aggravated with brakes !!

[ga.spyder]

I did a complete caliper change(front and rear),over the last couple months.The fronts I got at Oreilly's for 29.00 w/ 5.00 core each.The rears came from one of our suppliers(name deleted),and were 95.00 each + 100.00 core!.Fronts fine,the rears....grrrrrrrr!!They have a heli-coil in one bleeder.The bleeder is the smallest I have ever seen.I had to borrow a wrench to bleed,it still rounded and I ended up using vice grips.OK,except....IT LEAKS !I have been trying to remedy my soft pedal and occasional pull and every time I go to that bleeder ,there is fluid.No wonder I cant get the air out.Is there anything I can do to remedy this,short of throwing the caliper into the woods and buying another?Maybe see if I can remove the heli-coil and reinstall with some thread tape on there? Should have sent it back when I got it.I guess, or I could have gone with the new instead of rebuilt....for double the money!!
Craig

[kilrwail]

I hate to say it Craig, but I think in the long run you'll be better off replacing the damaged rear caliper. I got mine at NAPA for $65, net of core credit (front). For peace of mind, I wouldn't want a questionable bleeder. Now if I could only get the last bubble out of the m/c....

[pope]

Hey, I remember that rear brake with the heli-coil. I sent it in as a core about 5 years ago because it leaked. Glad to know that your going to take care of it. I put a lot of good miles on that caliper. (tear drops from eye) Sniff, sniff.

That stinks, I know how you feel. Does it leak from inside the bleed screw or on the outside where the threaded area is.

[ga.spyder]

Hmmmmm...I did have to scrape some road salt off that thing. Its hard to tell,but I believe it is leaking from the inside of the microscopic bleeder! I dont mind paying for quality parts,but I hate overpaying for crap.Could the whole assembly(heli coil and bleeder) be taken out and replaced? I will call(name deleted) on Mon. and see if they will do anything about it.
Peter,I thought of you today when I ordered my new Motive Power Bleeder.My buddy has one,that I have borrowed way too many times,and figured it's time to get my own! They work awesome.Build the pressure and it pushes all the air out,and replaces fluid at the same time.I know now why I havent been able to get the air out of mine.Everytime I let off the pedal it must be sucking air back in!!
Craig

[mbouse]

you might be able to take out that old heli coil and tap some new threads for a bigger bleed screw... but in the long run, a nice telephone call to the supplier followed by a replacement caliper WITHOUT damaged threads will be your best bet.

[ga.spyder]

You (as usual) are the voice of reason, Mr. Bouse.I will call on Monday and calmly discuss it with them.I wish I had caught it earlier,they have been on a month.I thought my pull was from the front,so I replaced them last week.It wasnt until then that I discovered that the rear caliper was leaking.
Craig
ps as soon as the FLU website is back up,I WILL renew my membership

[mbouse]

i am sooo glad i have nothing to do with that site maintenance. the third party we pay good money to seems to be having some issues again. sorry you are having difficulties with the renewal. let me know if that continues, or contact our webmaster

[rlux4]

Craig, if the calm, voice of reason discussion Monday doesn't work, you could always resort to blackmail. Tell them that so far you haven't put a name to the vendor on FS.com, but that could change if they don't make it good.
Sorry to hear of your bad luck.
Ron

[wengr]

Wow disturbing that a retail vendor would send out a caliper with a helicoil. I've not encountered this. When they say your core charge will be refunded upon receipt of an " acceptable rebuildable core", I wonder if that allows for butchered threads. I hope they make it right.

[ga.spyder]

I had thought of that ,Ron. I am hopeful they will make right ,it is an expensive part and not any fault of mine. Really frustrating though.I have had the wheels off and on this thing a lot here lately.It seems like the more I try to improve ,the more little issues pop up! Hey I saw that tv commercial with the musical road,isnt that near you?

Wengr,I couldnt agree more.That should have never been shipped,but I should have sent it back right away.They rebuilt some of Pope's used up parts
Craig

[pope]

Craig, I hate to say this, but, I am still on my original brake calipers from the car. Can you believe that! I have used a rebuild kit on them once, replacing the rubber.

[rlux4]

It is by me Craig, but I haven't even seen it yet. I heard they paved over it, and then did it again because they figured it would be a good tourist draw. But I haven't heard where it is, and I live here, so how is it going to draw tourists if no one knows where it is?
Ron

[joelbert2k]

Ron,
My son lives over in Rosamond and took my wife on the road recently.
If you really want to know I can find out for you.
Joel

[kristoj]

Craig,

Any reputable vendor should take the caliper back. I bought all four of my calipers at Autozone. The right front caliper would not bleed after I installed it. I tried everything including taking the bleeding screw all the way out -- nothing. I took the caliper back and they replaced it with no questions asked. I guess their rebuilt calipers come with a lifetime warranty so if I have any problems in the future...

[So Cal Mark]

there is a reason the core charge is $100; that's because cores are becoming non-obtainable. So each time an owner strips a bleeder, then opts for a rebuilt unit the damaged core is the only unit available. Unless you're happy to pay the core charge when you turn in a damaged caliper, you better accept the fact that rebuilt units have repairs. The unit should have been pressure tested though before it was shipped. The reality is that for the rebuilder, it's cheaper to handle warranty returns than to properly test units