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Re: Brake Problems

To: Steve Semeraro <semeraro@erols.com>
Subject: Re: Brake Problems
From: Anita Barrett <anitabrt@mindspring.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 19:35:42 -0500
At 07:15 PM 11/21/97 -0500, you wrote:
>I've been having brake problems.  Here are the symptoms.  Flush the 
>system and everything seems fine.  Leave the car a few days and the 
>fluid is real low and the pedal has gotten real soft.  Top up the fluid 
>and drive around.  Pedal is soft, but stops the car.  Fluid stays where 
>it is.  Let the car sit for 8 hours and the fluid is back down again.  
>There is no sign of any fluid leaking out (or at least not hitting the 
>ground).  My local station, which is usually pretty good, first 
>suggested that the problem was that I needed new rotors.  OK, so I 
>bought those.  But now they say I need new calipers.  Is this a likely 
>cause or are they just switching parts?  If I do need new calipers how 
>hard are they to rebuild?  Do most folks use rebuild kits or buy rebuilt 
>units?  Many thanks in advance for any advice.
>
>Steve Semeraro
>Series V Alpine
>1968 Marcos GT
>
If you are talking about a Tiger, then it could be the master cylinder is
leaking.
The Tiger has a double firewall section where the master cylinder is mounted
and the fluid can drip down in between and not hit the ground.  Pull the carpet
around the cylinder and take a good look.  The soft pedal is probably air in
the 
lines caused by running out of fluid at least one time.

The fluid could also be going into the power brake unit.  Rebuild
/replacement required.

.  Calipers are easy to rebuild yourself and hard $ to find otherwise.
Disconnect the brake hoses where they are  attached to the steel lines.
Use two wrenches, one on the upper connector and one on the lower.
Disconnect the upper connector of the steel line first.  Then remove the nut
that 
holds the brake hose to the bracket. Remove the two bolts that hold the
steering arm on.
Keep track of the bolt positions verses the length of the bolts.  ( about
1/8" difference in length)
If necessary, use clamps to retract the pistons to enable  the removal of
the pads.
Remove the caliper and pads.  Stick a thin board in between the two pistons
and then
use an air hose to blow a piston out.(air via the brake line). You may have
to reinsert
 the loose piston a little bit to be able to blow the other one out.  Remove
the pistons
 and check for rust. If they are rusty, then replace then.  Remove the
rectangular 
cross section "O" ring from each bore and clean up the rust. The rebuild kit is
 simply two square cross section  "O" rings and two dust shield rubber boots.
Use Girling rubber grease on everything to slow down additional rust.
  No big deal.  Do a good job of bleeding the system after you have the
calipers 
back on.  Be sure to bleed the rear brakes too. Take care when
 replacing the bolts that hold the steering arm in. The bolts are slightly
different
 lengths.  Put the long one in the wrong hole and you may damage the rotor. 
Rebuild the master cylinder or power brake while you are at it.

Jim Barrett Tiger II 351C and others


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