1st gen front disc

Update- The pins Napa got were the same cotter pins with a straight side that Rock Auto sent me. I went to another store and they found a hardware kit with the correct pins but they could not get it. They gave me a printout. The kit with the correct pins is Centric Front disc hardware kit 117.45012 It gives all of the removable parts so Ill be installing them whenever they get here. I had just cleaned up the other parts. $18 for the kit $26 and change with delivery.
Edit- There is a kit on eBay for $15.01 but with delivery it still comes out to $26. I used CarID

the pins on the plate are there just to locate the plate and keep it from sliding out - they can be the one side flat pins if they don't bind with the caliper. The confusing thing with the 1st gen front ends is the fact that only one side of the tie rods is adjustable, which makes it harder to get the front end lined up. It also requires you to pull the steering wheel to center the wheel when the wheels are pointing straight. Most alignment places do not know that, or will charge you crazy money to pull the wheel to center it.

Thanks Pennyman. The pins RA sent fit loosely and are 3 times longer then the OE clips. I figured they would pop out under stress. At least this way I get the other new pieces too. That way I am 100% rebuilt.
I'm thinking I was posting too fast before I tightened up the castle nuts on the steering. It looks OK now that its all tight. Both sides can be adjusted too. The driver side would probably need a new lock nut since they are meant to be used only once all the other adjusting spots are castle nuts with pins. I never did put the grease zerk in as I could not find one. If I do manage to run across one I will probably put it in.
I am fine pulling the wheel myself. I have had it off before. I'll make sure it is straight before I go in for the alignment. I might even consider going to the Mitsubishi dealer who has the micro fiche to look up the parts Dodge can't or won't to be sure they know what they are looking at.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pennyman1

the pins on the plate are there just to locate the plate and keep it from sliding out - they can be the one side flat pins if they don't bind with the caliper. The confusing thing with the 1st gen front ends is the fact that only one side of the tie rods is adjustable, which makes it harder to get the front end lined up. It also requires you to pull the steering wheel to center the wheel when the wheels are pointing straight. Most alignment places do not know that, or will charge you crazy money to pull the wheel to center it.

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I just realized what you meant by the Tie rods being adjustable only on one side. I guess I figured loosening the locking nut and taking the castle nut off on the passenger side to adjust it was normal.

Brake parts finally arrived. Hoping for clear weather this weekend. One more thing that pad shaped metal piece that has the lips meant to cause squealing to warn you its time to change pads, is that mandatory? I tossed them because they were too rusty to sand and paint.

Those are anti-rattle shims. Some brake pads come with a thick layer of...something-or-rather which acts like an anti rattle shim (and can cause the pads to sit out of square too). You should be able to find new ones as I'm pretty sure I saw them on a site selling various brake parts.

Does that mean I need them? FSM says they are anti squeal shims. Its pretty tight just with the new pads I don't think they would fit anyway.
I'm going nuts over here. I just took apart the side that I did not have enough pins for and replaced the parts with the new and it went right back togetherand the rotor spun free. Then I took apart the side that was complete to put new stuff in and it won't go back together!!!!! OK I put the inner shim in backwards so I changed that and it still won't go together. One side pops out when I do the other or that inner slim shim pops out. I went to look at the other side to check and it looks like I bent the anti rattle spring! but it seems fine otherwise. It doesn't help that pain is distracting me and I have to sit on the part that hurts most. Not a joke. Atrophied glute and sitting crushes whats left and it aint fun.
OK so the book has nothing new. I guess I just have to keep trying.

I took a grinder to it. Even though it is a rebuilt the edges on those slopes were beat up and I smoothed out the shims. It went together but the rotor is tight. It takes some effort to spin it. Is this something that will loosen up on the road or should it spin free like the other side does?

Both rotors should spin relatively freely. It will cause drag on the rotor, prematurely wearing the pads and causing hot spots on the rotor. It shouldn't take a lot of effort to turn the rotor (there will be a bit of contact with new pads but they will bed in). The brake piston might have some kind of damage/rust or just bound up from contaminated brake fluid and may require cleaning.

The calipers and rotors are new rebuilds. Just out of the box new bearings pressed into the spindle. I sprayed it with brake cleaner and it started moving easier once the fluid got into the dry spots.
I got it all together and drove it. The pedal is real loose but brakes are there. I expect I didn't get the rears set perfect I did 10 pushes of the pedal to the floor to bleed each wheel. The one that is giving me grief is rubbing on a high spot and squealing too. I think the pads are just too fat.

I'm a bit bummed. I am going to clean up and eat and hopefully someone will post a fix or I'll think of something. Seems a waste to have done all this work rebuilding the front end and end up with worse brakes than I had.
Here are a couple pics of it before I put the wheel back on. Let me know if you see something off or if I need to post more pics.

Attachment 18036 Attachment 18037

You would've struggled to get the shims in if the pads are that tight anyway. There shouldn't be any high spots or irregularities with the rotors so there is an issue. It looks like you have been thorough with your prep and assembly, it might be down to how thick the pads are out of the box. If you are still getting a spongy pedal you either still have air in the system or the master is bypassing. Brakes can be problematic - you can do them 10 times without issues and then something will throw a spanner in the works.

After a nights sleep the rubbing on a high spot has to be an out of flat rotor. If the rubbing were the pads being off it would have to rub all the way around. And the other side with the same parts came together properly and rotated freely.

Let me know if anyone has a way to demonstrate a rotor is off as that makes this a supplier issue.

I jacked it up and the wheel spun more easily than it had when I first drove it. I also noticed that it was rubbing all the way but with one spot being tighter. I removed the wheel and knocked on the caliper and it got tighter! to the point I could not turn it by hand. I pushed the brake pedal while it was running and it went low then pumped up on the next push like it was normal again. I'm not sure what that means I was hoping to loosen the pads when it relaxed. It didn't so I put the wheel on with no nuts just to move it and it moved but did not loosen much.
Its not a bad rotor it must be something with the pads or the caliper.
I need ideas for solving this problem please.
Thanks.
EDIT-I took it apart. It seems that the rubbing is the caliper rubbing on the outer edge of the rotor and the Anti Rattle Springs beinding out of shape and also rubbing on the rotor. I have a pic from the FSM that shows the anti rattle springs part #6.
Nearest I can deduce is that the CarId kit anti rattle springs are made of the wrong kind of metal and it is too hard to bend and spring back to where it should they are both out of shape and don't want to stay in. I do not think they are made of spring steel or whatever the correct steel alloy they should be.
When I manage to get the caliper in they hold it too close to the rotor and bend out of shape instead of relaxing to allow parts 10 & 11 to slip under them. I will contact them and see who else might have the parts in town. Recycle was picked up yesterday so I don't have the old ones.
Attachment 18111
EDIT2- After posting I realized I did the pads after recycle day so the discarded parts were still in there. I got the old anti rattle springs and get the same result though they do feel better. Something is causing the caliper to sit too deeply in its cradle. Maybe I am not doing things right? I am placing parts 10 & 11 between the caliper and the anti rattle spring. Should the spring be between them?

Something doesn't look right - are the stainless shims aligned right on the caliper? there is a tab that the notch on the shim goes into to align the shim. Did you put a thin layer of brake grease on the plate (both sides)? Those parts are either wrong or not made right, but that doesn't explain the old parts dragging.

The only thing old is the thick shim. Everything else is new. I didn't grease them and never noticed a notch to align them with. The other side just went together without really thinking about it. This side is a real problem. The thin shims wouldn't sit still and they keep popping out when I put the thick shim in from the side or full on. It just doesn't want to go in. The other side practically fell into place as soon as I put it together. I have no idea why I am having trouble here. The caliper body is sitting in deeper than it should.

So now the embarrassing details :shrug:
As I lay in bed and turned my mind to this it hit me that the caliper should ride on those rattle springs not sit under it! doh! That is why the other side seemed to fall together I wasn't trying to think too hard and just let it fit the way it went in on its own. I am going to take off the other wheel later when it warms up and make sure I got it right as I recall the anti rattle spring looked bent in one spot on that side.
It took me all of 5 minutes this morning to put the pass side on and its spins properly. That was nice since this morning I woke to the first hard frost of the year. It started after only 3 cranks! and is idling no problem. It usually doesn't like to start cold.
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Attachment 18114 Attachment 18115

A little embarrassing but not as bad as sending everything back and accusing the supplier of selling junk. A solution that only cost you time. :)

Yea It drove nice over the dirt road around the corner too.
I ended up doing all this after I accidentally damaged that fender. I probably would not have done any of this yet or maybe ever if I hadn't done that.
I painted the bumper and the grill. I might go over the chrome spots with black too but for now its all together. I've ordered the windshield gasket and sent Mike Warme a message via email and eBay Again for the window scrapers. When it defrosted the only liquid on the windows was on the inside! The floor is soaked. It is as much the window scrapes as it is the windshield.
Before Attachment 18120 After Attachment 18118 Hood Attachment 18119

Got the alignment, good thing too it was way off and might be the reason for the pull right when I had a heavy load and braked hard. The steering wheel is straight which is odd because I pulled it yesterday and moved it and when driving to the shop this morning it turned out to be off in the other direction it was previous to "fixing" it yesterday?! :) Like I said I have dumb luck.
alignment printout.jpg
Edit- I forgot to mention that the mechanic said the nut on the tie rod end was loose! One of the Moog Tie rod ends came sans Cotter pin or hole and no grease zerk. That is the one that had come loose. I just bought a new drill index and box of cotter pins to take care of this later today or tomorrow. Oh yea it drives a lot better now.