Rear Brake Caliper Removal, This should be so simple... Options

[ArtechnikA]

back from the garage, dial caliper in hand...

the spacer in my caliper is 0.396" (10mm).
the hub spacer is 0.125" aluminum (i.e. - 1/8")

[zoomCat]

By my thinking, a 3mm spacer would cause the outboard piston to extend 4mm farther than the inboard piston, but no more than 2mm farther than it normaly would. You'd loose 2mm of use when the inboard pad wore out first, so the outboard piston would never see more than 2mm or extra travel. I think. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif)

If it works for Mr. Herzog, it would probably get me around the block safely....

So, is 5mm or 3mm enough to require longer studs? Or switching to steel nuts from the alloy? Actually, if limiting the thickness of the spacer to 3mm would allow the use of the stock studs that might be sufficient reason to forgo the correct symmetry...

Anybody got a source for hub spacers of either size (3 or 5mm)? Or a couple lying around?

[ArtechnikA]

QUOTE (zoomCat @ Jun 10 2005, 01:07 PM)

You'd loose 2mm of use when the inboard pad wore out first, so the outboard piston would never see more than 2mm or extra travel. If it works for Mr. Herzog, it would probably get me around the block safely.... So, is 5mm or 3mm enough to require longer studs? Or switching to steel nuts from the alloy?

2mm of rear brake pad is a LOT in any street car, and i don't think anyone preparing a track car would let it go anywhere near that point. if that's my cost, it's one i'm prepared to pay.

i had no qualms (or any lack of braking) at Willow Springs, Holtville (notoriously hard on brakes) and Riverside.

on my car, with Mahle alloys, the stock studs were close to too short. Fuchs might be a little thinner in the cup, but i don't have any here to check. IMO slightly longer studs are a good idea, because you'd have more choices on spacers, and no track car should use alloy nuts anyway.

slightly longer studs aren't much more expensive than the stockers...

1/8" aluminum plate should be readily available and none of the dimensions is especially critical. you can drill "big enough" holes for the studs with a drill press, the outside circle with a saber saw, and just a bit of time with a dogleg deburring tool should have you in the ball game quickly.