"loewent via CarKB.com" <u10197@uwe> wrote in news:775a284bde61b@uwe:

> Thanks Tegger for your hard work on that website and input.
>
> So I replaced the Brake Caliper again. Got it from Partsource. I
> know this is not a preferred source, but thats where the original
> replacement came from, and they asked me to try this before they would
> refund my money.


You should apply a bit of Sil-Glyde to the hydraulic piston so it will
slide more easily on the seal. The Sil-Glyde helps prevent gum buildup
that causes piston seizure. Aftermarket remans often are assembled with
brake fluid, to save on costs.


>
> This time, the clips and hardware that came with the caliper actually
> worked. As I mentioned earlier, I figured that would be one of the
> biggest reasons why the brake was hanging in the first place. Sure
> enough, upon disassembly of the caliper bracket, the old clips were in
> very sorry shape.
>
> Got it all installed, lubed her up as you indicated (careful not to
> get any on the rotor surface or surrounding areas).


And making sure to put just a tiny dab (1/8" dia on rears, 1/4" on
fronts) on the squeal shims. The grease will spread like crazy once the
piston clamps everything together.


>
> On another topic, as I indicated earlier, I have now confirmed that
> the front wheel bearing is bad on the same side the caliper was
> dragging. Since the caliper was defective, do you think Partsource
> will help me out on the bearing? Pretty sure the reason it failed was
> due to heat buildup from the bad caliper. I guess there is a margin
> for installation error, but is it worth a shot?



I suppose so, but I don't think you'll get very far. They can simply
point out that wheel bearings go bad all the time through simple
corrosion. You can't know for sure unless you remove it and take it
apart.


>
> So then I bled out the new caliper. Took it for a short spin to try
> some low speed braking to check for pulling left or right,
> performance, all seemed fine. Tried a couple higher speed stops, no
> problem.
>
> On the highway at 80 km/h I hit the brakes pretty hard. The car
> suddenly went all squirrelly on me, got away from me, and I ended up
> in the ditch.


Sorry to hear that.

What may have happened here is that the replacement of just one caliper
caused an imbalance in braking effort. It is always best to rebuild or
replace in axle sets, just like shocks. This way you're assured of equal
effort from either caliper.


>
> So now I have other issues. I am OK by the way. The car is mostly
> undamaged. It definitely needs an alignment now, along with a few
> suspension components. I noticed my rear upper suspension mounts are
> now both loose. Will replace those tomorrow. Here's what I checked
> over:
>
> 1. Both lower ball joints are under a year old. They seem fine using
> the 'reef on the tire while on the ground' method.
>


Not reliable. Pop the taper, lever the lower arm out of the way, then
wiggle by hand. That's the only sure way to tell.


> 2. Both Upper ball joints - no extra play. Tried moving the steering
> knuckle back and forth to test this.


Again, not necessarily a good test. Test as lower balls above.


>
> 3. Tie rods - no extra play. Just grabbed one and tried moving back
> and forth. There is a small amount of play due to a worn steering
> u-joint, but the tie rods and rack seem OK.


Were the tires jacked up so they were at their usual attitude relative
to the body, or were they hanging down? Wear will be masked if the
steering linkage is not at its usual riding attitude.


>
> 4. Springs all around. - no problems apparent. Visual inspection in
> the areas Tegger indicated.



Broken springs tend to be experientially invisible; you won't know the
spring is broken unless you look.


>
> 5. Rear upper control arms - both are shot. Once again, the 'reef on
> the tire' method. LOTS of play here. They are definitely shot. The
> Rear Upper arm does come with both bushings (inner and outer) so I am
> hoping this will fix that.


Replacing the upper arm is very easy, but it's best to use an impact
wrench.


>
> 6. Rear Lower control arms - no noticeable play. Wasn't quite sure
> how to test these, but everything appeared tight.


Check for cracks in the big bushing. Let the tire hang so as to distort
the bushing, then have a look with a strong light. Cracks will be
obvious. Anything but a complete breakup means the bushing is OK for
now.


>
> Did I miss anything?
>
> The car doesn't feel safe at highway speeds right now, though the
> steering seems fine. I'm thinking its the play from the rear upper
> arms that is causing the problem here.


It's possible. At this point I would take the car to a trusted shop and
have the entire suspension gone over by a pro.


>
> So, to anybody reading this, when doing your own brake work, BE
> CAREFUL when you road test your vehicle. I was EXTREMELY lucky. and
> probably stupid. OK definitely stupid.



I think the primary problem here was the repalcement of just one
caliper.



--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/