Nova_Newbie
07-12-04, 10:56 PM
I finally got the time today to get the Cavalier SRI calipers and discs fitted onto my mk 2, 1.0 ltr Nova Sprint, I thought I'd take piccies of the job through the stages in case it helped anyone else considering using Cavalier SRI or similar brakes.
I?m no mechanic so if there?s bits missing or wrong in this for your Nova it was meant purely as a guide to what did to my particular car.
1st I Got a set of 1.8 Cav SRI calipers and discs, I gave them a good clean up with a wire brush (taking care not to catch the piston oil seals), checked all the seals for holes or splits and the travel on the pistons to make sure they weren?t seized. In order to filt the bigger callipers you will need to have a minimum of 14? rims as smaller will foul the calipers.
I then cleaned the calipers with methylated spirits and then applied Hammerite?s ?Smoothrite? paint to give them a nice smooth red finish. The discs were checked to ensure they weren?t warped or too worn before removing the old calipers and discs.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/11.jpg
Removing the old calipers and discs wasn?t that terrible mainly because I had the right tools. Tools needed, 7 & 10mm Hex drive bit to get the calipers off, pair of mole grips or similar to clamp the brake pipe during the transplant, 1 metre steel tube, socket set with a T bar, and the usual compliment of tools, jack, grease, axle stands etc.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/10.jpg
Start by clamping the brake hose pipe with the mole grips, undo the nut on the black brake pipe at the back of the caliper, use a small bag, rubber glove or cling film to stop excess brake fluid leaking out of the pipe, the callipers will also loose brake fluid when the brake pipe is removed so have some rag or carpet to catch the dripping oil. Undo the phillips screw which holds the disc in place, the calipers were held on with 2 x 10mm hex drive bolts which were covered with metal caps, prise these off with a screwdriver, I found they couldn?t be fitted to the new ones so I wasn?t careful getting them off. Once the caps were off, using a T bar and the 10mm Hex drive slide the 1m steel pole over the T bar for extra leverage, the bolts came of with hardly any effort using this method.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/14.jpg
In order to get the new calipers on you need to remove the shield around the back of the discas this will foul (so I was informed) the disc when the new one is fitted. There are 3 phillips crews which hold the plate on, I couldn't get 2 off and as there were no plans to fit a larger plate I chiselled the stubborn ones off. I used a small hacksaw to cut through the shield but tin snips would do just as well.
Removing the calipers and disc, you should now see something like this.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/18.jpg
I cleaned the loose rust and dirt off of the steering knuckle with a wire brush before starting to re-assemble the brakes.
Once cleaned I put the pads into the calipers and offered the new discs into place and refitted the phillips retaining screw.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/12.jpg
The black brake hose was then reconnected to the caliper and the 10mm hex drive bolts were lightly greased (to aid removal at a later date) before refitting the caliper. I used the original bolts that held the old calipers and found that the bolts were about 4mm too long, a quick trip to a car spares shop I bought 2 washers for each bolt at 10p each (2 washers x 4 bolts) and used this to secure the calipers.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/15.jpg
Once the caliper was secured the mole grips were removed. The calipers were dry and completely drained of oil before the cleaning process was started, so when bleeding the system keep a careful eye on the oil reservoir and top up regularly whilst bleeding as I used a 250Ml bottle of brake fluid was used up bleeding the front brakes.
Job done, goes without saying that you need to do the same to both sides before using the car on the road.
Hope this helps someone on their big brake upgrade.
I?m no mechanic so if there?s bits missing or wrong in this for your Nova it was meant purely as a guide to what did to my particular car.
1st I Got a set of 1.8 Cav SRI calipers and discs, I gave them a good clean up with a wire brush (taking care not to catch the piston oil seals), checked all the seals for holes or splits and the travel on the pistons to make sure they weren?t seized. In order to filt the bigger callipers you will need to have a minimum of 14? rims as smaller will foul the calipers.
I then cleaned the calipers with methylated spirits and then applied Hammerite?s ?Smoothrite? paint to give them a nice smooth red finish. The discs were checked to ensure they weren?t warped or too worn before removing the old calipers and discs.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/11.jpg
Removing the old calipers and discs wasn?t that terrible mainly because I had the right tools. Tools needed, 7 & 10mm Hex drive bit to get the calipers off, pair of mole grips or similar to clamp the brake pipe during the transplant, 1 metre steel tube, socket set with a T bar, and the usual compliment of tools, jack, grease, axle stands etc.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/10.jpg
Start by clamping the brake hose pipe with the mole grips, undo the nut on the black brake pipe at the back of the caliper, use a small bag, rubber glove or cling film to stop excess brake fluid leaking out of the pipe, the callipers will also loose brake fluid when the brake pipe is removed so have some rag or carpet to catch the dripping oil. Undo the phillips screw which holds the disc in place, the calipers were held on with 2 x 10mm hex drive bolts which were covered with metal caps, prise these off with a screwdriver, I found they couldn?t be fitted to the new ones so I wasn?t careful getting them off. Once the caps were off, using a T bar and the 10mm Hex drive slide the 1m steel pole over the T bar for extra leverage, the bolts came of with hardly any effort using this method.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/14.jpg
In order to get the new calipers on you need to remove the shield around the back of the discas this will foul (so I was informed) the disc when the new one is fitted. There are 3 phillips crews which hold the plate on, I couldn't get 2 off and as there were no plans to fit a larger plate I chiselled the stubborn ones off. I used a small hacksaw to cut through the shield but tin snips would do just as well.
Removing the calipers and disc, you should now see something like this.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/18.jpg
I cleaned the loose rust and dirt off of the steering knuckle with a wire brush before starting to re-assemble the brakes.
Once cleaned I put the pads into the calipers and offered the new discs into place and refitted the phillips retaining screw.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/12.jpg
The black brake hose was then reconnected to the caliper and the 10mm hex drive bolts were lightly greased (to aid removal at a later date) before refitting the caliper. I used the original bolts that held the old calipers and found that the bolts were about 4mm too long, a quick trip to a car spares shop I bought 2 washers for each bolt at 10p each (2 washers x 4 bolts) and used this to secure the calipers.
http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/92/71/NovaLoad/1/15.jpg
Once the caliper was secured the mole grips were removed. The calipers were dry and completely drained of oil before the cleaning process was started, so when bleeding the system keep a careful eye on the oil reservoir and top up regularly whilst bleeding as I used a 250Ml bottle of brake fluid was used up bleeding the front brakes.
Job done, goes without saying that you need to do the same to both sides before using the car on the road.
Hope this helps someone on their big brake upgrade.