Rear end help (the car's, not mine...)
Forum: C3 Engines, Driveline and Handling
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Greetings all. If it's not one thing with this car, it's another...
Long story short: dropped the car on the ground yesterday after way too long on jack stands. Neither rear tire will roll. The ebrake cables are slack, and the transmission is in neutral (TH400 auto).
Too much work in the drive train to itemize, but essentially: trans refresh, rear end rebuild, all new poly bushings, rear trailing arm rebuild, u-joints, rotors, calipers, pads, brake lines, composite spring, etc. Brakes are properly bled and are working.
Put it back on jack stands, same result. Removed the rear tires, and everything moves freely as it should. So it's nothing in the drive line. But when I put the tires back on and snug up the lug nuts, it locks up.
Tires and rims are the same as before all of the work, so it's not a rim backspacing issue. From what I can see, the tire is not touching anything and the paint on the calipers isn't scuffed or worn so I don't think the rims are rubbing there. Plus, I can rotate the entire assembly easily if I relax the lug nuts.
Could I have gotten incorrect rotors and/or pads? The pads and rotors were interchangeable front/rear, if I remember... (but it's been a while since I installed them.) Could the rotors be binding against the ebrake pads or the brake pads when they are torqued down?
Could the Corvette Gods be mad at me because I sold my C5? Should I drag it to the road, sell it, and buy a Prius?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Darryl
(P.S. Just kidding about the Prius! Or maybe not...)
Long story short: dropped the car on the ground yesterday after way too long on jack stands. Neither rear tire will roll. The ebrake cables are slack, and the transmission is in neutral (TH400 auto).
Too much work in the drive train to itemize, but essentially: trans refresh, rear end rebuild, all new poly bushings, rear trailing arm rebuild, u-joints, rotors, calipers, pads, brake lines, composite spring, etc. Brakes are properly bled and are working.
Put it back on jack stands, same result. Removed the rear tires, and everything moves freely as it should. So it's nothing in the drive line. But when I put the tires back on and snug up the lug nuts, it locks up.
Tires and rims are the same as before all of the work, so it's not a rim backspacing issue. From what I can see, the tire is not touching anything and the paint on the calipers isn't scuffed or worn so I don't think the rims are rubbing there. Plus, I can rotate the entire assembly easily if I relax the lug nuts.
Could I have gotten incorrect rotors and/or pads? The pads and rotors were interchangeable front/rear, if I remember... (but it's been a while since I installed them.) Could the rotors be binding against the ebrake pads or the brake pads when they are torqued down?
Could the Corvette Gods be mad at me because I sold my C5? Should I drag it to the road, sell it, and buy a Prius?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Darryl
(P.S. Just kidding about the Prius! Or maybe not...)
"Let them that don't want none have memories of not gettin' any."
- Brother Dave Gardner
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Pads are interchangeable front/rear, but NOT the rotors(or the calipers). The rear rotors have the Park brake inside them. Not much chance of getting the rotors on the wrong end.
You may have the Park brake adjusted too tight, and once the wheels are bolted up snug, it locks them down. Try backing off on the internal adjustment(not the cable itself), and see how that works. You should be able to slide the rear rotors off with minimum drag on the shoes...if you have to fight them off, the adjustment is prolly too tight. 
Joel Adams
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 22715
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
Have you tried just putting one tire/wheel on at a time, and see if it is only ONE side causing the problem?
My bet is it is something skwewy with the park brake...too tight, or maybe the shoes are mis-aligned/out of position...something silly....it's always something silly....
|UPDATED|7/8/2013 10:23:25 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
My bet is it is something skwewy with the park brake...too tight, or maybe the shoes are mis-aligned/out of position...something silly....it's always something silly....
|UPDATED|7/8/2013 10:23:25 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
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One more thing to try: put the lug nuts with a couple of washers without the tire and see if you have the same issue. If you do then it will be a lot easier to trouble shoot.
Good luck.
Brian - NCM Lifetime Member
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Thanks Adam, I'll try pulling the rotors and backing off on the ebrake pads. It's got to be something simple... Just another aggravating Corvette moment!
"Let them that don't want none have memories of not gettin' any."
- Brother Dave Gardner
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Well, I figured it out. And when I say "I," I mean my Dad!
The brake caliper mounting bolts were just a little too long... And apparently, in one of my more genius moments, I didn't put the lock washers back when I mounted them. So when I torqued the wheel lug nuts down, it was pushing the brake rotor into the caliper bolts and locking the wheel up hard.
Nice gouge marks in my new slotted, drilled rotors. But it's good news, as it's not the rear end or something else co$tly.
Didn't we have a rookie mistake thread going some time ago? This probably qualifies.
The brake caliper mounting bolts were just a little too long... And apparently, in one of my more genius moments, I didn't put the lock washers back when I mounted them. So when I torqued the wheel lug nuts down, it was pushing the brake rotor into the caliper bolts and locking the wheel up hard.
Nice gouge marks in my new slotted, drilled rotors. But it's good news, as it's not the rear end or something else co$tly.
Didn't we have a rookie mistake thread going some time ago? This probably qualifies.
"Let them that don't want none have memories of not gettin' any."
- Brother Dave Gardner
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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
Adams' Apple said: ....it's always something silly....
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
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