# anybody know anything about brakes



## Wild Ty Laserbeam (Apr 22, 2013)

So my van (aerostar) is pulling to right. I took it to a mechanic to get an alignment and the mechanic said my front calipers were sticking. I've looked it up, and I at least understand what it means, but realistically how important is it? I know it will wear my tires out quicker, but is it dangerous? Will it leave me stranded? Internet says your wheels will be hot after driving, but mine seem to get cooled off enough from wind.


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## Veil of reality (Apr 22, 2013)

I've done tons of brakes...just did my friend's last weekend. If your caliper sticks long enough the rotor will overheat and eventually warp. Then when you brake you'll feel an annoying pulse on the pedal. I'd replace the caliper before it wrecks the rotor. 

They are usually only about $50 bucks and easy to do. Just remove the wheel and locate the 2 bolts that hold the caliper on. Remove those and the "banjo" bolt that attaches the brake line to the caliper and it's off. 

Move the brake pads over to the new caliper and just put everything back the same way you removed it.

There will be air in the line after that so get a bottle of brake fluid and a foot of clear tubing too. You'll see a small nipple on the caliper with a rounded end that looks..well...like a nipple. 

Slide the tubing onto the end of the nipple and loosen it just bit. Fill your master cylinder all the way up and have a friend push on the brake and hold it in. Tighten the nipple and have him let the brake up press it down again. You'll see air bubbles and fluid coming through the tubing. 

Keep doing that until the air bubble go away and you're done.

Hope that helps.


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## Odin (Apr 22, 2013)

Thanks for the info.


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## Wild Ty Laserbeam (Apr 22, 2013)

I've got the annoying pulse already. I pretty much just drive highways. Also, the van was only $1000, it has over 225K and I only have about $1500 to my name. I'm already on the road full-time, so stopping to repair it myself may prove difficult. I've heard quotes from $200-400, and that's pretty much out of the question. How fucked can it get? How much longer can it hold up?


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## travelin (Apr 23, 2013)

quotes are extremely high. this is definatley a do it yourself fix. the aforementioned directions are very good. you should google up how to replace the part, there is probably a utube vid on how to do it.

it is extremely dangerous to leave it like it is and try to drive.


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## travelin (Apr 23, 2013)

wait? is it only pulling to the right when you hit the brakes or all the time?


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## Wild Ty Laserbeam (Apr 30, 2013)

all the time. why is it dangerous? what should I look out for? do you have any tips for how to fix it myself while out on the road. I don't have a home to do the repairs at and I don't know anybody for miles and miles.


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## Wild Ty Laserbeam (Apr 30, 2013)

by the way I have looked up how to do it. I think I could, but I just don't know any places that will let me post up and fix my van for a few hours. So, also, does anybody know which places will do it for me cheapest. thanks everybody.


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## Wild Ty Laserbeam (May 1, 2013)

Ok. I took it to a shop today and got a free brake and front-end inspection. The fucking brakes are fine!! 3 of the lugs on my front-driver's wheel were snapped, though, so I gave them $77 to cut them off and replace them. I'm glad to hear my brake system is fine. However, they said my inner and outer tie rods are worn out and quoted me at $220 to get those replaced. I'm gonna go look that stuff up, but I have a pretty basic understanding of what that means. 

Anybody got any advice on tie rods? can I do it myself? $220 a good price? I'm reluctant to spend that much money unless it is crucial. We're taking off again today. Our next site is 7 hours away.


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## travelin (May 1, 2013)

yes that is a good price on tie rod replacements. very critical parts.

while there are other things that can cause the shimmying, shaking in the front end and pulling to one side, worn tie rods are definatly one of the causes.

once that gets done, have the wheels rebalanced.

with new tie rods, newly balanced wheels and new tie rods you should be good to go.

one other thing to be looking at and they probably already did that and if it was a problem they would have told you about it, is ball joints.

ball joints are a biggie, taking much time to replace and therefore are extremely expensive.

for everyone reading this, for a vehicle purchase i consider bad ball joints a deal killer.

too much money to pour into a vehicle you probably just barely had the money to buy to begin with.

for instance i have a 2001 dodge ram pickup. this is by no means a new truck but ive been quoted from 1150 to 1850 to replace both upper and lower ball joints on both sides and the mechanics time book says its an 8 hour job to replace parts that can be bought for 55 bucks. its gonna be expensive to have done reguardless of the vehicle year. ball joints is just about the hardest thing one can attempt at the shadetree level and very dangerous without the right tools.

i got a year out of the truck before this problem has cropped up.


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## Scotty (May 10, 2013)

Don't ever get 2 jobs done in a row before test driving first!

Tie-rod tools: Sockets, maybe pipe/breaker, penetrating oil and a good hammer.

The outer are very easy to replace, the inner probably just as easy.
I used spray paint and sprayed the outter tie-rod's threads/tie-rod sleeve. Removed outer tie-rod nut from the A-Frame (Explained later) Hammer the knuckle til it pops free.
Loosen up the tie-rod sleeve a good bit. Begin to unscrew the tie-rod (a wrench helps).
Measure the paint on the threads to the center hole of the greese joint fitting.
Replace tie-rod and measure threads.

The balljoints I did the upper and lower and it was straight forward.
Spray PB Blaster/WD-40 days in advance or day of.. but spray it.

You will need sockets, socket wrench and or breaker bar or just a pipe for extra leverage.
A $15 pickle fork.
Sledge Hammer or at least hand sledge.
Jackstands or equivelant.. wood works.
Possibly a drill for the upper balljoints if never replaced. My 93 Chevy balljoints were riveted.

Remove the tire/hang the brake caliber up and out of your way with bungee cord.

A socket wrench with a bar at least probably 2 foot long. There's codder pins on the bolts.. if you can try to pull em out.. but just get the sockets on there and remove both bolts from upper and lower balljoint.

With picklefork (google it, straight forward) hammer it into the upper balljoint's boot to pry it free.

Disconnect the outer tie-rod. Unbolt the nut and hammer the metal knuckle and it will just pop right out. If things aren't too rusty you will be able to remove the A-Frame/wheel hub assembly from the lower balljoint.

The lower balljoint on my truck at least is "pressed in". I put a deposit on the stupid autozone press. This was not needed. I rented it twice. That was definitely not needed.

Hammer the lower balljoint out. My balljoint casing was still stuck in the control arm and I tried to stuff the new balljoint in. What a mess. Google a control arm if you get to this point.

I couldn't get my new balljoints in. So I filed the control arm hole down some until I was able to tap the new balljoints in with a hammer.


Re-assembled.. New front end on a rust bucket. No vibration at 65. No knocking. I also did sway bar links, which were important on the up and down knocking. But I'd also get a crunch sound from the balljoints when turning too fast. It took me days to get the driver side balljoints finished. But once I taught myself.. the passenger side was a breeze and just a couple hours.. longer than expected but I got lots of rust.

$250 for a new front end + extra tools you keep + knowledge to help friends + knowledge to swoop in on good deals.


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## Scotty (May 10, 2013)

I actually was able to use the auto zone press for pressing the lower balljoints out. But was left with a balljoint casing stuck in the control arm and a hammer worked to knock it out.

Keep some wood or a jack up underneath the control arm as close to the balljoint as possible to avoid it from shocking and you losing strike force with the hammer.

That balljoint press costs $107 w/ tax for a deposit.. and you bring it back and get your money. If you got it.. it's not bad to get for pressing them out. But if you don't got it.. don't even worry about it because the thing sucks and doesn't come with all the adapters and I would of needed extra parts to press mine in. The thing is dumb. Don't let the assholes at autopart stores bullshit ya.


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## Scotty (May 10, 2013)

And the balljoints are not pressed in and are simple, simple. My 93 S10 off the assembly line has the upper balljoints mounted with 4 hardened steel rivets. And these needed to be drilled out.

If you don't have a cordless drill or grinder, or corded drill with power, etc. You can find an old dead 12V drill with a bad battery and hook it up straight to your battery.

Don't lose your truck over balljoints or nothing though. 

If you have time and the place, just do it yourself it's straight forward when you start working on your own truck.


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