Brakes - Why You Should Change Them

["Robert Moseley" <videobob@xxxx>]

If you have an original set of brake calipers that have not been
replaced yet then you should make plans to do it.

My brakes had been working badly, everytime I hit hard the brakes
pulled to the right, and at slow speeds I heard a wierd rattle sound.
I figured that at the least I needed new pads.

Since I am lucky enough to live about an hour away from John Hervey
(Special-T-Auto) I popped by there and picked up a set of pads
to go all around the car.

I planned to have my buddy who runs an auto shop change them out.
He quickly noticed that my pads were in great shape, like new even.
They were the original pads!
The rotors looked like crap though.
We also discovered that the pistons would not move and the
front drivers side were completely frozen!
Also, the wheels seemed almost stuck.
You couldn't free spin them, they would only move as much as your
hand would move them with much resistance and then stop!

Pad's alone were not going to work.
I called John and he had the fix.
A new set of rebuilt / loaded calipers.
We put the wheels back on the car and I drove it out to Forney.
About 3 hours later I had in hand two new sets of calipers.
We removed the rotors and even though people say NOT to machine
the rotors I had no choice.
I didn't have any others to replace them with so again I had
not choice. We did about 3 turns on them before they were straight 
again - smooth as a baby's ass.

We installed the rotors and calipers in minutes and bled them.
The wheels now spin freely and the pads fit like a glove.

My brakes are now like new and my rolling resistance has been greatly
reduced. I never realized how much of my gas milage and road vibration
was coming from those bad calipers!

Moral of the story?
If you have not changed out your original calipers - DO IT.
Don't bother putting on new pads or trying to simply rebuild them
with a kit.
John Hervery takes each set of core calipers and removes all of the
surface rust inside and out, bead blasts them and paints the outside.
They are BETTER that new.
My car is an much of a shining example of a perfect concourse
unrestored Delorean as you will find.
Garage kept in the southwest, no road salt, no raid driving, never
see snow (except for the cocaine in the trunk) and is in perfect
shape. Why are the brakes in such bad shapes that they rusted shut?
That I can't tell you.

It doesn't matter if you buy your brakes from John, PJ or Don
you need to do it.
At the very least take your wheels off and see if the caliper pistons
are moving in and out.
If they are you are lucky.
Chances are they are up against the rotor and when you stomp
on the brakes hard enough they move in just enough to stop you.
Check to see if your wheel spins freely and if the rotor is warped.
(if it is, it will be looser or tighter in places).

Just a note for you all.
I want my 81 auto to be absolutely perfect.
it is my daily driver and I have racked over 4000 miles on it
since I got it last month!

- Videobob
VIN# 5278
http://www.dfwdmc.com