E-brake / Caliper problems?

[Kneale Brownson]

Yeah, I learned a long time ago that if what they tell you isn't printed in 
the paperwork it's meaningless.  Even printed-out "lifetimes" have 
small-print caveats usually.  I'd rather have a known-to-be-working 
take-off part from a wreck than something somebody I don't have an 
identification for "rebuilt".  A manufacturer rebuilt is different because 
you know where the work was done and you wouldn't expect them to want to 
hurt their name.


At 08:11 PM 10/15/2001 -0400, Andrew Sitzer wrote:

>Hey Kneale -- Thanks for the reply.. I got the calipers from Clearway
>foreign Auto in long island.. I am actually upset with them because when
>they sold it to me they told me it had a lifetime waranty.. and now they
>are saying all their rebuilt parts have always had a 1yr warranty only.
>
>
>I dont think I did a complete 'flush', but I did bleed it until i saw only
>'new' clear brake fluid...
>
>-Andrew
>
>
>  On Mon, 15 Oct 2001, Kneale Brownson wrote:
>
> > A really rusty cable could snap.
> >
> > You should be able to manipulate the e-brake activator arm against the
> > spring with thumb pressure, and the spring should push it right back to
> > rest position.  Where did your remanned calipers come from?  I've read
> > where some rebuilders will just clean up the piston and cylinder and
> > replace the rubber boots without ever getting into the e-brake's inner
> > workings.
> >
> > Did you completely flush your brake fluid when you put on the rebuilt
> > calipers?  Have you flushed it in the last year and a half?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > At 05:55 PM 10/15/2001 -0400, Andrew Sitzer wrote:
> >
> > >Hey All,
> > >   I finally got down to long island to have a look at the emergency brake
> > >on my 86 5ks..  Sure enough, one of the cables was snapped.
> > >   Anyways, I brought it into a trusted (but not all too bright) mechanic
> > >and he believes the reason the ebrake cable snapped is because of a bad
> > >caliper.
> > >   I replaced the calipers about 18 months ago with rebuilts -- so I tend
> > >to find this hard to believe.  Anyways, I pulled the wheel off and could
> > >not really move the cam/spring that the cable activates easily..  However,
> > >I was afraid to put too much pressure on it.
> > >   So here is the questions:  1)  How easy is it supposed to be to move
> > >that spring?  2)  He insisted that if I got a new cable it would snap also
> > >-- how true is this? (Or would I just not be able to easily engage the
> > >emergency brake) <Note:  The old cable was VERY rusted.. probably the
> > >original.>
> > >
> > >Thanks!
> > >-Andrew S.
> >