Beater Truck

[Nizmo]

Nizmo- Hey, you`re still at it!

The seemingly terminal rust hasn`t dissuaded you?

Ehh, I wouldn`t call any of it really terminal at this point. After seeing some of the comparable trucks at the salvage yard, I have a pretty clean truck. I think a couple bed supports and a leaf shackle is the only thing a little iffy at this point. The truck is only around $14 a month to insure, so no sense in trying to rid of it at this point.


Current issue at point today was the front braking system. The pads have been getting low for a little while now, but always passed inspection and braked fine, no pulsing or dragging. Besides I only drove the truck 2-3K miles a year previously. With my new job, however, they`ve been accumulating quick! Couple months ago there was a slight squeaking noise that went along with speed. Stopped driving the truck as much. Time was now to do a brake "overhaul".

Went to the local parts store I like to frequent (mother actually works there, the usual "what did you break now" conversation ensued, lol...) picked up some pads, rotors, wheel bearings, and some other miscellaneous stuff. Part of me knew the calipers may be junk or seized so I asked if they had them in stock. They did, but I didn`t buy them trying to be hopeful.

Well, hopeful didn`t work... (the purple stuff is Permatex Brake Grease, best thing in the planet, even at $19 a bottle, worth it!)

As you see everything new. Between the old rusty slider pins, or the fact it was fighting me to get the caliper pushed in I gave up and decided it wasn`t worth me throwing a wrench upside a perfectly good truck or toolbox. Bought both drivers and passenger. This was also my first time packing bearings the old school way. Kinda a pain in the dingus, but after the first one it was ok. I found that gravity bleeding is a good method if your`e by yourself. I installed everything and cracked open the bleeder, let it open till it started to drip. Closed the bleeder and pumped the brakes. Repeated this process a couple times. I had a helper do the two man method, but come to find out no air came out after doing the gravity method.

I apparently replaced everything in time as you can see the pads were, uh, done. Yes, I`m a bad person for letting it get this bad, but I never had any issues, nor did I know they did this.

And the rotors were uh, crispy!

So, under $175 and a couple hours later I`m kicking myself for not doing this earlier. After bedding in the new brakes it is a whole different truck!

 

[Accumulator]

Nizmo- So glad you did the brakes! Even with little use, it only takes one brief moment for your brakes to be the most important thing in your life.

Did you put the calipers on bare? They kinda look like bare metal in the one pic; if so, I`d do *something* to keep them from getting all rusty-crusty.

 

[Nizmo]

Did you put the calipers on bare? They kinda look like bare metal in the one pic; if so, I`d do *something* to keep them from getting all rusty-crusty.

They have a light gray paint/coating on them. The truck isn`t going to get used too much in the winter anyways as it does terrible in inclimate weather. As much as I hated getting it dirty, the GTI has been one of the most predictable vehicles in the wintry mess, including that sudden patch of ice (not to say one should drive without caution and without care!). Anyways, the "hardware" all got a coating of brake grease and the threads got a thin coating of anti-seize. Actually this braking system has no hardware, just the clip on the one pad on the back that fit into the piston. Was a little bit different to me as I`m used to cleaning the caliper brackets and putting in new clips.

 

[Accumulator]

Ah, OK, sounds good.