Hi Guys

I've still got that problem with a broken bleed nipple on one of the rear Calipers on 'The Ice Princess'

Is it possible to remove the rear Caliper without dropping the IRS Cage, there is hardly any room to get a Spanner in there

Would I have to remove the bottom plate?

Any advice appreciated

 

Ypu could try and access it by taking the hub, drive shaft and co out of the side. That would be a possibility but is a lot more time consuming than dropping the cage.

 

Hi Daim

Cheers!

How long would it take to remove the Cage if you have never done it before?

I can imagine removing something like the flexible rear brake pipe could take all day and maybe longer than that

 

Hmm, not really long. Maybe 4h... Tops.

 

Hi Daim

Cheers!

I'll let you know as soon as I make a start

 

I just replaced mine along with the rotors and stub axles (bearings and seals). I have a lift so it is a bit easier, but everything can be done in situ. I had a hell of a time trying to use wire cutters to remove the safety wire though, until I used a long screw driver to just break it and then fished it out. You have to remove the handbrake assembly 1st, and it pushes out the rear of the cage. Then you can get to the 2 caliper mounting bolts. Yes it's a real PITA but it can be done. Refitting the fork like hand brake retainers...that's another serious PITA task as well. And I did remove the bottom plate. BTW, if the rotors are severely worn like mine; do it now. You never want to do this job again! And, the diff area was a greasy mess due to worn out stub axle seals, I did this as well. Getting the stub axles out was not difficult once the calipiers and rotors were removed. I have a cheap Harbor Freight press, needed to disassemble the stub axles from the housing; required to get the seals out...so while your at it, replace the bearing also. (all 4 only $32 on Ebay for Timken, the crush sleeves and seal I got from SNG.) Like I said if the seals are leaking now, fix it as you never want to do this job again.

 

Hi Fla Steve

You've really Cheered me up now! (Not!) Lol

I'll probably take the Cage out, if for nothing else but to see if it is as easy as they say, thought I'm thinking its probably not

And all for the sake of a broken rear brake bleed nipple!

 

You can take the rear brake calipers out without much hassle. I changed mine when the pistons were stuck.
The hard part is unbolting them. You can get a standard spanner on the nut but moving it can be hard. In the end I cut my spanner in half and put a rod around it to give more leverage.
I seem to remember that you cannot get them out/back with the hand brake caliper attached. So look forward to that frustrating job.

Pulling the rear sub-frame off is so easy on paper. But count on replacing the stabilizing bars as they get attached to their mountings.

 

And you can avoid that by undoing them on the lower wishbones instead

 

Hi Daim

Do you mean the Single Bolt on the end of the Trailing Arm?

(not too familiar with this end of the Car)

 

Put the car on Jack Stands.

It is not difficult to remove the tie plate at the bottom of the cage. It gives a lot of extra room. After removing the two bolts that attach the caliper to the Differential housing, rotate the caliper around the brake disk and then take it off from the bottom.

 

OB:


My deepest empathy!! I "chickened" out and farmed out the caliper swap job. Brake dine. E brake, not so much....


As to the nipple issue,. the ancient refrain, "for wont of a nail.....".


Carl

 

Yes. The bolts which hold the radius arms to the rear wishbones. You'll need the wheel off, if I remember correctly, to get to it.

 

Hi Mike before I dive in and then get to the 'Point of no Return' I've been weighing up the options as carefully as i can

If I pulled the Cage out, then I would replace the rear Calipers and also fit Two New Rotors (as a matter of course)

Even though they don't need it as the running gear is in very good condition

But if you've got the Cage out then it would make sense to do so, whether they need it or not

So bearing all of that in mind, I think I'll try and take the Caliper out, as that is what I would eventually end up doing anyway

And may even Change the Rotors, if I can also do so without taking the Cage out

I know that lots of people say that taking the Cage out is easy but as for my own thoughts on that, I am not so sure

 

Having just gone through all this, I can say without a lift; i.e. on jack stands, would make the job easier if you drop the whole cage. However; if you are just going to replace one caliper, then I'd do it in situ. The caliper mounting bolts need to be backed off completely, but you won't be able to remove them. Just leave them in the caliper when you rotate it to remove it through the cage opening. As I said before; I think you have to remove the hand brake components before hand...but maybe it will all come out at once? In order to get the rotors off you have to remove the shocks lower shaft and disconnect the trailing arms in order to lower the wishbones. It's a big job but you can do it...just take your time.

 

Hi Fla Steve

Yes, I was wondering about those Caliper Bolts and how they would be too long to pull out

Mystery Solved, so Cheers for that but I think my Biggest problem may be undoing the Brake Pipe from the Caliper

As I will bet that its really stuck and corroded (already soaking that in penetrating Oil)

@ Jag Cad (Carl) Cheers! Truer words never spoken

 

OB, do yourself a favor and buy some brake hose spanners. I mean proper ones. Both imperial as well as metric. They are like ring spanners, just more massive and have a small cut out to get over the hose/pipe. I bought two Sets a few years ago. I've since managed to get even the worst of the worst rotten connectors undone. The spanners don't just grab two corners and round them off but work on all 6 (or 5 of 6 depending on how they are cut) at once...

 

Hi Daim

That sounds like a good idea, can I get these on ebay?

 

Should be. Search for 'brake pipe spanners'...