Any issues with rear brakes?

[rponfick]

I have all FFR supplied parts, moser rear axle, FFR optional rear brakes and rotors (not Wilwood). I have been installing the rear brake brackets, rotors and calipers. I have had to shim the mounting brackets on both sides to keep the calipers from rubbing the rotors. The drivers side was shimmed the most with .180" washers to keep from rubbing. Once it got the calipers to not rub rotors, installed brake pads. They fit really tight and you can barely turn the wheels with large wrench on lug nuts.

I am wondering if the rear rotors are too wide for the calipers. The rear rotors are vented and the same thickness as the front rotors - about 1.03", or 26.+mm. I notice online that most rears are solid rotors and are less thick than this. I cannot determine what brand the rears are as the only marking is a 16248 number, made in China, so I have nothing to compare to.


Has anyone else had an issue with very tight fitting rear brakes.


Thanks, Ralph

[JimLev]

My 33 Hotrod uses the same calipers and rotors as you have, my rotors are vented and measure 1.01" thick.
I didn't have any rubbing issues however I have the IRS diff so the calipers are mounted to the knuckle.
The rotors are probably from Centric (my guess).

[rponfick]

Jim, thanks for the comment. I am not sure either if the IRS mounting system affects the caliper/rotor relationship. It just seems to me that the 1" rotor/pad max out the usable space in the caliper, and makes for a very tight fit.

Ralph

[rponfick]

I solved the tight rotor issue. Old forum suggestion was screwing the pistons clockwise with a needle nosed pliers. You would think they would be all the way retracted, but no. Half a turn was all it took. The rubber boot was stuck to the piston and I didn't want to tear it in the twisting, as another poster had done. I put a little WD40 on the boot and it then slipped with the piston rotation. Test fitting on the rotor showed problem solved.

Now, on to the emergency brake cable routing, which seems to have changed from the Beta manual pictures. I didn't get the bracket to mount to frame near the brake handle. And, I see there is a two holed plate welded to the frame back at the bottom of the rear bulkhead panel. Assuming that is where the cables run through.

Ralph

[Stillwater35]

Now, on to the emergency brake cable routing, which seems to have changed from the Beta manual pictures. I didn't get the bracket to mount to frame near the brake handle. And, I see there is a two holed plate welded to the frame back at the bottom of the rear bulkhead panel. Assuming that is where the cables run through.

Ralph

Yes, you go hard line from the rear calipers and then the spring clips secure those hard lines to the 2-holed metal plate at the rear floor of the cab. Then it's just open cables to the passenger front where your handle will eventually grab them. I would just zip-tie those aside until much later in the build. Glad you got the calipers figured out.

[rponfick]

Thanks Jeff for the cable info.. I had assumed what you indicated, and hopefully the formal assembly manual will address some of these areas for later assemblers. I am only addressing the question now as I am doing a lot of smaller assembly items while waiting for the shock adjustment collars to show up. The shocks hold up a lot of things.