Who out there knows how to setup Cadillac calipers and ebrakes?

Is it really hard? I have no idea.

Is the ebrake that bad? Can anyone set it up so they work?

Does the ebrake cable have to run under the axle? If the sides are switched so the ebrake cable can run over the axle does this make bleeding the brakes difficult?

I just looked at them in a yard on an old Caddy last week. It looks like a simple cable connection. I'm guessing it should't be too hard.

I can't quite recall if it looked like you could/couldn't run the cable over the axle, sorry.

Damn, I guess I probably shouldn't have replied, I don't know chitn about these:flipoff2:

Ask 1TONTJ I believe he did it. I've got the calipers setup, but haven't gotten as far as the e-brake yet.

A few weeks ago somebody was talking about swapping the lever side to side to get it on top and still be able to bleed them. Might try a search, I think it was here (PBB) either in general of Chevy, may have been on CK5, though.

Pete

That set up came on the Dyna track r60 I bought, and they suck!!

There is not enough power to hold it from rolling down a slight hill.

there's a company that makes/sells "royce-built spacers" that allowed me to use my stock CJ brake cables with the caddy calipers.
and I have to agree that they're a little small for our use.
I've been thinking about clocking another set on the read discs somewhere, or finding a Wilwood multi-piston application

I bought some pulleys to re-route a cable for mine a long time ago, just haven't gotten around to using them..

Could you elaborate for me Brandon? Bear in mind I'm an idiot. TIA!

well, they pull front to back and the old toyota ones pulled inward along the axle. I figured I could use the old toyota setup on top of the 60 axle but just put a pulley on each end to change the direction of the cable, and make a couple short cables to connect it all. Gota all the goodies at home depot, just gotta do it. Figure I'll just weld the little pulley to the axle - if it breaks no biggy but atleast I got a break just to make the man happy n all. With the granny in the tranny it won't roll anyway ;)

My jeep has no e-brake, other than the mico lock (line lock)


http://www.rivercityrockcrawlers.com/TechReports/MoPower/axles/brakes/rearbrakesnlines2.jpg

just re-read your post, you can rotate the caliper however you want - most people it seems put em on top just for clearance or whatever. I dunno why I did mine like they are, just put em like they were factory I guess. I think bleeding will still be fine - it is not a gravity bleed, it is a pressure bleek pushing the air out, I dunno though really?

I think bleeding will still be fine - it is not a gravity bleed, it is a pressure bleek pushing the air out, I dunno though really?
You want the bleeded screw to be the high point -- if the caliper contains a cavity that is higher than the bleeder, bubbles will gravitate there and make your system spongey...

You can always remove the caliper to bleed the brakes, but IMHO, that's a PITA.

Randii

Originally posted by M/C MAN
That set up came on the Dyna track r60 I bought, and they suck!!

There is not enough power to hold it from rolling down a slight hill.

Are you using the smaller calipers or the big ones (interchangable with 1/2 and 3/4 Chevy fronts)?

I personally wouldn't want to mount the bleeder screw down on a Caddy caliper, there's a lot of stuff inside the piston that the air bubbles cling to, makes them hard to bleed. Short of a real power bleeder, I have good luck gravity bleeding mine. Loosen tha cap on the master, open the bleeder screw, and tap on the caliper w/a hammer.

Pete

Originally posted by randii
PITA. Yep. But I've got this event coming up and one of the vehicle requirements is an operational ebrake. Making the calipers work properly is fundamental to making the ebrake work.

...I've got this event coming up and one of the vehicle requirements is an operational ebrake.

http://www.wheelwedge.com/

http://www.wheelwedge.com/Media/wedge2.jpghttp://www.wheelwedge.com/Media/wedge1.jpg

:flipoff2:

Randii

...and if you need the chock-installation process to be automated, this hunny is outfitted for the task, and most likely, available for rent:
http://www.rubberanchovies.com/rhonda/071401-505B15D.jpg

Randii

Mmmmmmm... air brakes ;)
http://www.tennessee4x4.com/toyota/images/ebrake/ebrake-03.jpg

Originally posted by randii
http://www.wheelwedge.com/ :flipoff2: Slow at work today huh. Somehow I think the inspection people are a bit anal and they'd say no. :flipoff2:

Where's that microlock thread.......

I think they work ok when setup right. Here is the trick. Take the adjuster that the parking brake lever hooks up to all the way out. Then put the caliper on the bracket and put the e-brake lever back on. Ratchet the e-brake lever, push it forward towards the front of the truck and then pull it back until it gets tight. This moves the pads closer to the rotors. Then hook your cable up and bleed the brakes, they should work great.

Most people don't do this...and when the pull on the e-brake it moves but the pads are spaced out so far it doesn't clamp very well, this also makes the brakes not work all that great.

CJ

Originally posted by Belly Dragger
Slow at work today huh. Somehow I think the inspection people are a bit anal and they'd say no. :flipoff2:

Where's that microlock thread.......

those are not mechanical, somehow I got through the sierra trek requirements but they really don't count as a real e-brake

Belly,

Have a look at master Power brakes site (www.mpbrakes.com ??) I 'member reading some good gen there about the caddy brakes...something about the way they are usually rebuilt, a part doesn;t get replaced, but that's the part that fails or something....anyway, it was interesting

Originally posted by CJ Lagos
I think they work ok when setup right. Here is the trick. Take the adjuster that the parking brake lever hooks up to all the way out. Then put the caliper on the bracket and put the e-brake lever back on. Ratchet the e-brake lever, push it forward towards the front of the truck and then pull it back until it gets tight. This moves the pads closer to the rotors. Then hook your cable up and bleed the brakes, they should work great.

Most people don't do this...and when the pull on the e-brake it moves but the pads are spaced out so far it doesn't clamp very well, this also makes the brakes not work all that great.

CJ

Well said. It seems hardly anyone knows how these things actually work. People also dont realize that the back brakes are almost useless if they are not adjusted correctly.

Watch out when dumpster diving for these old calipers as well. Lots of em are frozen up from lack of use.

What is the years to look for on the Caddy Calipers??

I have a friend ready to bag a 4 door deville..probably a early eighties... would I be so lucky?

bennett

Originally posted by bennett
What is the years to look for on the Caddy Calipers??

I have a friend ready to bag a 4 door deville..probably a early eighties... would I be so lucky?

bennett

The big ones (interchange with front truck calipers) were used around '76-'78 on Eldorados only. I may be a bit off on the years, but '77 had them for sure. The smaller ones were used later, I think on Sevilles and possibly others.

Pete

Just finshed Caddy calipers on my D60 rear, and have yet to get them to work correctly. I have bleed them too many times to count and they still feel soft. I am going to move my proportioning valve to the front lines to see if I can even get the rears to lock up (I am also running Hydro-Boost). The parking brake works poorly but will hold on a slight angle if I really mash it to the floor! Obviously I also have some bugs to work out. Good Luck!

I have the big caddy calipers on my rear 60 with a 3/4 ton dodge front rotor (11 3/4") and the stock ford 60 brakes on the front, and my truck will lock uup all 4 38.5's from 45 MPH with a light press of the pedal. My e-brake holds pretty good too, maybe I have more mechanical advantage in my e-brake setup???

Hey Crazyhorse. Those Dodge rotors....are they top hat desisn like the Ford F250's? What other rotors work well for 8 lug rear disc.?

the dodge ones slide over the outside of the hub, instead of being pressed on behind the hubs. they lined the flat caliper bracket right up to the flange for bolting the backing plate on stock.

Originally posted by DRM
Mmmmmmm... air brakes ;)
http://www.tennessee4x4.com/toyota/images/ebrake/ebrake-03.jpg

:eek: I like that! Is that on your rig DRM? howz it setup:question: :D

ROK TOY (Jay) had a wright up on using the caddy breaks. I didn't like that I could see a gap between the pad and the rotor when not being pressed. He and I have both switched to using Toy Supera rear calipers. They too have manual ebreak, but pull into the center of the axle. Rotor is a 6 bolt front Toyota, bracket is homebrew.