I 've had the front and rear baer brake kit on my 98 for about 2 1/2 years (probably about 9000 miles). A few weeks ago I noticed that the back brake wear indicator was making noise. On further investigation, I realized that the right rear brakes were completely worn. So I called up baer and ordered replacement rotors and pads. Got the parts and went to do the install. When installing the brakes on the right side I couldn't get the caliper remounted on the rotor. I was like WTF. So I took a closer look.
It turns out that the spring mounted on the caliper to hold the e-brake in the open position with the cable in the slack position had fallen out (not the spring on the cable behind the gas tank). Ah, the cause of the problem. So I called up baer and asked if they were willing to swap the caliper out for free. Turns out that they wouldn't. So I needed to pay $180 for a new caliper. I learned that our kit uses 93-97 camaro brakes with the calipers mounted on the reverse side.
I changed the rear rubber lines to steel braided ones, re-assembled and bleed the brakes. However, I now notice a difference in the feel of the brakes. The peddle now feels like it has more travel. The rears will catch, but only when the peddle is pressed rather hard. Is this normal? Was I just conditioned to having a better peddle because the right caliper was riding the rotor so tight before?
I'm thinking about bleeding all four corners one more time. Could the master cylinder be on its way out?
-Tom
Im pretty sure that the rear calipers came from the C4 corvettes
That is what I bought to do my rear conversion
MAYBE that is the problem???
Well, I just got my Baer rears put on and swapped out the worn pads for new ones. The pads that fit are 93-97 Camaro rears and 95-00 Corvette rears. You will notice a HUGE difference in the brakes once they are replaced.
The Silver J......Ridin' Clean....
I've got new pads in. That's what worries me.
Your first step, as you mentioned, will be to bleed the brakes again.
If that hasn't solved the problem, you'll want to double check to ensure that the caliper is in fact the same and doesn't have a bigger piston on it. Bigger piston will mean more pedal travel.
If the calipers aren't the same, can you use the spring from the new one and just put it on the old one?
Do you have your parking brake hooked up properly? I'm wondering how that spring managed to come off in the first place.
Did you get the same type of pads and did you replace them on both sides? Even this shouldn't make a difference in the summer though as even a track pad should bite right away in these temperatures.
Let us know how things are after bleeding them again.
Hmm... my Baer rear calipers were definitely off the 87-93'ish Corvette/Camaro... without a doubt... .because I ordered both from the GM dealer and compared them. The only difference was the e-brake connection, which looked like the Corvette more than the Camaro.. but the calipers were the same for both.
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I've been working a bit and haven't had a chance to bleed the brakes yet. But the calipers looked visually the same. I can tell you that Baer's customer support was less than optimal. They sent me the wrong caliper twice, before sending the right one (opposite side). When I told them that the spring fell out, they were like so what. After spending $800 bucks, I was like what's up with that. Kevin, I was thinking the same thing you were, how could it fall out. That's why I wanted to go with a new assembly, to make sure something wasn't bent slightly.
John & Kevin - I assuming that your pedal is as good as it was with the drums, correct? Also are you guys running the stainless or rubber lines at the rear from the hard line to the baer?
I've got the stock rubber lines in the back over the axle. Then the braided one to the caliper.
My pedal has more travel than, say, a BMW 3-series... I guess it's about the same as it was with the drums. I wouldn't complain if someone dropped a bit bigger MC in my lap... but it's certainly adequate and easy to modulate.
OK, got a chance to bleed the brakes again. Removed air from the fronts. I guess I had dropped the level in the master cylinder further then I originally thought. Anyway the peddle is now good.
I do have another question. It seems that the old caliper must have been screwed up because I now need to adjust the E-brake cable. If I step on the brakes and pull the E-brake, I am not getting any engagement. I believe, that I may need to adjust the clamp at the rear center return spring. Did anyone need to make any other adjustments? I seem to remember that z2flip4 may have had similar problems a few years ago, but I can't seem to find the post.
-Tom
The center spring should be compressed to 6" when the brake is not engaged.
There is also an adjuster on the caliper itself, but you should only ever touch that one when the pads are new. That may be the issue though.
Kevin - did you need to make any adjustments to your E-brake when you installed the rear brakes or was it OK when installed? I seem to remember seeing a post on your brakes dragging.
-Tom
