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Re: GTV6 Rear Brakes
John,
Might want to take a loot at the attached article. Helped me a great deal.
Uneven wear could be due to pads not adjusted correctly.
Don
----- Original Message -----
From: "John" <jbrase@domain.elided>
To: "Alfa Digest" <alfa@domain.elided>
Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 9:24 AM
Subject: GTV6 Rear Brakes
> I went under the car yesterday intending to replace the rear brake pads
> but ended up putting the old pads back in and heading off to confess my
> sin of excessive swearing. Loud swearing.
>
> It seems the outboard adjuster (the one under the plastic cap) has no
> effect whatsoever on the piston clearance. Thus, no matter how much I
> turned it (and I turned it a bunch) or which direction I turned it I
> could not get the piston to recede into the caliper even a little bit.
> I think I was doing it right but it has been so long time since I did
> this - well, it was on an Alfetta. I loosened the 17mm nut and turned
> the allen (hex) screw. Is that correct? BTW, the handbrake cable is
> completely disconnected.
>
> Another thing I noticed: The outboard pad is quite worn but the inboard
> one on the same caliper is worn not much. This certainly doesn't seem
> right to me. I'm wondering if a previous owner, faced with the same
> inability to get the adjuster to work, just replaced the inboard pad and
> put the old outboard pad back in. I know both pads are applying
> pressure to the disk because both sides of the disk are shinny.
>
> I was so frustrated I didn't even look at the left side caliper or pads.
>
> I think at this point I need to get new, or rebuilt calipers but if
> anyone has a better (cheaper) idea I'm all ears. I suppose, if I have
> to replace the calipers I might as well replace the rotors as well. IAP
> has drilled rotors for not much more than original type. Is it worth
> the extra $20 or so to get the drilled ones?
>
> Thanks,
> John
> --
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:22.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Alfetta/Milano
Brakes<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>A friend said he was doing Milano brakes this weekend. I
promised to send instructions for doing the rear brakes. I thought I just as
well send this along to the Alfa Digest.<br>
For the Milano rear brakes, I suggest two books. The Haynes manual for the
Alfetta covers the rear brakes better than the Milano manuals. Also get the IAP
(http://www.international-auto.com) Milano workshop manual reprint. It is worth
the $62.50. <br>
<br>
On the Milano rear brakes, there are four adjusting screws, two per caliper.
You turn them to adjust the pad clearance. Three of them turn one way and one
turns opposite to the others, that is one turns opposite to tighten. I will
tell you which is which in a moment.<br>
Look at the caliper under the bleed screws on top. The inboard pads are adjusted
with the screw that sticks out the back side of the caliper directly under the
bleed screw. It adjusts with a 7 mm end wrench.<b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:red'><br>
</span></b><span style='color:black'>On the end of the caliper toward the wheel,</span>
there is a plastic cap. Remove the plastic cap with a 17 mm socket, back off
the lock nut with the same 17 mm socket and adjust the screw inside the lockout
with a 5 mm Allen wrench.<br>
In order to move the brake pad toward the caliper, turn the Allen screws ANTI
CLOCKWISE. The bolt for the right or passenger side inboard pad also turns ANTI
CLOCKWISE to TIGHTEN. Use the 7 mm end wrench on the LEFT or driver's side
caliper and turn CLOCKWISE to TIGHTEN.<br>
<br>
To put this another way, conversely, to REMOVE the old pads, turn all adjusters
CLOCKWISE, except for the inboard adjuster on the driver's side caliper. I drew
a diagram with the adjusters in a straight line and numbered 1 through 4 from
left to right looking toward the front of the car. Adjusters numbered 1, 3 and
4 turn one direction. The one numbered 2 turns the opposite. I drew my diagram
on a yellow sticky and pasted into my Haynes Alfetta manual on page 135.<br>
The Haynes Alfetta manual says to set the rear brake pads with a feeler gauge
at about 0.005 inches. I think clearance of 0.002 inches is adequate if the
rotor is not warped. I have had good success tightening the pad until the rotor
would not turn, then loosening it until the wheel turns easily. The do the same
on the other pad in the same caliper. It helps to turn the rotor if you leave
the tire and wheel bolted on.<br>
On the outer two adjusters, you have to hold the set screw with an Allen wrench
while you tighten the lock nut with the 17 mm socket. I saw a Sears ad for a
socket wrench that was hollow and allowed a bolt to protrude through it. That
would be great as the lock nut is down inside the caliper and an end wrench
will not work. I tried welding a handle to a 17 mm socket, but clearance is too
tight for it to work well. I have had success just tightening the lock nut without
holding the Allen screw, but this does tend to tighten up the clearance, so you
have to play with the set screw / lock nut combination until it is tight and
the pad clearance is correct. That is a pain of a balancing act, which is why I
tried to build a tool to help.<br>
<br>
The final step is to apply the handbrake HARD 2 or 3 times to set the pads
against the rotor. Actually, the final final step is to let the car down off
the stands.<br>
However, you may want to refresh the fluid in the system while it is up in the
air. Brake fluid has an affinity with water and it will turn to jelly after a
few years, so replace it. Go to your local home supply store and get some clear
vinyl tubing in the correct size to slip over the brake bleeders. That keeps
fluid off the underside of the car and off the caliper.<br>
Hope this helps you.<br>
Ciao,<br>
Russ Neely<br>
Oklahoma City</p>
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