Front Caliper Questions

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Working on a 71 C-10 2WD with mostly original parts.
Restoration is an "original" theme, with a few exceptions, such as exhaust, radiator, new tubes, E-brake cables, HEI, internal reg. alt., maybe an elct. choke. You know, the "usual" stuff.

I'm approaching a full tear-down, yet somehow I had avoided ever doing brakes. Didn't even know what a caliper was until recently. Okay yeah, front brakes are easy. And I'm ashamed to have had Les Schwab (yikes) replace the rotors and pads long ago. Anyway, as usual I have some questions please.

1. The caliper piston dust boots are bad. The pads & rotors are sill good. It needs new hoses of course. I'm replacing many of the components on this truck anyhow, under the theme described at top. In your opinion, should I have the original calipers rebuilt? I may be off course, but a "rebuilt" caliper might be limited to new dust boots. For what it's worth, I'm replacing whatever suspension parts require it. Don't know what that is yet.

1A: I see there are complete kits, calipers, rotors, hoses etc.. Any opinions on these kits and which is more better for the cause?

2. Reference the first image of the service manual, concerning bushings (four total) for the caliper bolts, which I didn't have. Were bushings used with the original caliper bolts? Mine didn't have any, maybe they were "lost".

3. Reference the second image with the inner brake pad. What's the clip on the rivet for? I suspect nothing. Perhaps the clip is for a different truck. Not much to it, just curious.

Thank you........

[smbrouss70]

1. You can buy a kit at your local auto parts store to rebuild your calipers. Most people just get another set of calipers since it isn't much more money.

2. The bushings are still in your calipers, see the silver sleeves in the cast iron caliper ears? They are designed to let you tighten the bolts completely, but let the caliper "float" in and out as the pads wear down.

3. The clip with the rivet is there to cause noise when the pads get thin enough for it to contact the rotor surface. It's a warning of sorts to tell you that the brake pads are getting dangerously thin.

The pads are interchangeable left & right, but there is an inner and outer. Usually the inner has a clip on the metal side of the pad to hold it up to the piston of the caliper. If all 4 of your pads are as thick as the one in the picture, they still have plenty of life left in them.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

1. You can buy a kit at your local auto parts store to rebuild your calipers. Most people just get another set of calipers since it isn't much more money. I may be one of those guys. I don't see much importance having the original calipers on.

2. The bushings are still in your calipers, see the silver sleeves in the cast iron caliper ears? They are designed to let you tighten the bolts completely, but let the caliper "float" in and out as the pads wear down. "Damn my eyes". I see all four of them now. Thanks for confirming I was only missing them with my eyes.

3. The clip with the rivet is there to cause noise when the pads get thin enough for it to contact the rotor surface. It's a warning of sorts to tell you that the brake pads are getting dangerously thin. Ah,
so that's the "metal on metal."

The pads are interchangeable left & right, but there is an inner and outer. Usually the inner has a clip on the metal side of the pad to hold it up to the piston of the caliper. If all 4 of your pads are as thick as the one in the picture, they still have plenty of life left in them. They all look good, thank you.