Caddy rear calipers

[Tres03]

Guido, I cranked and cranked on that leaver and it really didnt do much. I had to really apply some pressure to where I thought I was going to brake it off before it looked like it did anything. I tried it out and it seemed to help a little. I did notice though that my caliper and yours is different, I think I have a newer model.

Here are some pictures.
















Dont laugh at the used parts and nasty exhaust Davis, I havnt had a chance to do new stuff yet.

Oh, and my calipers are the small GM ones not the large.

[RD Durham]

Originally Posted by Tres03

RD, I am a little confused here. So should I take the caliper off or just move the arm back and forth while still attached to the caliper bracket with everything in place? They are new pads.

Leave it mounted and do not remove. You can take it off and move the lever arm but you could easily end up with not enough gap to get the caliper and pads back over the rotor. As mentioned by Tres03 sometimes it doesn't seem like it's adjusting. You might have to crank harder but usually that means that adjuster is sticking. It's supposed to be one way on adjusting, you crank on the arm, the piston goes out and doesn't go back into the caliper. When that happens you can sometimes take the caliper off its mount and adjust it out then push it back in with a C-clamp, once you take the lever arm off. After a few times the adjuster can start working, sometimes it never does. Just be VERY careful not to adjust the caliper piston out too far and get it push out of the caliper body. You can get it back in but I've found when that happens just to use it as a core. If you bought your caliper as a rebuild or new and it doesn't adjust I'd take it back until you get one that works.

[Darrell Tuxworth]

I run the Caddy calipers.
Main issue is that the Scout factory throw isn't enough to properly actuate the e-brake. The e-brake works fine BUT you have to be very vigilant in keeping the system adjusted. It's a pain but it is necessary.
I am in the process ( more or less) of redesigning the factory parts to allow more throw..
Any way one main thing is DO NOT use a c clamp to push the piston back in. You WILL ruin the caliper. You must use the proper tool to screw the piston in ..period. There is another way but it doesn't tighten up the e-brake mechanism inside the caliper to keep your brakes adjusted and keep the throw required to actuate the e-brake to a minimum.

Did you remove the small spring wound around the factory Scout parking cable at the e-brake end?

To cycle the e-brake mechanism and set the pads closer you need to adjust the e-brake. Loosen the cable slack adjustment nut(s). remove the large diameter caddy spring and the brake cable from the lever, then cycle the arm until you get less than 3/8" from full (e-brake arm resting against the stop to full e-brake actuation measured at the stop. IF you have more than this two things won't be right 1) your pads aren't close enough to the disc and the rear brakes won't work efficiently and the e-brake won't work well, if at all. At this point you need to screw the piston in ( you need to remove the caliper from the rotor to do this) and then put the caliper back on and trying again.
Darrell

[Tres03]

I did notice that the drivers side pads were loose. I did what you said it is tightened up to where the pads are not loose anymore.

I am not running the scout emergence brake cables, everything is chevy full size truck. I did not remove the spring that is on the end of the cable though. Was I supposed to do that? I am going to keep playing with it but it has seem to get a little better. It will keep the truck from rolling while in gear at idol on a flat surface, just not if you hit the gas at all.

How far do you have to push that arm to get it to adjust? It sure will not do it just depressing the emergency brake.

[Darrell Tuxworth]

I am not familiar with the full size Chevy e-brake cables. but the scout II ones had a small dia spring wound around the cable that would push the ebrake off...it was inside the drum area. If the Chevy has the same then you want to cut it off so that the only spring disengaging the e-brake at the caliper is the big spring on the caliper. otherwize you are fighting this other spring when you push on the e-brake pedal and, in the case of the Scout II, this spring would not compress enough to allow the e-brake to be activated.
When mine is adjusted right it will hold the truck on about a 15 deg incline. in my experience there is a fine line when adjusting the pedal where the e-brake works but isn't dragging when disengaged.
Darrell

[Tres03]

I have to cut the small spring? Dang it man, I even shortened the cable and the small spring when I put it all together. I guess I will take it all apart and cut the small spring then. That should help.

I will keep messing with the arm and try to get it tighter but it looks like it might be working better all ready. Not great but a little better.

[Tres03]

I played with the adjustment more on the brakes and it is working much better. It still isnt great but it might pass inspection now. You guys rock.

Thank you all. If I get it working great I will post up and let you know.

Thank you all again.

[ruderunner]

Out of curiosity, in your pics it looks like the e brake is engaged. Was it?

If so the I don't see anything out of the ordinary.

If not then it appears that the cables are too tight already and using up too much of the throw in the caliper lever. Those caliper have stops that the lever should be against when the brake is released. Un hook the cables, work the levers through full travel until calipers are adjusted, put levers back to the stops and readjust the cables.

[Tres03]

Out of curiosity, in your pics it looks like the e brake is engaged. Was it?

Yes, you are correct. In the pictures they were engaged. I was testing them out when I took the picture.

[guidolyons]

Originally Posted by Tres03

Guido, I cranked and cranked on that leaver and it really didnt do much. I had to really apply some pressure to where I thought I was going to brake it off before it looked like it did anything. I tried it out and it seemed to help a little. I did notice though that my caliper and yours is different, I think I have a newer model.

Oh, and my calipers are the small GM ones not the large.

Yeah mine are the GM Large calipers, ~7" pin to pin, I opted for the ones without the built in cable mount, so I could mount my own tab. You might try them without the large return spring installed, it looks like it might be limiting your throw.

Glad the adjustments have helped.