will make the rod climb into the piston since nothing keeps it from sliding into the caliper.
With the emerg brake lever removed from the rod, turn the rod SLIGHTLY so it wants to thread itself into the caliper. The piston can now be pushed into housing a small amount. Repeat SLIGHTLY turning rod and pushing piston till it's all the way back inside caliper.
Turning the rod more than "slightly" will cause the sealing surface of the rod to seperate itself from the seal and could cause a leak.
I used a steering wheel puller to press the piston back into the caliper. To prevent damage to the piston from the puller (or what ever you use to push piston back in) re-install the old piston-side brake pad and let the tooling press on it.
Autozone sells a tool to press piston with for abt $6 or so.
I couldn't get a C-clamp to work since the emerg brake rod is right in the way.

Have fun!

 

I've just brought a rear axle from Trans Am GTA in a junkyard and thats how mine is setup.

Herman

 

Hey Dave, Orange Ca. here too. You must know my wifes car- 87 rs white top/red bottom stripes in the middle, one of a kind paint -hard to miss.

Anyways, like they said above, the rear calipers on every reardisc car starting I believe in the late 70's are required by law that the rear disc dial or thread back in, where as the front can just be pressed. Its a safety feature so the pad is always in position for the e-brake. It will not depress in case of fluid loss.

Dean
Orange,Ca (eastside of 55fwy)

 

crap... well that explains it... thanks guys..

hey dean im on the east side of the FiVe FiVe too... im on Handy and Hamilton.

havent seen your wifes car.. then again, i usually dont get home till about 7 or 8 after i surf.. i'll keep an eye out.

oh by the way.. do you know anyone that will " help" me pass emissions?

car is not smog legal and i need to get it on the road so i can let the tahoe have a rest. thanks

 

Dave, Idon't have any connections on smog anymore. I have a 540hp '68 vette roadrace car that we would keep smoged to drive to car events on weekends, but since it fell inder the 25yr exemption I haven't had to worry about it for several years. Its hard to find anyone willing anymore.
I'm just east of prospect elem. (Sycamore Ave) and always heading up collins past handy in the camaro.
I have an friend that hardcore surfs. He's leaving soon for a two week excursion in indonesia. Im hardcore scuba, too tall and lanky to surf anymore-its been at least 10yrs.
E-mail me if every have a question, especially suspensions. I can pretty much setup any race suspension and have a full understanding of geometry. Im a self proclaimed driving engineer. Raced auto-x several yrs and devistated BSP class, it got boring.Was sponsered by Centerforce and Cone Chevrolet.