Recommendations for a good car mechanic?

[mac1911]

I f'd up a MC years ago trying to push out the piston from a caliper


I had to run new rear hardlines on my 87 535is a year or two ago, went with copper/nickle lines vs steel or buying an OEM prebent part from BMW $$$. I could bend / route them by hand and they flared without issue.

The coponick line is good stuff although some of the cheaper manuctures of this stuff can be hard to flare also.
its all fun

you do run the risk of dislodging crud if you push pistons back in with out opening a bleeder or disconecting the lines.
Never seems to happen except on Fridays on the most expensive cars.

anyway lots of people dont want to hear it and many many cars never get the work done
5 years 50k miles is a good point to replace calipers and masters especially if your fluid is Dark and nasty

 

[mac1911]

Just for the fun of it
This is what came out of one rear caliper/bleed on s 12 yr old Escalade.
guy did not realize how much his pedal sucked until we fixed the frozen calipers,flushed the fluid and did a Brake Module assisted bleeding.
It really gets the fluid going and gets all the “ABS valves” to open up

If I let this sit for a few days it will have multiple layers of shit settled out of it.
Yeah brake fluid flushes are BS right....

 

[golden chicken]

I'm always surprised when people think their spongy pedal is normal. Usually the surprise comes when I'm trying to stop before hitting the shop garage door.

 

[jaymce]

Most shops or folks who do brake lines on a regular basis have decent benders and flare tools. The stainless and copper/nickel like work hardens very quickly.
Be prepared to buy front calipers and rear calipers or wheel cylinders if the bleeders can't be freed or are rusted badly.

I would also get front brake hoses and hoses, calipers, or cylinders or whatever the stainless line attaches to. Brake likes make a small ridge in the old attaching point. Steel and copper nickle will usually seal well to the old parts. I always seem to have problems getting the stainless to seal to old parts. You get weeping around the fittings.

 

[mac1911]

Most shops or folks who do brake lines on a regular basis have decent benders and flare tools. The stainless and copper/nickel like work hardens very quickly.
Be prepared to buy front calipers and rear calipers or wheel cylinders if the bleeders can't be freed or are rusted badly.

I would also get front brake hoses and hoses, calipers, or cylinders or whatever the stainless line attaches to. Brake likes make a small ridge in the old attaching point. Steel and copper nickle will usually seal well to the old parts. I always seem to have problems getting the stainless to seal to old parts. You get weeping around the fittings.

I dont like dealing with stainless at all. It just does not play well. Pre made lines are ok although it does not always mean rust or corrosion free. It actually adds to the galvanic corrosion risk. Fun stuff

 

[mac1911]

Fun today
Replacing all the hacked in lines, abs pump stuffed in left front fender with all fittings facing in bound. Its not the lines that suck. Its what is going to fall apart around them while doing them

A bleeder screw condom makes a good “plug” keeps fluid from draining all over
the place

Also install these boots on your new caliper bleeding screws . Its about a 90% success rate bleeders will open after many years if the booties are intact.

this one is getting the copo line stuff

and a old valve stem makes a good line block on the hose end.

 

[AHM]

and a old valve stem makes a good line block on the hose end.

I like that.
(But that's how I roll).

 

[mac1911]

I like that.
(But that's how I roll).

Yup works and we do tired so endless supply......all done for now.
Now Im off for a Tetanus shot!