andylong

Hi all,

Been a while since I've posted but embarking on (for me) a biggish project to sort out my beloved S - she'll be 16 in December!

Right rear brake caliper is crudded up and has been binding and as a result wore the pads all the way down and trashed the disc too. So, time to bite the bullet and swap out both rear calipers for new/refurbed ones, new discs, new brake lines. While I'm at it it's about time the old girl was spruced up a bit so getting Lepsons to do my wheels and even getting new number plates (old ones are cruddy around the edges where water/crap has leaked in).

Started yesterday after much reading and first bit easy, thanks to new jack, and wheels carted down to Gillingham in the missus' hippo.




You can see the right rear is completely fecked



So: issue one, brake line completely crudded up.



Judicious application of wd40, (pb blaster on order) leverage and flare wrench I finally got the nut out of the line - the flare isn't sticking out the bottom of the nut though - nut still very stiff on line so left oil to penetrate and will come back to it - really don't want to cut it off and reflare - don't have the tool!



Next job, calipers off, not a major problem though the handbrake cable was a bitch til i slackened the adjusting bolt under the centre console.

Now for the notorious brake disc screws. Well and truly seized. No problem think I - grabbing impact driver. Smiting the driver like Oden smites a Frost Giant (thanks s2000ellier) first 3 no problem.



Then. of course, the last one refuses to budge. The bit actually fractures before the screw moves.



Again, second bit goes. 3rd and last bit - resigned at this point to drilling the fecker out - and on last smite it moves. Do the trick with the caliper bolts and the holes and both discs off!

to be continued....!

chrispayze

Don't bother replacing the screws, they're only there to make it easier to remove/replace wheels etc.

noodels

Use a center punch and hammer first to loosen the screws and will never have too drill one out.

andylong

progress report - discs off, front brake lines replaced, all the hardline nuts loosened now. whew.

Exhaust tips and mufflers were looking pretty second hand - so time for a clean. Tips off (eventually)

Hot soapy water, scrub scrub scrub then Brasso and Autosol and looking pretty good. The fixing bolts had corroded into humps on either side of the bracket and become an integral part of the metal so drilled out and replaced with stainless hex bolt to fix against pipe.

Autosol and a wire brush & drill on the mufflers and they've come out looking pretty good!

Before



After

noodels

Thats a good idea on the silencers they have polished up well

andylong

Thanks - really pleased, thought I would have to paint them but the stainless came right up..

So I've caved and I'm doing the fronts too. I forgot how chunkier the whole front brake setup was. Unfortunately all the tricks left me with 2 rotor screws on the fronts that refused to budge - center punch, heat, PBblaster, more heat, much smiting with impact driver.... just not happening - so had to drill both out. Never mind - there's no way the intact threads are being repopulated!

Can't wait to finish - even the new reg plate is helping the look. Actually a bit embarrassed that I let this stuff go for so long.

Hope to get it all done this week and get to the London meet this weekend. meantime..

shiny vs not shiny :

andylong

Finished!

All four corners done, fluid flushed & bled and started the bedding in process for the redstuff.

I like the look of the stainless steel brake hoses - the EBC ones come with new banjo bolts and copper washers so torqued to the middle of their recommended range - 24nm.



Lepsons did a great job on the wheels. Good as new.




Overall I'm really happy - took the opportunity to do a service while up on the stands - I will spare you a pic of the pollen filter

Nice and shiny now for the meet on Sunday!



and those disc screws are consigned to the bin!

tozerman

Well done , good work there.
I think you really need to sort out the rust on your sub frames, you have it really bad there mate.
Also your OSR wheel is on the wrong side, you have directional tyres, swap the rear left to right and vice versa and check the fronts..

ps if the screws holding the discs on are not left alone to rust away they will be fine, mine were free after 12 years

andylong

Whoops!! Good spot!

Re the subframes and suspension arms - too late to get the wire brush out and coat in black gunk of some sort or looking at replacements down the line when bushes etc finally go?
She lives in the garage and only does a 5k miles a year now...

Deeez Nuuutz

Hi mate. Good job there.

how much did Lepsons charge for the wheel refurb?

What method did they use?