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| If you are like me, you want your 67 to 82 Corvette to stop just as good as it goes. So when it comes to your brake system, you want it to be of top quality. You want to install everything one time and be sure that everything is right. That is why we contacted Zip Corvette Parts., 8067 Fast Lane, Mechanicsville, VA 23111, (800) 962-9632, and The Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation, 800-448-7722 when it came time to replace the brake system on the Sweepstakes 78 Corvette. They were able to supply everything in the brake system that we needed to do the job right the first time. We even received a set of their new turbo gas slotted rotors. These rotors have a computerized C.N.C. groove pattern on each rotor for improved wet braking, reduced brake fade and improved pad cleaning. Every one of these enhancements are an advantage to any Corvette owner. Brake replacement takes a little more than average mechanical ability and more than common hand tools, but it is not extremely difficult. You should be able to accomplish this task easily in one weekend. Now with this in mind, let's get started putting the whoa back in our Corvette. |
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01: Here is everything we received from Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation: 4 Turbo Gas Slotted Rotors, 4 Stainless Steel Calipers, 2 sets Brake Pads, 4 Brake Hoses and Clips, Master Cylinder, Emergency Brake Cables and Hardware, Caliper Lines and Mounting Hardware. We also received Dot 5 silicone brake fluid. A shop and assembly manual for your year Corvette is also very handy. |
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02: Start by placing the car securely on jack stands. Spray all of the brake mounting bolts, hoses and lines two or three times with a penetrating oil. It is a good idea to do this the day before so the oil has a chance to soak each bolt and fitting. |
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03: Use a line wrench to loosen all of the brake hoses and lines. With a line wrench you are less likely to round the fittings off. Remove all of the retaining clips. |
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04: Start in the front and remove the caliper and hose. |
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05: Remove the grease cap, cotter key, retaining nut, washer and outer bearing. Then re-install the retaining nut loosely back onto the spindle. |
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06: Now hold the rotor on both sides and give a quick pull towards you. This will allow you to remove the inner bearing and grease seal all at one time.
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07: You will have to remove the rotor from the front hub. These were originally riveted in place. Start by center punching each rivet. |
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08: Use a 5/16" drill bit to drill approximately 1/8" to 1/4" into each rivet head. Then take a 3/8" drill bit and enlarge this area. As you drill into the rivet, the head will come off leaving the rivet stud down in the rotor and hub. Here you can see one of the heads drilled off and the remainder of the rivet still in the rotor and hub. |
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09: With all of the rivet heads off, use a flat punch to push the rivet stud through and out of the rotor and hub. |
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10: Here is the hub removed from the rotor assembly. |
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11: While we were at it, we wanted to replace all of the bearings, races and grease seals in the front hub. Zip Corvette Parts, 8067 Fast Lane, Mechanicsville, VA 23111, (800) 962-9632, was able to supply everything we needed - bearings, races, seals and washers. |
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12: You will have to remove the inner and outer races from the front hub. Looking down into the hub from either side, you will see a small cutout area on each side behind each race. This is where you use a flat punch or flat chisel to tap out the old race. |
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13. Place the new race into the hub and use a bearing and race installation tool to install the race. In a pinch, you can even use the wide side of the old race and a hammer to install the new race. Make sure each new race is seated against the hub lip. |
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14: Use a bearing packer tool to pack each bearing. These tools are readily available from most auto parts stores and they are priced under $10. |
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15: Use some grease to lube the inner area of the hub between the inner and outer race.
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16: Install the greased inner bearing and then tap the grease seal into place on the hub. Always make sure that you start the seal squarely into the hub. |
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17: Place the hub on the spindle and then install the outer bearing, washer and retaining nut. Install the nut finger tight. Do not tighten. |
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18: Install the brake pads into the new caliper. Then place the retaining pin and cotter key into place. The head of the retaining pin should be toward the outside of the car. |
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19: Mount the new rotor onto the hub, then install the caliper. You will notice that we marked each rotor as to their location. The turbo slots are directional so they need to be installed in the correct location on the car. Squeeze the pads apart and slide one end of the caliper and pad over the rotor to start it into place. Here you will notice that we used 2 lug nuts to hold the rotor tight against the hub. You do not have to do this but it does make it easier to work with. |
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20: Before you install the brake hose to the caliper, make sure you install a copper washer between the hose fitting and caliper. This step is very important. |
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21: Install the front brake hose and tap the retaining clip into place. Now install the front brake line to the hose. |
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22: If your rear rotor is still riveted into place, you will have to remove it by drilling them out just like the front hub. |
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23: Again punch the rivets through the rotor and axle flange. |
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24: The only difference now is that the rivet heads will probably stick in the emergency brake assembly. Make sure that you remove any rivet that ends up in the emergency brake assembly. Use a pair of needle nose pliers to fish the rivets out. With the rivets removed, pull the old rotor off the axle flange. |
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25: Disconnect and remove the rear emergency brake cables. They are held in place by two retaining clips and the equalizer |
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26: To install a new front cable, remove the emergency brake cable and handle from the car. Open the handle all the way up and remove the old cable from the slotted retainer. Feed the new cable up into the handle and slide the end up into the handle slot. Now feed the cable back through the floor and bolt the handle back into place. Remember to re-install the small rubber grommet on the cable where it seals the hole in the transmission tunnel. NOTE: You will have to remove the side console covers and center armrest to remove the emergency brake handle assembly. |
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27: Install the new rear cables onto the emergency brake assembly arm at the rear hub and into their retaining brackets. |
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28: Place the new cable retaining clips onto the new cables. |
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29: The equalizer can now be placed over the rear cable and the front cable stud slid into place through the equalizer. Attach the spring and snug the cable making sure the handle is in the off position. |
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30: Install the new rear rotor onto the axle flange. Make sure that one of the access holes line up with the access hole in the axle flange. This will allow you to adjust the emergency brake shoes without disconnecting and removing the rear caliper and rotor. |
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31: Install the new caliper onto the rear rotor. You may want to use 2 lug nuts to hold the rotor tight against the axle flange. Use the flat side of the lug nut to bolt up against the rotor. After the rotor is bolted into place, attach the new lines and hoses. |
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32: Use a line wrench to loosen and remove the master cylinder lines. Remember to place a towel under the master cylinder to catch the fluid that drips out. Now remove the master cylinder from the booster. |
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33: You will have to bench bleed the new master cylinder before you install it. There are numerous ways to do this, but the easiest is to purchase plastic master cylinder fittings and rubber hose from any auto parts store. Screw the fittings into place and put the hoses into their respective portion of the master cylinder. Securely mount the new master cylinder in a vise. Fill both sections of the master cylinder with fluid. Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation recommends using their competition grade DOT 5 Silicone Fluid. Now use a punch or large phillips screwdriver to push the plunger into the master cylinder. Make sure that the hoses stay submerged in the fluid while you push the cylinder in. Use short, even strokes. As you do this, you will see bubbles coming up into the fluid. What you are doing is removing the air from the master cylinder valve and ports. Continue to slowly work the master cylinder until the bubbles disappear. You will feel the plunger get harder to push as the air is expelled and replaced with fluid. When you are done, re-install the master cylinder. |
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34: Now you are ready to bleed the system. Again there are numerous ways to do this but the easiest is gravity bleeding. Start by opening all of the caliper bleeder screws. Disconnect the power brake booster hose and check valve from the booster. Place the front tires on the rotors and then lower the front tires onto the ground. Jack the rear of the car up so that the center of the rear axle flange is 15" above the plane of the floor. Observe each bleeder valve. When fluid starts to flow out constantly, close the valve. Make sure fluid comes out of each bleeder valve. Whenever you are installing a complete new brake system, you want to make sure you purge all of the old fluid out of the lines. When the fluid starts to flow out of the open bleeders, it will be the old brake fluid. Wait until you see the clean new fluid start to flow out of the bleeders. When all of the bleeders are closed, top off the master cylinder. Re-connect the power brake booster hose and your system is bled. If fluid does not flow out in 10 or 15 minutes, you probably have some type of restrictions which you will have to locate and correct. Remember to keep the master cylinder full while you are gravity bleeding. Also by attaching a clear hose to each bleeder valve and into a container, you will keep brake fluid from running all over the garage floor. |
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35: With the brake system bled, you can now adjust the emergency brake cables as per your shop manual. Tighten the front wheel bearings as per your shop manual. Install the tires and wheels and place the car on the ground. Press the brake pedal down and make sure that you have brakes before venturing out. Also, try your emergency brake and check to make sure it is adjusted properly. Here are our new Turbo Gas Slotted Rotors and stainless steel calipers. Ready to put the Whoa Back in our Corvette. |
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Disc Brake System Overhaul: 1963-1982 Corvette Disc Brake Overhaul Source: Zip Corvette Parts 8067 Fast Lane Mechanicsville, VA 23111 (800) 962-9632 Parts List:
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