Brakes Fell Out of My GSL-SE
04-19-14, 10:59 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Co.
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Brakes Fell Out of My GSL-SE
So, I was driving the other day, heard a grind, came home and as I rounded the curve in my drive, *pop* *grind* *bang bang bang* *grind* and then no brake pedal pressure. I grabbed the e-brake and steered towards a hole in my fence but stopped very early with just the handbrake.
When I got out there was a bad actually on the ground so I babied it around the curve and into it's parking spot.
I decided that beings I have to do the brakes and it will need a caliper, I figured it would be as good a time as any to replace all the brake components. Boy, was that a mistake...
After a week of waiting, the local parts stores finally had my parts for pickup. Sucked trying to nail down which stores could get what parts, but it finally worked out and I picked them up today. Got home with bearings, rotors, calipers, pads, hardware, fluid, and then it hits me... they gave me (and charged me) for two full sets of pads and only one bearing for each... Oh well, the bearings in it are good, just figured it would be good to replace them.
Dug into it and found out that I need steering arm ball joint on drivers side... well, thankfully previous owner has two in the car.
Terrifyingly, it looks like someone was in there and decided they didn't have the ability to pop the bearings out and put the new ones in because the grease is really new and everything turned pretty freely.
Got the drivers side done with some doing and some MAP gas... Moved on to the ball joint... Popped it out... don't have the damn 21 to turn it off with... So, that's as far as I've gotten, but tomorrow is a new day to play with the grease and brakes. Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Also, I've looked around, is there a spindle and brake system that I can consider with MINIMAL (I know there will be some) fabrication. I have even been considering S5 shock towers, but I would like to move to a hub and brake system that are separate for the most part? I am seriously considering cutting the towers out of a 2000ish mustang or the towers out of a 240 from about 93 or so...
When I got out there was a bad actually on the ground so I babied it around the curve and into it's parking spot.
I decided that beings I have to do the brakes and it will need a caliper, I figured it would be as good a time as any to replace all the brake components. Boy, was that a mistake...
After a week of waiting, the local parts stores finally had my parts for pickup. Sucked trying to nail down which stores could get what parts, but it finally worked out and I picked them up today. Got home with bearings, rotors, calipers, pads, hardware, fluid, and then it hits me... they gave me (and charged me) for two full sets of pads and only one bearing for each... Oh well, the bearings in it are good, just figured it would be good to replace them.
Dug into it and found out that I need steering arm ball joint on drivers side... well, thankfully previous owner has two in the car.
Terrifyingly, it looks like someone was in there and decided they didn't have the ability to pop the bearings out and put the new ones in because the grease is really new and everything turned pretty freely.
Got the drivers side done with some doing and some MAP gas... Moved on to the ball joint... Popped it out... don't have the damn 21 to turn it off with... So, that's as far as I've gotten, but tomorrow is a new day to play with the grease and brakes. Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Also, I've looked around, is there a spindle and brake system that I can consider with MINIMAL (I know there will be some) fabrication. I have even been considering S5 shock towers, but I would like to move to a hub and brake system that are separate for the most part? I am seriously considering cutting the towers out of a 2000ish mustang or the towers out of a 240 from about 93 or so...
04-20-14, 02:42 AM
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Co.
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm sorry, I just reread that and I definitely could have been more clear.
I took the car out for a drive the other day and while I was out I heard a grind. There was no other noise, just a fleeting crunch under moderate braking. Well, beings I haven't had the time to get into brakes yet, I figured it best to go home and inspect them. As I came up my driveway (1/10 of a mile, uphill, dirt, middle of nowhere), I heard the pop, grind, few bangs, and a grind, which I'm sure is when a caliper blew. I got out and found a pad on the ground after I stopped with the handbrake. It's not really a huge issue, I just decided to replace all the parts on the front brake system. Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to find all of the parts in a single place and at reasonable prices (can't say completely impossible because I'm sure someone, somewhere has). I ordered them, waited a week. Picked them up. Dug in. Saw the tie rod ball joint. Got stuck for the day until I can pick up a 21mm(?) wrench to pull it off with.
In essence, I'm repairing with stock parts now. However, I don't like doing bearings constantly and I do drive a lot so brakes wear out pretty quickly. I tend to see about one brake change per year. I'm not going to put used bearings in new rotors ever again (I have to this time because I only have half of the bearings) as I just don't like doing that sort of thing and, unless I see abnormal pad wear, I replace the rotors when I replace the pads. Because of the costs of bearings and rotors for this setup, I was wondering what brake modifications are available to avoid the issues of reusing bearings and also having to do them each time. I also really don't like the bearings being exposed to the same heat strain as the brakes (considering they already have their own stuff to deal with).
What I would like to find is a setup that has a spindle with the hub attached to it and the rotor that can be replaced quickly and easily without having to replace the hub and bearings. I would love to use S5 coilovers, but I think they have the rotor/hub thing going on as well (I have an S5, just haven't had the chance to dig into it yet).
I wrote the initial post in a half-dead moment after working on the car. I do apologize.
I took the car out for a drive the other day and while I was out I heard a grind. There was no other noise, just a fleeting crunch under moderate braking. Well, beings I haven't had the time to get into brakes yet, I figured it best to go home and inspect them. As I came up my driveway (1/10 of a mile, uphill, dirt, middle of nowhere), I heard the pop, grind, few bangs, and a grind, which I'm sure is when a caliper blew. I got out and found a pad on the ground after I stopped with the handbrake. It's not really a huge issue, I just decided to replace all the parts on the front brake system. Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to find all of the parts in a single place and at reasonable prices (can't say completely impossible because I'm sure someone, somewhere has). I ordered them, waited a week. Picked them up. Dug in. Saw the tie rod ball joint. Got stuck for the day until I can pick up a 21mm(?) wrench to pull it off with.
In essence, I'm repairing with stock parts now. However, I don't like doing bearings constantly and I do drive a lot so brakes wear out pretty quickly. I tend to see about one brake change per year. I'm not going to put used bearings in new rotors ever again (I have to this time because I only have half of the bearings) as I just don't like doing that sort of thing and, unless I see abnormal pad wear, I replace the rotors when I replace the pads. Because of the costs of bearings and rotors for this setup, I was wondering what brake modifications are available to avoid the issues of reusing bearings and also having to do them each time. I also really don't like the bearings being exposed to the same heat strain as the brakes (considering they already have their own stuff to deal with).
What I would like to find is a setup that has a spindle with the hub attached to it and the rotor that can be replaced quickly and easily without having to replace the hub and bearings. I would love to use S5 coilovers, but I think they have the rotor/hub thing going on as well (I have an S5, just haven't had the chance to dig into it yet).
I wrote the initial post in a half-dead moment after working on the car. I do apologize.
04-20-14, 02:34 PM
#5
Moderator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Posts: 30,844
Received 2,606 Likes
on
1,849 Posts
so you want to do some complex and expensive upgrade to your car because your parts stores aren't any good?
it seems like you would be way ahead by just finding a pair of extra struts, and rebuilding those, and then when the brakes on the car wear out, just swapping complete assemblies, and then rebuilding the old ones.
the FC does have a separate hub and rotor, but the bearings don't seem to last as long, and its not any cheaper, or easier to get
it seems like you would be way ahead by just finding a pair of extra struts, and rebuilding those, and then when the brakes on the car wear out, just swapping complete assemblies, and then rebuilding the old ones.
the FC does have a separate hub and rotor, but the bearings don't seem to last as long, and its not any cheaper, or easier to get
04-22-14, 10:02 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Beach
Posts: 303
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
so you want to do some complex and expensive upgrade to your car because your parts stores aren't any good?
it seems like you would be way ahead by just finding a pair of extra struts, and rebuilding those, and then when the brakes on the car wear out, just swapping complete assemblies, and then rebuilding the old ones.
the FC does have a separate hub and rotor, but the bearings don't seem to last as long, and its not any cheaper, or easier to get
it seems like you would be way ahead by just finding a pair of extra struts, and rebuilding those, and then when the brakes on the car wear out, just swapping complete assemblies, and then rebuilding the old ones.
the FC does have a separate hub and rotor, but the bearings don't seem to last as long, and its not any cheaper, or easier to get
Have two complete assemblies and just swap and re-build so you don't have to worry about your car being decommissioned.
but after I looked into upgrading to the FC rear suspension, honestly it's lifespan is equal to the live axle for the FB.
It is an option, but in the long run you'd just be spending more money to maintain the FC
04-23-14, 09:29 PM
#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Co.
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Buying spares and rebuilding them still leaves me with the issue of replacing the bearings EVERY time I have to do the brakes. On top of that, there are no performance parts available for it. This means that if I ever flex the car into something besides daily driving (or even under a lot of spirited driving)... I won't stop...
Even if the bearings on the FC last three brake changes, that's going to be three times longer than they will last on the FB with the way I will change them due to design.
Is the FC system viable (or more so at least), than say, a 2000 Mustang GT? Or an S13 240?
Even if the bearings on the FC last three brake changes, that's going to be three times longer than they will last on the FB with the way I will change them due to design.
Is the FC system viable (or more so at least), than say, a 2000 Mustang GT? Or an S13 240?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Tem120
3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002)
4
09-07-15 09:53 AM