Well I found out from the dealer that there was a "campaign" for the rear disc brakes on my 85TA, so I bought the kit and also bought the front rebuild kit so I can do all four calipers at the same time.... the kit for the rear comes with new pistons, seals, some clips, and these huge springs, too big for the E-brake cable.... the damn thing didn't come with instructions though... anyone know anything about this "campaign"?

I am also flushing out all the old fluid, does anyone have any ideas about what kind of flushing agent to use and the procedure? Thanks for any help you can give me....

Kevin

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Kevin Irving
85 Trans Am WS-6, 305 TPI, custom burned '86 PROM with '87 "165"ECM, Accel Supercoil & 8.8 Wires, MSD 6AL, Aluminum Driveshaft, TB Coolant Bypass, Ported Plenum, Modified MAF, Syclone Fuel Pump, JET Airfoil

15.556 @ 86.65mph, Nov 10, 2000.... I know it sucks.. but it will get better!

http://www.geocities.com/transam85tpi/

 

Not sure what they meant by "campaign" on the calipers. Take your time and get everything very clean before trying to assemble the calipers. Use a little brake fluid to lubricate the seals and pistons to make it easier to put together (unless they happen to give you some special assembly lube). For flushing out the brake lines, just use new fluid. Empty out all the old fluid you can from the master cylinder and wipe it out with a clean towel or ragand then fill it up with clean new fluid.Get a 16oz plastic bottle and run a 14" or so piece of clear tubing (3/16") from the bleeder to the bottle. Bleed the calipers one at a time until you get clean fluid (you'll be able to see the change in the tube) and then move to the next wheel. I usually go couterclockwise around the car starting w/ drivers rear wheel. You'll probably need a couple of pints of fluid to flush it good and it'll take a while if it's your first time. Just don't rush and keep an eye on the fluid level in the master cylinder. Make sure it doesn't run out or you'll get to start over again. Good luck, Rob.

 

Kevin, feel free to buy yourself a Haynes 82-92 Firebird (or Camaro) manual... I got mine at Pep Boys. It gives the exact same caliper rebuild information inside as my GM Service Book! In fact when I rebuilt my rear discs I left the GM book inside and took the cheap Haynes out to the workbench.

Rebuilding the rear calipers is cake.. as Rob said, make sure to lube the new seals & pistons with brake fluid- but that's covered in the Haynes book.

If I can clarify one thing Rob said about the flushing procedure- when you empty out your master cylinder (siphon the fluid out, or use a small cup and scoop it out), make sure to leave the bottom valves covered, and Don't hit the brakes during this! You want to keep all air out of the master cylinder's insides (bleeding those is a real pain the butt)!

I'd also suggest replacement of all the hard-line-to-caliper hoses- at least in the back. The back is a great time now, since you'll have the calipers off. In fact to prevent yourself from draining your master cylinder, you can do this with the rear body-to-axle (center) brake hose:

1. Cut the old hose in half with wire snips
2. Screw a bolt into the hose end to keep the master cylinder from emptying itself. (A golf tee, or similar, might also work.)

If you want, you can have someone help you flush out the rear brake portion of the master cylinder easily- you can do this method because you'll have unhooked the calipers from the car (for the rebuild). If you were going to "just" flush the system (no caliper rebuild work), then you'd bleed the brakes until fresh fluid came out. Here goes:

1. Cut your brake line & plug it as I mentioned
2. Remove the master cylinder cap
3. ** The front-most master cylinder reservoir is for the rear brakes. This is the one you want to watch closely!!
4. Siphon old fluid out of the front-most reservoir. Wipe the sides down like Rob said with a clean, lint-free rag.
5. Get a big bottle of new brake fluid ready
6. Fill the front-most reservoir up with new brake fluid
7. Have a friend go under the back of the car, place a drain pan under the back hose, and remove the plug from the hose
8. Tell the friend to yell out when the brake fluid turns from murky to clear.
9. As the front-most reservoir drains, fill it with the new fluid
10. If you get near the end of your brake fluid bottle, yell to your friend "cap the line!"
11. When your friend says clear fluid's coming out, yell back "Cap the line!"

That flushed out the "rear" system. You'll still need to bleed the rear brakes.

You can also do a similar procedure on the front brakes- remember, the rear-most reservoir is for the front brakes, so keep an eye on the right one! (After a long night of working on my car, I got the two backwards, let the master cylinder run dry, and gave myself one helluva headache. I shoulda stopped working and went to bed! )

Oh to fit my rear brake bleeder screws for the "normal" bleeding job, I had to find 5/16" inside-diameter hose at a local "everything" parts store.

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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

[This message has been edited by TomP (edited January 06, 2001).]

 

Hey Tom, and 90 FFBird, thanks for the great info, I've printed it out and it's in the garage for when I get my calipers back. I can't wait to get all this stuff back together!!!

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Kevin Irving
85 Trans Am WS-6, 305 TPI, custom burned '86 PROM with '87 "165"ECM, Accel Supercoil & 8.8 Wires, MSD 6AL, Aluminum Driveshaft, TB Coolant Bypass, Ported Plenum, Modified MAF, Syclone Fuel Pump, JET Airfoil

15.556 @ 86.65mph, Nov 10, 2000.... I know it sucks.. but it will get better!

http://www.geocities.com/transam85tpi/

 

You're welcome- and that's one bad *** looking car you've got, by the way!


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!