Girlfriend's 'Fester' Build

[crazyrog17]

Cool! Thanks for all that info, walth.

I just installed the Escort Master Cylinder mentioned above. I didn't have too much trouble installing it, except I now know the brake booster is shot.

The stock master cylinder was squishy after bleeding everything AND couldn't lock up the tires. I can pump up the new one nicely, but I don't have any assistance to lock up the tires.

Cleaned the caliper bolt sleeves and installed new boots with grease, still grinding in the hubs. It's got to be the bearings and I think I'm just going to go get the Aspire hubs at this rate...

[walth]

I've been looking for this thread lol

[crazyrog17]

Hahaha

Well tomorrow I'm going to go to the junkyard to snatch up some Aspire Hubs and calipers. Maybe two good 13" wheel and tire set ups for the new hubs.

[walth]

you getting the outer tie rod ends and rubber brake lines? I would also say sway bar and struts but they're optional.

keep in mind about the 18v manual and 22v auto brakes and calipers

if you find a capri they have even bigger brakes too!!

[crazyrog17]

Hoping for the auto brakes but I really don't care at this point. I just want knuckles with good bearings and brakes.

I'll grab the knuckles and outer tie rod ends, that's all.

[walth]

yeah I hear that about bearings!! you'll love the brakes!! I'm enjoying mine. no more engine braking for me!

[crazyrog17]

Engine braking in an auto is... well. Yeah, you can downshift into 2nd?

No emergency brake either...

Alright, shopping list: Aspire auto knuckles with good bearings, rotors and calipers. Aspire brake lines and outer tie rod ends!

[walth]

umm...I guess you "could". but m/t here

do you need a cable? grab the cable or I've got one for you. the aspire cables are nicer too because they're insulated

[crazyrog17]

Waaaa.

Well the lady's been on me again to get her car fixed. I've been procrastinating because the second set of knuckles I installed were ALSO bad... AND I need to replace the brake booster.

If anyone wants to donate a brake booster and a known good set of knucles...

[bhazard]

Power brakes are overrated.


Ive got my festy booster, if you dont get one soon maybe we shall have another meet & meat at donnys? lolol



ORRRR


Come to Milan wednesday and film me runnin 12's.

[crazyrog17]

Meet and meat... Hahaha!

Either way sounds fine to me. The earliest I can get out of work on Wednesday is 5:30 though.

[xaero_81]

And lets do some bearings/rotors. This Saturday! At Dave's! Steph deserves new brakes and bearings.

[crazyrog17]

Sounds good to me! I'll pick up some parts this week. But... who's Dave? (don't kill me if I should know this...)

[crazyrog17]

Alright. So Donny and I did front wheel bearings and new rotors at Dave's. Installed on the car and working great! I had trouble with the driver's side brake caliper not letting go of the rotor. I still do I guess, but it feels better? More on that in a minute.

So in a pinch, I headed off to the pick n pull and snagged a 97 zx2's brake booster. It bolts up just fine but the rod that connects to the brake pedal is about half an inch shorter than the stock festivas. It bolts up fine (and works fine) but the pedal sits about an inch lower than it had before. I had to shim the brake switch pad on the brake pedal's arm because it too was farther away, but it works fine.

The (also new) 97 auto escort brake master cylinder mentioned further up in the thread of course mounted fine to it. I just moved it out of the way without disconnecting lines to swap the boosters.

A bonus while I was at the junkyard was snagging the low brake fluid switch's wiring harness adapter so I could solder it up to the stock master cylinder's harness connector. Now the dash 'BRAKE!' light should work if the fluid gets low.

So the booster didn't solve my seized caliper, of course, but now I can more confidently stop. I can (oddly) get one wheel to lock up. At first it was the passenger's side tire that would lock up but after exercising the system, now it's the driver's side! It pulls the car to one side or the other, of course. Not safe. What am I missing? I just bled the lines with all new fluid and KNOW it's purged of air.

I think replacing the proportioning block? Waaaa, when does it stop?

[crazyrog17]

Waaa, that was a brand new headlight too... she rear ended a jeep.