This weekend I hope to have time to replace all 4 of my calipers on my 74 vette. I have a few questions and would appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. First I bought my calipers from summit as they offered 4 new calipers with brakes, hoses and hardware. I also purchased a pressurized bleeder to help do the job. For those of you that have done this change over what did you find to be the best way. Also I have purchased silicone brake fluid. Is this a good decision and what is the best way to flush all the old fluid out? I am also replacing the master cylinder as well. Just want to say thanks in advance for your help. Rodney
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 19507
The silicon fluid will absorb less moisture, but it also compresses more than a conventional fluid, which can make the pedal feel "spongy", no matter how much you bleed the brakes. If this is a driven car, I would suggest staying away from the silicon brake fluids...just my 2c. Replacing the calipers is pretty much a take off/put back on deal. Be sure to "bench bleed" the master before installing it, to get all of the air out of it. There may be instructions on how to do this with the master cyl. If not, there are a couple of threads/posts here on that. Start bleeding from the RR, then LR, then RF, then LF. Be sure to bleed both sides of the rear calipers, starting with the inner bleeder, then outer. hth
____________________________________ Joel Adams C3VR Lifetime Member #56 My Link
I'm with Joel on the synthetic fluid,it's not all its trumped up to be.DOT 3 is just fine for your Vette,and will give you a better solid pedal after you hook up your master cylinder and fill it up,carefully pump the pedal 3or4 times to get any old fluid out of the steel lines B-4 hooking up your brake hoses to the new calipers,then you wont pump any gunk into your new calipers. I forgot you said you got a power bleeder,you can just pump that up and run the old fluid out,just make sure the master cyl stays fullRon 782010-04-29 15:09:48
____________________________________ C3VR Lifetime Member #93
Vette(s): 70 LT1 coupe, 69 350 HP coupe, 69 390HP 427 coupe, 71 LS5 convert, 85 coupe, 93 coupe
Joined: 5/24/2007
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With two cents from Joel, and another two from Ron, mine makes six cents worth total. I, too, would stick with the DOT fluid, and agree with everything else said, especially the part about purging all old fluid out of the lines before you connect to your new calipers.
Larry
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Vette(s): 1972 Steel Cities Gray T Top. Original Owner, Original Paint and Interior. The running gear has been rebuilt after 240,000 miles.
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I replaced my fluid with silicone 20 yeas ago. I have had no problem with my seals or the pedal feeling spongy. The Vette stops just fine...for a 38 year old Vette! What Larry stated above,about purging all old fluid. The main this you have to do when you change from DOT 3 is to completely flush all the brake lines, with clean alcohol, along with the master cylinder, which has to have new seals installed. The old seals are DOT 3 and the new seals are just like the new seals in your new calipers. just my .02
Now this makes eight cents worth total. wetvet2010-04-30 14:06:29
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I forgot you said you got a power bleeder,you can just pump that up and run the old fluid out,just make sure the master cyl stays full
