brakes Front end rebuild questions- calipers, bolts, center link.

[andrewro]

Okay everyone, I've been working on the front end all day. As many of you know, I am replacing bushings, ball joints, tie rods, center link, wheel bearings, rotors, pads, etc., etc.

Today I have accomplished almost everything I'd hoped to, basically getting all the old parts off the car, except I don't have the center link out of the car. Any tips on removing it without pulling the subframe? I can't really hammer it out from above.

Second issue - the bolts at the strut base which should have speed wire - well on the driver's side these have been replaced with non-speedwire bolts. One has a 12mm head and the other two have 13mm heads, but apparently the thread is correct on all three. On the other side all bolts were present without the wire. I did shear one of these, however. There's a little thread protruding so maybe I can weld a nut and try it that way. I did try to get more of these from the dealer before I started but we couldn't find them on the fiche.

Third issue, and a big one. My calipers are shot! I thought they might be okay since I didn't feel any pulling under braking, but the seals are shot on both. The driver's side is particularly bad, with the seals pretty much gone.

I would love some suggestions regarding the calipers. I will not have any money for them until I get paid next Friday. Autohaus AZ has them for $55 each plus $40 core, but they say it's a special order item with limited availability. Anyone here tried to order from them? The price at BMP, BavAuto, etc., is just too much to pay if I can find another way.

Has anybody had their calipers rebuilt by a local shop? Is there a way to tell beforehand whether a caliper can be rebuilt? Anybody done it themselves? I know it's pretty easy but I don't think I have the necessary tools to do it right. I am thinking my left side one may be too far gone but I don't really know how to confirm this. I am going to call around on Monday and see what I can learn. Here's a pic of the caliper. I know it's hard to see. I'll have them off once I figure out how to pinch the brake lines to keep fluid from dripping.

Thanks very much for your help! Overall this set of repairs is going pretty smoothly, and if I'd had more money I would have ordered the calipers in the first place!

Andrew

[andrewro]

Here's a couple of better pics:

-Andrew

[John_in_VA]

before you buy - he usually has great deals. Give him a call.

www.stevehaygood.com

[jgerry2002]

hmm... interesting... calipers not that long ago were available cheaply from the usual sources.

Now most are not listing them. Have to wonder if the rebuilds have (temporarily) dried up for some reason.

I do see seal kits available though.

[andrewro]

The $55 per caliper is a great price from Autohaus AZ; I'm calling them on Monday to find out what they really mean by "special order - limited availability."

Regarding the center link: Do I really need to replace it if it is straight? There aren't ball joints on it or anything. I do have new idler arm bushings and I cannot tell how on earth I'm gonna get those things in... I've searched extensively here and apparently they're a tough job.

[DukeRimmer]

I think you're worrying too much. The pics show rotten boots. If there's no pulling, no leaks, your seals are ok, and the bores are probably ok. Get a rebuild kit and change the boots. While you're at it, may as well replace seals too.

[PhileasFogg]

I bought a set of calipers (among other things) from Autohaus last week. I think the limited availability means they do not have them in stock and need to get them from their warehouse or supplier.

When I ordered mine last Monday they said it would be a day for them to get them and then they would ship them out to me. UPS tracking says I should have them tomorrow.

Best of all Free shipping on orders over $50!

Regards,

Phileas