The '87 5KCSTQ's first front brake job

[Alex Kowalski]

Hi everyone, I thought this would be fun to share with the list:

In a nutshell, even though I haven't been posting regularly I've been
lurking, and the '87 5KCSTQ is still running very well.  This weekend,
in fact, I did the first front brake job that's ever been done on the
car, which now has 64,595 miles on the clock.

The front rotors (I don't know about the pads) and lines were original
factory until I replaced them this weekend.  My autocheck pad warning
had been barking at me for about 3 months, and after that I decided it
was "about time."  I'd been putting the job off in true procrastinator
fashion and the RF rotor was pretty badly chewed up and both rotors
were completely unsalvageable.

The good news was that getting the lines off wasn't too much trouble
and the calipers are still in very good shape.  I bolted on a new set
from Blau and she stops like factory all over again.  And the
autocheck is silent again!

There's a little cracking in some of the rubber on the swaybar
bushings but amazingly even after all this time the control arm
bushings look OK, as do the front subframe mounts and tie-rod ends.
I'll probably replace all of those next year, but for right now, why
bother?

I took the car out after the job and bedded in the pads, then got her
up to about 80 and mashed the pedal.  Instant heavy deceleration and a
little ABS pulsation accompanied a stop that was straight, true and
vibration and pull-free.

I'll have some pics. of the rotors up next week.  I have a couple of
other things to check on and repair first so that I can put in a few
shots of the rest of the car, but yes, the '87 is running well and
still making me happy.

Cheers,
Alex Kowalski
'87 5KCSTQ -- Brand New Front Brakes.