I'm in the middle of the Grand Am brake upgrade from The Fiero Store. The wheel spin freely after installing the new hub and rotor. I went to put the caliper on and it was a very tight fit, tight enough that I had to hit it with a rubber mallet a few times to get it correctly into place. The wheel won't spin at all now. When I had the outer brake pad out, it fit perfectly. But with the outer pad in, it was very tight. Once I got it into place, the inner pad does not touch the rotor, but the outer pad is tight against it.
I can't bleed the brakes yet because my rears are still off, and won't be put back on for awhile. Is this an issue that will be resolved once I'm able to bleed the brakes and seat them properly?
We had the same issue. Exact same. Figured out we had put the unmodified caliper bracket on I stead of the one you're supposed to grind down. Swapped it for the correct one, problem solved! Check that!
Did you compress the piston fully before installing the caliper?
Piston was fully compressed, yes.
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Originally posted by Neils88:
Sounds like you need to clean the slide bolts. Pressure will be even on both sides as long as the caliper can move freely.
Slide bolts are brand new and they could move freely. I had no issue with them.
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Originally posted by NEVERDONE:
We had the same issue. Exact same. Figured out we had put the unmodified caliper bracket on I stead of the one you're supposed to grind down. Swapped it for the correct one, problem solved! Check that!
Here is where I figured I had an issue. I had a mental lapse and didn't check the instructions fully until I started having an issue. I don't think I received the correct brackets. In fact, I'm not sure they even came in my kit. Just for clarity, when they say "caliper bracket", that's what the caliper mounts on too, behind the rotor and dust shield, correct? If so, will I have to remove the hub and everything to get to it? I would really like to avoid that. Am I able to just grind down the old one a bit to get it to fit?
I may have to be giving TFS a call if they didn't send them.
The caliper bracket, if unmodified, will contact the inner face of the rotor and prevent the rotor from seating squarely on the hub face.
The caliper bracket nub that causes the interference must be shortened to clear the rotor. Precision is not an issue, a grinder or a hacksaw will suffice.
The caliper bracket, if unmodified, will contact the inner face of the rotor and prevent the rotor from seating squarely on the hub face.
The caliper bracket nub that causes the interference must be shortened to clear the rotor. Precision is not an issue, a grinder or a hacksaw will suffice.
Thanks, olejoedad.
To clarify, is the caliper bracket to be modified supposed to have been supplied by TFS in this kit? Or the stock, caliper mounting location?
If it's not too much hassle, could someone provide a picture of what exactly should be ground down? I'm just having a difficult time picturing what exactly I'm supposed to be doing.
Unless I'm mistaken, you use you're original brackets. They are not supplied. I'm sure someone can find the thread that has photos of where you need to grind down. Super simple. You should not have to take the knuckle off. There are 2 bolts that hold the bracket on.
The bracket does not need to be removed from the knuckle.
1. Strip the knuckle of the rotor, hub, and backing plate. Leave the caliper mounting bracket in place.
2. Reinstall the hub.
3. Place the rotor on to the hub.
4. Look at the inner face of the rotor. It will be in contact with the outward facing tang on the caliper mounting bracket.
5. Remove enough metal from the tang to provide 1/8" clearance between the bracket tang and the car inner face of the rotor.
Another area to address is the interference between the inside of the rotor hand the backing plate. The G/A rotor is thicker than the stock Fiero rotor, the increased thickness is shifted inboard and will cause rubbing of the rotor on the backing plate. This can be fixed by either trimming the backing plate or bending the backing plate.
About 1/2 way down the first page, you will see some info on grinding. Keep going a few posts further,and you will see a more detailed post on the grinding. Since you have your hubs installed, I would take the caliper brackets off and grind them using a vice and hand held grinder. Best to check fitment with the caliper and pads after grinding- I had at least one other place where I had some interference fit with the caliper that I had to hit with the grinder.
------------------ '87 GT in process, including GA / Seville brakes, Poly Suspension, '95 3800 Series 1 SC ( 225 hp ) T460e.
I'm in the middle of the Grand Am brake upgrade from The Fiero Store. The wheel spin freely after installing the new hub and rotor. I went to put the caliper on and it was a very tight fit,
These must be the fronts. The rear brakes should work without modification.
Thanks for the information. I will take a look at those threads this evening.
I just talked to someone at the Fiero Store. They did forget to package my caliper brackets. The said with those brackets, no modifications would be needed. It would be direct bolt on, with the only interference possibly being the dust shield. I will let you know everyone know what I find out.
Another quick question. Is the Vented Rotor Package they have for sale the same as the Grand Am Upgrade? Before I ordered the package, I asked them, and they said it was, but maybe not exactly?
