A couple of weeks ago I started my rebuild on the front end.
I would like to blast my rotors and paint them and would like an opinion. i'm not going to paint the breaking surface but just clean up whats rusted.
I have also removed the master cylinder and booster . Gonna replace master cylinder and install new diaphram in booster.Wish me luck on that task.I know ya'll like pictures so I added a few. When I have time I will get it back together.
Tape the braking surface off and wire wheel? clean with spray brake cleaner, Primer then paint? If the $$$ are available Perhaps look into the drilled and slotted rotors with the braded brake lines. I did this and noticed the stopping greatly improved. (I put slotted on fronts only for now).
Chris
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
A slotted/drilled brake rotor is only for looks. It will not improve the braking by any measurable amount. Actually could be worse, as it weighs less, therefore can absorb less heat.
The braided lines will definitely improve the pedal feel.
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town
csaba come through for me yesterday so today is the day to start getting it back together. It's a drizzley and wet day of 60 deg so what better way to spend it. I'm having hell with the tie rod end on the idler and have already beat on it more than I'm comfortable with. The pullers I have checked at various places are all to big ,the pickle fork worked great on the ball joints but no luck on tie rods. I have read alot of posts on removal and think I will try the two hammer method and maybe I wont break anything. I do have about 3/8 of slack in my idler in side to side movement and don't know if this is enough to cause a problem so someone please chime in and give me your thoughts. Maybe more installation fluid is needed for these tie rods so before this day is out either my car will be tore up or I will. One or the other. I will share one tip I discovered the other day, If you take your frontend loader and pick the front end of your car up to about a 45 deg angle you have full access to pressure was the underside of your car.I wish I had taken photos but was working ahead of a rainstorm that was moving in .
Well, it was a fairly productive day today. I got alot done concidering there was a Cristian metal band practicing in my barn/shop. The wife also decided this was the day she wanted to organize and build shelfs in the barn/shop so you can just imagine how things were. Here is a pic of todays progress.
Today I was able to remove all bushings from the upper and lower control arms and install the new ones . It was not as hard as I thought it would be. The tie rods were a PITA. Its back to work tomorrow for two days and off tues so maybe I can finish this and get back on the road. If anything doesn't look right with the spindel please let me know. After some research I figured the long part of the spindel went towards the top. I have had some good sleep since I disassembled everything and could not remember. I guess I need to get some sort of manual for the spider.
I'm going to coat the wheel wells with rino liner before I put the heels back on. I pressure washed it all so now is the time. The diagram show the long joint on the bottom but all others i have seen are long end up. Thanks for your help
After four days off and a little time each day to work on my car , my front end is completly installed. With what I had to work around I don't think I did to bad.
The band has been in the shop most of the time practicing. They were going to leave for Boston tues.to record another album but had a problem with their managers scheduling and won't leave until sat. Oh well, I'm back to work tonight. Where Im at now is getting my brake booster back together so I can get it in to get an allighnment. If anyone wants to replace the diaphran in their booster I have one tip. Go ahead and buy a new or used one. I have four hours invested alone in just trying to get it back together.Separating it was the easy part. I will take it to work with me tonight and use our full blown machine shop to get it back together.I will not give up at this point. After hitting my hand three times in the same place with a hammer, It will go back together .
Thanks for your help
